What's Proper Tipping Etiquette at the Salon?

By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine

Your relaxing mani/pedi, facial or cut and color ends with an uncomfortable moment: leaving the tip. You look around for the shampoo girl, your stylist is missing in the back somewhere and you don't even know how much to leave and who to leave it with. Here are a few guidelines to make sure you leave your salon feeling satisfied with your tipping etiquette.

Do I tip based on price or the quality of my experience?

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Tipping practices differ from smaller cities to larger ones, but stay in the 15 to 20 percent range (before tax), though most women tip 20, according to a poll from Aveda. Unless you had a horrible experience, try and start from there. If the salon squeezes you in for an appointment, entertains your toddler or even gives you an extra shoulder massage with your treatment, up your tip a bit if you can afford to. Establishing a positive relationship with your salon staff will ensure they take care next time, too.

Are tips divided amongst staff? In a restaurant I leave one tip...

Nope. Unlike many restaurants, the person you tip keeps the tip. And unlike your last night dining out, you'll be wearing what you paid for - for a while. Don't forget to leave something for your shampoo girl ($3 to $5 is customary). Make the call based on how much she does and how much your overall cut is. For example, if your salon has a $20 cut and style deal, $5 may be too much.

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Should I personally hand the tips to them?

It's best to wait until after you pay to leave your tips because very often, salons will have envelopes at the front desk. You can leave the person's name on it (but don't write the amount). That's between you and your stylist. No envelopes around? Ask the receptionist if he/she has one or simply hand the tip over to your stylist.

What if I hated my experience?

Talk to your stylist first. If you hate your color or cut they may be able to remedy it. If this fails, you can also try a manager. Leave some tip, even if it's considerably smaller - leaving nothing can be quite insulting and after all, there was some effort put into that 'do. It'll make things less awkward should you ever decide to return.

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Photo Credit: Condé Nast Digital Studio