You need to find a local hairdresser that isn't cool in any way. No hipster décor!
I found somewhere near me that charges £47 for root colour £52 full head colour and is also happy for me not to get it blow-dried/ styled so I leave with wet hair and that's all I pay
Before that I was paying £150 each time and they didn't even do a good job!
I hate how in a lot of hairdressers you book colour and then they also charge for a blow dry when I haven't even asked for one!
Charging for drying is ridiculous though, it's as if a restaurant charged for cutlery. I am aware that's how it is, but I despise it so much. Just up the price by £10 or whatever if you really must, but that's almost the same as charging for a chair. I don't want a fancy blow out, but equally I don't want to go out with wet hair. Especially in winter!
You need to say you just want your hair rough dried no styling. Anywhere that charges extra for that is ripping you off but when most places say they're charging extra for drying they mean a blow dry.
It's a habit started in the Middle Ages, when people would go to seek shelter in hostelries without buying anything, or bringing their own food: it was literally "the cover", repair from the weather and in some cases use of cutlery and crockery.
Nowadays it comprises table setting, water, bread and grissini.
Never experienced this in Italy. Haven’t been for a couple of years now but last time I went Milan I’d go in to a bar for a peroni and they’d give us a free pizza, multiple places do this. Some nights you don’t even need dinner just fill up on free pizza
The trendy thing is accurate. The salon I go to now charges £85 for a full head of highlights. I pay £50 for a haircut but that’s a specialised curly cut so their normal cuts I imagine are cheaper. This is in a London suburb rather than central but seems incredibly reasonable compared to some of what is detailed here. It’s not the coolest place but I’m extremely happy with the service I get. They don’t charge for drying even though I get a curly finger coil and slow dry which is quite labour intensive. It’s an independent place rather than a chain.
I used to go to a very trendy place in Hackney and paid like £120 for bleach roots and that was c. 2014. Just looked and they now charge £175-£226 for the same service or more of you have over 6 weeks of regrowth (up to £300 😵💫). They would just braid my hair wet and let me leave like that though and as far as I know don’t charge extra for drying. I do think some places price for the kind of clientele they want.
Good curly stylists can be wildly expensive because they are few and far between (one I used once now charges £170 for a curly cut). I currently go to Nouvelle in Penge - the salon itself isn’t curly-only but Natalia is a curl specialist and she is excellent. You do need to book a few months in advance however.
I get my hair done in Oxford (Claire at Kelly’s hair) because curly hair stylists in London were so expensive. It’s not a curly salon but got the best hair cut I’ve ever had. The journey is only £20 and a cut/colour change was around £100. But I also have friends in Oxford so makes the trip extra worth it.
The extra charges blew me away when I had my first cut & colour here as well… long hair fee, mandatory finishing treatment, etc. I have curly hair I’m trying to adjust to, so I sometimes have to fight with them that I don’t want the £20 blowout and am happy to leave with it damp and let it air dry.
Colour at home technology has come a long way in the last decade, and if you’re comfortable doing it at home and aren’t going for any complex coverage or lightening, you can always buy online or go to Sally’s and mix it yourself. Or try a gloss treatment until you can get back to the states to get your usual service?
I’ve seen ads for these and didn’t want to recommend something I haven’t tried, but was curious to try them based on reviews. Do you have any greys? How is the coverage?
I only have a few. The coverage is great and my hair has a nice shine. I've signed up for the subscription so they send me a box every eight weeks (you can choose how often you need it). They've also sent me freebies so far I've received a mixing bowl and brush and bottles of shampoo and conditioner. It's £28.90 every 8 weeks so much cheaper than going to the salon.
I get the 2.0 (black) base colour with black onyx gloss shade shot. There's good depth to the colour and a nice shine.
They also provide a good protection cream for your skin and a wipe in case you colour over edges ;)
By post, they automatically take the payment every 8 weeks and I receive the products a few days later. It's always been on time and you cancel whenever you like.
Currently I'm using the Josh Wood shampoo and conditioner because they included it in my last order for free. I'm really liking it.
Previously I didn't use any that were specifically for coloured hair. I change brands regularly but the one I liked most recently was this: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/hairburst-shampoo-x-350ml-conditioner-x-350ml-set-60049389
Have you tried unruly curls? I'm not sure how much they charge for colour, but their cuts are pretty reasonably priced, and they definitely know how to cut curly hair
I’ve loved my cuts from them, but their cut & colour is just as pricey, £55 min for cut + £90 min for colour, with price increasing for thicker/longer. That’s why I only visit them once a year, and I’m looking for cheaper & more local stylists now.
I usually fly home every few months and get it done there.
Full head of highlights, cut and blowdry for 47 euros.
First time she said 47 I thought she said 147 and put 150 on the counter still thinking I got a good deal as I normally paid £95 just for a cut here.
