Tipping at the Salon: How to Do it Right

As soon as you enter a hair salon or spa, people are doting on you: checking your coat, giving you a scalp massage during a shampoo, rubbing your shoulders while your nails dry. It's wonderful to be pampered—after all, you are paying for a service—but knowing the right way to show your gratitude can actually be stressful. Sure, everyone loves tipping their beloved stylist they've been going to for years, but it's becoming more and more baffling to figure out the etiquette: who should be compensated and how much should you be slipping into their pockets?

How fancy is the place you're at? Very fancy? Then bigger tips are probably expected. And annoyingly enough, it’s hard to get a straight answer out of people who work there on what’s proper or expected (it was almost impossible to get anyone to provide feedback on the record for this piece, because talking about tipping in general is considered bad form.) But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to do it! Tipping goes directly to the pocket of the person working for you, and to skip the tip is pretty much akin to walking out on your bar tab.

The golden number overall seems to be 20%, from nails to hair color to massages. It’s an easy-to-calculate number that indicates you were happy with the experience. But that adds up to some serious cash, especially for a head of highlights or massage upwards of $100. Donna Perillo, owner of Sweet Lily Natural Nail Spa and Boutique in New York agrees with this calcuation for waxing, pedicures, and other treatments. “Customary tips are 18% to 20% of the pretax amount and is applicable regardless of the services," she told Yahoo Shine. The next time you're unsure of your tip, here are general guidlines to follow.

THE HAIR SALON

Hairstylist/colorist: 20% If you have a special relationship with a certain stylist, then splashing out a little more, say 25%, is a common practice.  This goes for colorists, too, whether you’re having a basic root touch up or a full head of highlights.

The Assistants: $5-$20 This one has more leeway, because assistants can do a little or a lot, depending on the situation. They’re the ones who wash your hair and perhaps bring you refreshments. They're the lowest on the pecking order, and for karma’s sake it’s important to tip them. Sometimes they do the blowout instead of the stylist, or assist in a cut or treatment. The more they do, the better the tip should be. The Warren-Tricomi Salon told Shine that, for just shampooing, if your cut is under $50, tip your hair-washer about $2 or $3, if it’s over $50, you can tip between $5-$10.

The Owner: 0-20% The old-school rule is that the stylist, manicurist, or therapist who owns the spa or salon, doesn't accept tips even when they're the one working on you. “Personally, I don’t think it's necessary to tip the owner,” says Perillo. But the recession has kind of changed the guidelines there. You should ask the front desk whether the owner accepts tips or not, and if they do, tip a standard 20%.

THE NAIL SALON

Basic Manicure/Pedicure: 10-20% The least wallet-busting, since manicures and pedicures are not as technically complicated as hair color or a spa service. If there’s a special promotion, the tip should be based off the original price of the service. Any more than 20% is excessive.

Specialized Manicure/Pedicure: 15-25% This includes services like nail art, gel polishes, as well as scrubby, massagey, aromatherapy based-mani/pedis, that require more time, energy, and supplies. For a tricked-out pedicure that takes an hour—as opposed to a simple one that takes about 30 minutes—start the tipping at 20%. Especially if you’re a regular customer.

THE SPA

Waxing, facials and massages: 10-25%
Sure the spa is lots of fun, but this is where the whole tipping thing really get really expensive. The average one hour spa treatment, be it a facial or a massage costs quite a bit—over a $100 at established spas—and tipping the standard 20% can feel like a ripoff, especially if you’re getting them on a regular monthly basis. If you didn't think the service was up to par, you may tip as low as 10%, but like Perillo said, 20% is still considered the standard amount if you enjoyed the treatment.

IF YOU ARE DISATISFIED

Remember: If you are unhappy, feel like the price isn’t worth it, or don’t want to come back, you should tip less or not at all. “If you weren't completely happy with the service, my suggestion is to give a very nominal tip, but also be sure to tell the owner or manager," says Perillo. "It’s the honest feedback that helps them to make the business better.”