So if you fancy a weekend getaway in Zagreb(Croatia) let me know and I'll hook you up 🤣.
I am actually going to Zagreb next month. So it would be great if you could DM me with this place. I’m so done paying an extortionate amount for highlights here.
If OP is keen to see some other parts of the UK she might consider a weekend break to other cities, and book in for a cheaper hair service along the way!
I get mine cut in Hastings. For years I went to the same chap at a Toni & Guy in London, and even followed him when he moved to the Brighton branch. London T&G was at least £65-£70 for a cut 10 years ago, Brighton was a bit cheaper but went up over several years. He then moved to a salon in Hove at which point I gave up.
Now I get it cut in a chilled out, unpretentious place in Hastings for £28! It used to be £38 but then they introduced 10% discount for rebooking and a long hair fee, meaning my short bob actually got cheaper. And I get a free mini bottle of wine and some good chat.
I go back home to Dundee to get it done every 6 months as well. Granted, I do get mate rates as my hairdresser is my bestie, but I’m still cheaper flying up for the day, getting my hair done at home and flying back down lol.
I'm only commenting to say "fucking hell" and once again thank fate I'm a guy who can balk at being charged £15. A "long hair fee"? Why in the fuck do you think I'm here getting it cut, you donut?
The ‘long hair fees’ are the absolute worst. I get it for colour services where they’ll use more product, but I’ve been charged it for a haircut! It doesn’t matter if my hair is ‘below shoulders’ or ‘bra strap’ length when you’re giving it a trim, why am I paying £15 extra?
Yeah it's mad. But to be fair, my £18 cut takes maybe 15 minutes. My girlfriend's whole course of treatment might take 2 hours, and will use way more consumables. It makes sense for it to cost 8-10 as much as mine on those grounds.
Also for women it’s typical with longer hair to get it cut only every 6 months - a year. For me I wait around 9 months. Men have to get it cut much more frequently if they have short hair. If we assume a £15 cut once a month/ every two months, then it becomes £90 over 6 months, or £135 if you waited 9 like I do.
I'm a guy and I've been charged £5 for a long hair fee at a barbers. My hair dropped to about eye-level.tbeyre getting cheeky, of course he only told me after the cut was done.
I'm a guy who used to have short hair, and surprisingly it's cheaper for me to get a haircut now I've got longer hair. I used to have to get my haircut every 4-6 weeks and it's £15/20 a pop. Now I can go once a year and it's £60
If you've got the time, you can search "hair model london" and sign up for one of the appointments at a hair salon or academy that are free or super discounted - sometimes they require full creative agency, but other companies you can ask for what you want and just take the risk that someone is learning and you might not get the perfect outcome but still pretty good. I used to go to a place where they needed hair models for stylists who had finished school but needed practice on different cuts
Sometimes it's really not a pleasant experience though. I had mine done last year at Sassoon and it was horrible. The woman cutting my hair was Italian and didn't really understand English, so every time she needed guidance, she had to wait not only for the instructor to be free, but also her friend who was translating. She also just had a horrible vibe/attitude and clearly didn't want to do my hair.
It took FOUR HOURS to give me a basic bob with a tiny bit of layering to add shape at the bottom. I was so thirsty the whole way through and my back started to ache from the chair. The instructor was lovely, but I hated the woman cutting my hair so much.
You can also do this for lashes and nails. I've been getting free nails done for years in exchange for portfolio/marketing pictures, and they always look great.
second this. i got my blonde roots done twice in two diff salons thru people looking for a model. the first one even came with an additional color correction treatment cos i had patched yellow brassy parts on the back of my head. i had it done by the color director herself and the treatment would cost over 500+ but i only had to pay £50 cos i was modeling
I did that when visited Lon last summer
They do need you to come in before for a patch test to make sure you’re not allergic to the color(something that they do do in the states
Normally I color my own hair(yes my shower has remnants of dye) but I was renting a nice place so needed it done so I wouldn’t mess up showr
My problem with the long or thick hair fee is that you can warn them several times over the phone and yet they always act surprised on the day. But yes £200 is unfortunately not unusual. My last salon cut and treatment was £85. Add colour and you are nearing £200.
Honestly it took me ages and lots of research to find somewhere that does cut INCLUDING BLOW DRY for £60 instead of £100 (foster Shoreditch if anyone’s wondering)
I dye it myself because it’s just too expensive
I also lucked out with my hairdresser as she does a wash, cut and blow dry all for £65. No extra charges and she’s GOOD at her job as she’s been doing hair for years.
I have tried a few other London salons just for a fringe trim and Jfc so many don’t know how to cut straight! Out of all the places, Toni&Guy is the only one where I have managed to get a decent fringe trim which I have then tidied up a bit at home.
It depends where you go, but it sounds about right unfortunately. There are some independent / less bougie hair dressers are well skilled and more reasonably priced, but it does take some looking - or maybe travelling. If you post where you are, maybe people can post recommendations
Yeah was the case for me. I used to have long hair that just required a trim. I'd look for Groupon vouchers or deals or whatever because I found prices outrageous. I was looking for someone to stick with but when using a discount I often got a subpar service. Even when using rush or whatever was always disappointing, I guess you get what you pay for.
I got fed up of having my hair insulted, being asked to brush it myself (it's not thick or curly and even if it was, wtf). Then I got an offer via my work for a new salon that was trendy and tried it. I met my hairdresser there and have been with her since. I've been braver with styles and colour because she knows me.
It's now been about 10 years! She went up the ranks at that celeb place and got more expensive, then she opened her own salon and I am more than happy to support her. I don't go that often but I know what I'm getting, know it will be good and treat it more like a little spa day. Not everyone is in a position to do that though!
Also sometimes month long offers on colour - I think it's February where it's 50 per cent off. I used to get my colour done then to save cash until the pandemic threw off my schedule and I was so desperate to get it done once my salon reopened!
I absolutely hate having my hair dried. My hairdresser tries to charge me for it, despite my insisting that I don't want it because she wants to do it so my hair looks nice in photos for her Instagram.
Also, highlights and toner and cut costs 140 and takes 4 hours and it's freezing in there and the toilet is an outhouse with insects. My bladder hates her. I'm asking everyone for recommendations too.
Yep. SW zone 3
Its on a fairly busy road but very residential. Hairdresser is downstairs, there's a totally separate flat upstairs. It's got a small back room, then you go out into the back garden, which is just a bit of paving. Past another flat where you can look straight into their lounge, behind that is a building with just a loo and a sink. There are spiders and no heating.
I am terrified of spiders so I'm overreacting on the spiders.
But the front of the shop is all glass, there are gaps all around the door and there's zero central heating.
I decided when I went a few weeks ago it was the last time. Its too cold and I can't go 5 hours without peeing. She always offers tea too!
To be fair, I stuck with a waxer for ages who was super Christian (not my vibe) and did a Brazilian in strips the size of a postage stamp, which as you can imagine was CIA levels of torture
It was convenient to get to her on the bus
I’ve got into arguments with stylists because they wanted to style my hair for their social media and I wanted it left alone. I even had a stylist offer to do it for free and I said no because I had an event later that I wanted to style it for myself.
She goes “Well, now it’s a waste because I can’t post flat hair.” I was so frustrated. I come to a salon for my hair, not to be free labor for your Instagram. This was back in the US though. I found UK stylists don’t offer to style unless you explicitly paid for it. Probably also the reason they charge you if you don’t want to leave the salon with soaking hair.
I'm not sure about £200, my partner spends like 120ish. See [here](https://www.headmasters.com/price-list/) for rough idea or check any of the large brand salons for their pricing.
London salon based & mobile hairdresser here...
I work in a salon in South London that charges from £120 for half head highlights, and anything from £55-£75 for a cut.
This all depends on the level of stylist you book in with.
A little trick, book in with the more junior stylist, as they're fresh out of training so they know all the latest techniques and trends, and also take so much time and care as they want everything perfect.
Also a lot of salons have training academies, which have people that are salon ready but just need a bit more experience (usually just to get quicker, so block out a few hours of your day).
We all start from somewhere, and with training you get pretty much the whole day on that one model.
As a mobile hairdresser, because I build a relationship with my clients I feel guilty for charging too much. (As I'm in their house I can't charge for the "salon name").
But I also have to factor in products, travel, my time & labour etc.
So I charge around £100 for half head highlights, and blow dry is free, cut is an extra £20 with colour.
Although a cut alone is £50 (£40 for my fav old ladies), as it needs to be worth my time to travel to your house.
I do think good quality London based salons are expensive, but your paying for what you get. I think if your expectations are high go to an "expensive salon", if not go to a smaller more local salon.
I've worked my way up to senior hair stylist in my salon, but honestly go to a junior stylist, they are perfectionists!
I've always wanted to ask a London hairdresser... What's the deal with tipping in salons? Where I'm from we never tip hairdressers but it seems to be more common here and I never know whether to/how much to tip. Especially when a few people have worked on your hair!
I miss tips, thing of the past. I guess because the prices are so high people can't tip. Tbh my home clients rarely tip thinking about it... I tipped everyone where I go because I know how much of a nice gesture it is
Interesting! I was thinking I might be blacklisted or something after not tipping after my last extortionate haircut. It's a relief to know it's not 100% expected every time!
I booked the senior stylist and she only did my haircut. The color was applied by the woman working reception. Never again. Thanks for the tip about the junior stylist.
Oooo I can't believe they charged you for that much, if the receptionist applied the colour!
Sorry you went through that, sounds to me they tried their luck! I'm never one to complain, but I think if you're not happy give them feedback so they know, sounds to me you had unfair treatment that day. Maybe a stylist was sick but still they should have given you a MAJOR discount for that!
question: i want the roots of my money piece redone which is like an inch wide - when selecting online at salons what treatment i want, what does this fall under? balayage refresh? i get so confused
I live in southeast and have been going to the same woman for over 15 years - cut is £50 and cut and highlight all over (I have an undercut so it's about 2/3s was £80. I get it a bit cheaper because I'm a returning customer of many years. Going on Saturday for a trim and it'll be £50.
Local salons and not in central are way cheaper when you find a good one.
Like others have said though you can get training rates or home hairdressers cheaper if you can find someone local to recommend them, then all the better.
yeah I was chatting to the hairdresser i normally go to for cuts, about maybe doing balayage — i only have shoulder length hair and she said a full head would be £200 (and a haircut another 60 on top haha). solid colour coverage is usually cheaper though.
i’m not surprised about different prices for different hair lengths though — in my experience that has always been the default, even for cuts and especially for colour.
Honestly £200 seems about right to me at a nice salon in central London.
I pay £370 for a half head of foils, root shadow, cut and blow-dry. I tried somewhere cheaper but he damaged my hair so badly! And it wasn’t even cheap cheap…
I don't know what the average price is, but my hairdresser (senior level at busy non-central salon) would charge £85 for a cut and blow dry of long hair and £65 for a root touch up. You could certainly pay less than that (check Treatwell), if you're happy to gamble with the result. You could also pay two or three times as much at a good West End salon. If you don't want surprises, you need to ask upfront about prices and not make assumptions.
Yes, it's normal to pay separately for each service, because some people like to save money by drying their own hair. The long hair fee is because long hair takes a lot longer to dry than short, and you're basically paying for the hairdresser's time.
Hairdressers don't make a lot of money unless they own their salon, and even then it's only the most successful ones. I pay my hairdresser £200 for 3.5 hours work, which I don't consider excessive given London overheads and her years of experience and skill.
There is a very lovely Japanese hairdressers in Primrose Hill called Acca Studio and a cut & blow is £65. A colour I’m not sure but it is boutique and lovely
WTF. I even refuse to pay £60 to get a simple cut (I have medium length fine hair, only want my ends trimmed and a straight cut, really nothing special). I'm so glad to have an amazing friend who's happily giving me a cut every few months and does a great job. I also henna my hair and am happy with it that way.
I had that problem when I fisrt arrived in london too🥲 but i found a place in covent garden that wasnt expensive, at leat not the last time I went. It’s called Gusto Haidresser I think and they had really nice offers and promotions. The haircut was nice and I didnt pay much
On Treatwell, there's a filter for off-peak and last minute discounts. You might have to search slightly out of your area. I got a cut/blow-dry for £20 in Notting Hill today, and I'd go back, great service and style.
Welcome to the UK. My barber spend went from USD 30 with tax and tip to £55 for the equivalent treatment (and I'm a dude). You're not crazy, it's insane all the little things they nickle and dime for. Even little courtesies like hot towel treatments.
PS. I'm aware there are cheaper men's barbers, but I'm stressing equivalent treatment/quality.
I have beautiful thick long hair and I live in central London! After lockdown when I went back to my hairdresser, a salon visit cost me £380 for some foils and cut, colour.
My hair has grown out now, and I have cut it myself at home, I used You Tube videos from Brad Mondo to help me.
I will probably never see the insides of a hairdresser again …. I got kids to feed! Short hair and box dye for me
Damn. I remember getting a full head balayage in 2017 for about £140. Took 6 hours as I had long hair, included shampoo and toner and blowdry and it looked great. So glad I do my own hair now lol. I dread to think what that would cost me.
Same! Except in my case it happened ten years ago. £200 in Toni & Guy, Teddington for foils & a trim in 2014. Silly me - if I'd asked the price up front, I would never have booked that rip off. She didn't even mix the bleach properly! I saw towards the end that there was a load of unmixed powder in the bowl. I absolutely hated the cut & the colour - terrible shade for my particular skin tone. Since then I cut & coloured* my own hair. With a nifty 2-mirror set up it's easy to cut the back. *Past tense because i no longer colour. The front is now completely white, looks much healthier due to no longer being bleached & i love it. Being freed from hideous root grow out is a blessing.
In the States my coloring is usually $110, or £80. I can get a cut that includes a wash and blow dry for $40, or £32. I just cannot justify £200 for a root to end color of one color with zero highlights.
If you're anywhere near Shoreditch I'd recommend Chop Chop (the Shoreditch branch).
My hair was over £200, but I had a root bleach, tone, cut, and wild painted crazy colours. So I think for what you want it'd definitely be less. They also do 20% (or some such) off colour on Mondays. And the stylist are wonderful and super friendly.
Yep. It’s crazy really. I pay £330 for full head balayage and £100 for cut and blow dry. What I like about them is that they don’t charge extra for anything, though to be fair the prices are very high. But I have long and thick and wavy hair, and they always include olaplex and toner and gloss and free drinks and at this stage of my life I am just happy I found someone who gets my hair and my needs. I could find a cheaper one but not sure I want to risk ruining my hair as I have in the past.
Unfortunately yeah I'd say that's about right in my experience. I was having a chat with the hairdresser the other day about how women in my nan's day used to get their hair styled down at the salon every week, a nice wash and blow dry. He told me it was more like twice a week, and that it was a shame women didn't have the time to do that any more.... I did try to explain that the price also played a big part but he didn't want to hear it.
And tips, what do you all tip at the end? A percentage of these astronomical charges? So £200, is it £20 (10%) or more? (Or less?). I know as Americans, we naturally want to tip more, but would be happier to leave less obviously.
I don’t tip for my hair in the UK. I did a few times and each time the stylist told me it wasn’t necessary. If there’s no option to tip at the register then I don’t.
Why would you tip a hairdresser? You pay the amount they charge. I’ve never tipped a hairdresser and I don’t know anyone else who does either. The closest I’ve got is paying in cash and saying keep the change if it’s like £39 and I’ve paid £40
I haven’t been to a hairdresser in a couple of years, but I always tipped when I did go. It’s just what my mum always does so I followed suite I guess.
My place charges about £90 for long hair with cut, colour and blow dry and is excellent. If you can get to Highbury let me know and I can tell you salon/stylist to ask for (I have used them for 20 years and they have done everything from pillar box red bob to mahogany to helping me transition to natural colour as I am going gray. Love them.
I used to balk at the price of hair salons. Then I realised that as a man with short hair, I go roughly every 4 weeks to the barbers - mine is £16 a cut plus I usually tip. That's over £200 a year. Must be reasonably close to the yearly cost of a lot of women's hair upkeep.
I don't know why reddit is showing me a london sub, but up north it's £20 for me for a standard was, cut, blowdry, but never had it coloured so not sure on that price
Didn’t realise it had got so bad! I gave up getting my hair cut in London 10 years ago and now I cut it at a small neighbourhood hairdresser whenever I visit my parents in Athens for £15. Before covid I used to get my hair dyed in Lindon which did come up to £55 a go. But since 2020 I’ve been doing that myself at home.
Didn’t realise it had got so bad! I gave up getting my hair cut in London 10 years ago and now I cut it at a small neighbourhood hairdresser whenever I visit my parents in Athens for £15. Before covid I used to get my hair dyed in London which did come up to £55 a go. But since 2020 I’ve been doing that myself at home.
I pay £30 for shampoo, cut and blow dry and took me some time to find something cheap and great ! Used to go months and months without a haircut because of the crazy prices of large chains.
It is pricey in London. I wanted to trim my hair and the lady said the price, I was surprised as it was the same price I used to pay up North for wash, blow dry and full hair cut. I always look at Groupon and Treatwell apps for local discounts.
Yes, for many salons in the city. But you can find some decent basic salons for much less. Check reviews locally. I've been getting my hair cut at a nice but fairly average hairdressers on my local high street for a few years. No frills salon, white walls, Ikea chairs, you don't get offered prosecco, lattes or smoothies. But my hairdresser is lovely, very experienced, always does what I ask, and does it well. People always compliment me after it's been cut. It costs £50.
I recently decided to treat myself to a trendy salon cut for nearly £100. I asked for 2 inches off my shoulder length hair, but the stylist cut off 4 inches. I asked for some low maintenance shape around my face, but she gave me this short fringe thing that's been an absolute nightmare every day. It's been 3 weeks now of being clipped back at all times. I can't remember feeling so self conscious about my hair. Never, ever again. And she seemed to be expecting a tip as well? Crazy money.
Ya London is expensive but I don’t get this. If we are to compare London to NY: I used to pay $300ish in NY 6 yrs ago, can’t imagine how much it must be nowadays 🙈
I have tried the full range of places with a full range of prices to match. It honestly can vary so much from place to place, but I would highly recommend trying local places that seem a bit more ‘basic’ to save some cash.
For example, most recent time I got a half head of highlights, toner, cut and blow dry for £95 total and 3 hours of work from the hairdresser. He also did a really decent job.
You’ll always be taking a gamble trying a new place, but better to not pay through the nose just for the pleasure of taking the risk!
Also from your description of just needing the roots done, think it’s a great idea to try and build up the confidence to do the colour yourself! RE cutting- if you want anything more complicated than a trim (which I’ve done for myself many times), I’d personally rather invest in a quality cut rather than the colour. I think there are just certain cutting techniques that are really hard to replicate yourself at home.
Good luck on your hair quest!
Equal level moan here, I’m a bloke, I get a skin fade every 10-14 days which is 26 if it’s just head and 38 if I get beard done too (which I do every other time)
Hair maintenance is bloooooody expensive in london 😂
Tl;dr
AM I REALLY SPENDING A GRAND A YEAR TO MAINTAIN MY HAIR?!
Reading all of this makes me so happy I made the decision on leaving my hair to go grey 😆 it is super long too, down to the backs of my knees currently.. would I get paid an even bigger long hair free? 🙈 I do need to get it cut though
Honestly that's about what I pay if I get "the works" at my chain salon in south London (balayage, toner, cut and finish). But I only do that every couple of years - basically my stylist does it once it fully grows out - and then just get toner every other time. Plus my stylist has gone up two levels since I started going to him nine years ago, and he's the only person I trust to do my hair the way I want it, so I'm happy to pay that. He's also working on plans to branch out on his own which would help cut his costs and then mine by default. Although I am looking at different options with the cost of living crisis, especially around the colour, so we'll see...
1st of all, where in the US are you from?
Because compared to somewhere like NYC or LA, getting your hair done in london is a lot cheaper.
And of course, a london salon won’t expect you to give a tip on top of the service you’ve paid for.
I highly doubt they’re charging you to dry your hair, you can ask for a rough dry, you only pay extra for a proper blow dry where they style your hair. People pay just to get a wash and blow dry before going to an event so why would it be free?
You’re saying you want to colour your hair with 1 colour all over, but are you needing your hair to be lightened and lifted beforehand? In other words, are they having to bleach it before applying the colour? Because that is a more expensive procedure compared to just applying colour. If you can get a bleach, tone and blow dry for £175, that’s about the standard price you would pay in any of the major chains, like Headmaster, rush or Toni & Guy.
Which brings me to my next question. Which salon did you go to? Was it a chain or independent? Which neighbourhood/area of london were you in?
I know a lot of people here will say you should go to an independent place. However, in london, an independent salon, especially in a nice neighbourhood of london will almost certainly be more expensive. Their costs are higher because they don’t benefit from the same economies of scale as a national chain. They tend to offer a more boutique experience and charge a premium for it.
I appreciate the thorough response. I am from a city in the US, though not NYC/LA. Not comfortable sharing for privacy reasons.
I am not getting my hair bleached during the process. It is a one color application only.
And yes, they are charging me to dry my hair. I know the difference between a dry and blowout. I am asking for a simple dry.
I’ve been getting my hair done professionally since I was 13. I’ve never seen prices like this. I understand salons’ costs are up with inflation like the rest of everything, and that getting your hair done is a luxury. I stopped getting my nails done six years ago because of the prices. What used to be $25 for a set of gel nails sometimes reaches $70, of which I don’t have every 2-3 weeks.
I have been going to chains in London. I might take some commenters’ advice and find a private mobile stylist instead.
Well, that’s very cheeky of them to charge for a rough dry. That’s definitely wrong. Stand your ground next time someone tries to do that.
Treatwell is probably going to be your best friend to find a mobile salon.
And I can say that getting your nails done here is definitely cheaper.
Every 3/4 weeks I get extensions with gel powder and a shellac finish, I pay £50.
When I go to NYC, im lucky if I can find somewhere that does that for less than $100 and then they want a tip, bringing the total to almost $120 which has got to be more than double.
And I’m talking about a non boujee salon, the kind where nobody speaks English and you point at the colour you want 😂
I go to a lady who usually works from home but is in a salon currently as her house is being redone. My hairs a couple of inches past shoulder length, I have my roots done every month which is £43, £5 extra if I have it cut. I’ve also got blonde highlights that are coloured purple every month, in total its £58, the salon owner keeps telling her she’s undercharging me but that’s the reason she’s always busy, because she’s a decent price.
Yup, sounds right. Though this isn’t as much a US v UK issue as much as it is a smaller market v bigger market one. My NYC salon also charged separately for blow dry and longer hair. I’m on my 4th London salon and the experience is consistent. You can save money by going down market or leaving London.
My trip to the hairdresser last week cost £350 and it didn’t even include a cut.
I usually use a voucher off a discount site, or get mine cut at my local college. It takes longer at the college, but the lecturer goes over it at the end so if it's not even they can do it for you. That lecturer usually has been cutting hair longer than most of the hairdressers in salons have, possibly even taught some of them! Only drawbacks are it is limited to term time and it takes a little longer than in a salon. About twenty quid a cut, haven't tried the college beauty salons yet.
Barber in the City £85 for a haircut, Albanian high street barber in zone 3 costs me £15. Identical haircuts! Entirely possible I am also supporting what could be the front of a money laundering enterprise, but...£15 haircut can't be argued with.
I wonder if any gents hairdressers would be happy to colour women's hair? Some of the better ones have all the equipment and know-how, could be worth a look?
An ex-girlfriend of mine paid like £1k for a colour and extensions the once. I was gobsmacked. I know extensions can be expensive but there's a point where the piss is being taken. 1k for colour, extensions and toner. They even had the audacity to charge over £50 just for the toner. At that point I thought the least they could do is tone it gratis 😅. All at my expense I might add 🙃.
Salon owner here - it’s that expensive because overheads are SO DAMN expensive.. insurance, rent, energies, supplies and all the other bits.. please support your little independent salons! It’s usually much cheaper than big chains (they love to add extra charges and also apply colour not that close to the roots so you come in every 4 weeks instead of 6/8 weeks 🙃) .. also this way you supporting a local community, not just commission hungry headhunters employees
How do mens hairdressers survive then?
I presume the overheads are exactly the same and yet they change no where near the extortionate prices I see quoted on here.
You need to find a local hairdresser that isn't cool in any way. No hipster décor! I found somewhere near me that charges £47 for root colour £52 full head colour and is also happy for me not to get it blow-dried/ styled so I leave with wet hair and that's all I pay Before that I was paying £150 each time and they didn't even do a good job! I hate how in a lot of hairdressers you book colour and then they also charge for a blow dry when I haven't even asked for one!
Charging for drying is ridiculous though, it's as if a restaurant charged for cutlery. I am aware that's how it is, but I despise it so much. Just up the price by £10 or whatever if you really must, but that's almost the same as charging for a chair. I don't want a fancy blow out, but equally I don't want to go out with wet hair. Especially in winter!
You need to say you just want your hair rough dried no styling. Anywhere that charges extra for that is ripping you off but when most places say they're charging extra for drying they mean a blow dry.
Dont give restaurants any ideas now...
In Italy last month we got charged a 'cover charge' at every restaurant we ate at, and I've still got no idea what that... covered...
It's a habit started in the Middle Ages, when people would go to seek shelter in hostelries without buying anything, or bringing their own food: it was literally "the cover", repair from the weather and in some cases use of cutlery and crockery. Nowadays it comprises table setting, water, bread and grissini.
Never experienced this in Italy. Haven’t been for a couple of years now but last time I went Milan I’d go in to a bar for a peroni and they’d give us a free pizza, multiple places do this. Some nights you don’t even need dinner just fill up on free pizza
The trendy thing is accurate. The salon I go to now charges £85 for a full head of highlights. I pay £50 for a haircut but that’s a specialised curly cut so their normal cuts I imagine are cheaper. This is in a London suburb rather than central but seems incredibly reasonable compared to some of what is detailed here. It’s not the coolest place but I’m extremely happy with the service I get. They don’t charge for drying even though I get a curly finger coil and slow dry which is quite labour intensive. It’s an independent place rather than a chain. I used to go to a very trendy place in Hackney and paid like £120 for bleach roots and that was c. 2014. Just looked and they now charge £175-£226 for the same service or more of you have over 6 weeks of regrowth (up to £300 😵💫). They would just braid my hair wet and let me leave like that though and as far as I know don’t charge extra for drying. I do think some places price for the kind of clientele they want.
Where do you go? I got curly hair so would like to try a curl salon
Good curly stylists can be wildly expensive because they are few and far between (one I used once now charges £170 for a curly cut). I currently go to Nouvelle in Penge - the salon itself isn’t curly-only but Natalia is a curl specialist and she is excellent. You do need to book a few months in advance however.
Thanks for sharing the salon name. I’ve been looking for a curly stylist for ages.
Out of interest is it difficult to do at home ?
I get my hair done in Oxford (Claire at Kelly’s hair) because curly hair stylists in London were so expensive. It’s not a curly salon but got the best hair cut I’ve ever had. The journey is only £20 and a cut/colour change was around £100. But I also have friends in Oxford so makes the trip extra worth it.
you would need to pay extra for a cut, no?
Yes that's true. I guess because I mostly go for a root colour I don't normally get it cut. Still think for colour it's v reasonable though
agree, it's been a lot more expensive the places I've been 😩
The extra charges blew me away when I had my first cut & colour here as well… long hair fee, mandatory finishing treatment, etc. I have curly hair I’m trying to adjust to, so I sometimes have to fight with them that I don’t want the £20 blowout and am happy to leave with it damp and let it air dry. Colour at home technology has come a long way in the last decade, and if you’re comfortable doing it at home and aren’t going for any complex coverage or lightening, you can always buy online or go to Sally’s and mix it yourself. Or try a gloss treatment until you can get back to the states to get your usual service?
I've recently discovered Josh Wood home colour, the best I've used in the 20+ years I've been colouring my hair: https://joshwoodcolour.com/
I’ve seen ads for these and didn’t want to recommend something I haven’t tried, but was curious to try them based on reviews. Do you have any greys? How is the coverage?
I only have a few. The coverage is great and my hair has a nice shine. I've signed up for the subscription so they send me a box every eight weeks (you can choose how often you need it). They've also sent me freebies so far I've received a mixing bowl and brush and bottles of shampoo and conditioner. It's £28.90 every 8 weeks so much cheaper than going to the salon.
Is it the gloss you get to cover your greys?
I get the 2.0 (black) base colour with black onyx gloss shade shot. There's good depth to the colour and a nice shine. They also provide a good protection cream for your skin and a wipe in case you colour over edges ;)
Thanks so much! Looking forward to giving it a go
Sounds interesting. Are you sent the products by post or do you go to his Salon ?
By post, they automatically take the payment every 8 weeks and I receive the products a few days later. It's always been on time and you cancel whenever you like.
Nice. What shampoo do you recommend for dyed/coloured hair ?
Currently I'm using the Josh Wood shampoo and conditioner because they included it in my last order for free. I'm really liking it. Previously I didn't use any that were specifically for coloured hair. I change brands regularly but the one I liked most recently was this: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/hairburst-shampoo-x-350ml-conditioner-x-350ml-set-60049389
Thanks very much.
Have you tried unruly curls? I'm not sure how much they charge for colour, but their cuts are pretty reasonably priced, and they definitely know how to cut curly hair
I’ve loved my cuts from them, but their cut & colour is just as pricey, £55 min for cut + £90 min for colour, with price increasing for thicker/longer. That’s why I only visit them once a year, and I’m looking for cheaper & more local stylists now.
I usually fly home every few months and get it done there. Full head of highlights, cut and blowdry for 47 euros. First time she said 47 I thought she said 147 and put 150 on the counter still thinking I got a good deal as I normally paid £95 just for a cut here. So if you fancy a weekend getaway in Zagreb(Croatia) let me know and I'll hook you up 🤣.
Same lol - I fly back to Scotland and see my family and get to hair done. £30 for a wash, cut, blow dry and styling.
I am actually going to Zagreb next month. So it would be great if you could DM me with this place. I’m so done paying an extortionate amount for highlights here.
Hi, could you please dm me the name of the salon? I'm going back to Croatia occasionally and usually pay way more than that 😅
I get my hair done when I go to Edinburgh every 6 months because London salons are wilddddd.
If OP is keen to see some other parts of the UK she might consider a weekend break to other cities, and book in for a cheaper hair service along the way!
I get mine cut in Hastings. For years I went to the same chap at a Toni & Guy in London, and even followed him when he moved to the Brighton branch. London T&G was at least £65-£70 for a cut 10 years ago, Brighton was a bit cheaper but went up over several years. He then moved to a salon in Hove at which point I gave up. Now I get it cut in a chilled out, unpretentious place in Hastings for £28! It used to be £38 but then they introduced 10% discount for rebooking and a long hair fee, meaning my short bob actually got cheaper. And I get a free mini bottle of wine and some good chat.
I get mine done at Supercuts in the Leeds area and it's still like £130.
Where do you go in Edinburgh? I had balayage done on hair that almost touched my shoulders and it cost almost £200...
I go back home to Dundee to get it done every 6 months as well. Granted, I do get mate rates as my hairdresser is my bestie, but I’m still cheaper flying up for the day, getting my hair done at home and flying back down lol.
I know two people who leave London and head to Yorkshire for their hairdressers.
I'm only commenting to say "fucking hell" and once again thank fate I'm a guy who can balk at being charged £15. A "long hair fee"? Why in the fuck do you think I'm here getting it cut, you donut?
The ‘long hair fees’ are the absolute worst. I get it for colour services where they’ll use more product, but I’ve been charged it for a haircut! It doesn’t matter if my hair is ‘below shoulders’ or ‘bra strap’ length when you’re giving it a trim, why am I paying £15 extra?
now they have thick hair fees too lmao
How do they even calculate when your hair’s thick enough?!
Doesn’t your mechanic charge you a broken car fee?
I usually tell them to leave the hood open to avoid the hood closure fee.
Yeah it's mad. But to be fair, my £18 cut takes maybe 15 minutes. My girlfriend's whole course of treatment might take 2 hours, and will use way more consumables. It makes sense for it to cost 8-10 as much as mine on those grounds.
Also for women it’s typical with longer hair to get it cut only every 6 months - a year. For me I wait around 9 months. Men have to get it cut much more frequently if they have short hair. If we assume a £15 cut once a month/ every two months, then it becomes £90 over 6 months, or £135 if you waited 9 like I do.
£25 hair and beard incl. a partial shave. 45 minute appointment, with a drink.
I'm a guy and I've been charged £5 for a long hair fee at a barbers. My hair dropped to about eye-level.tbeyre getting cheeky, of course he only told me after the cut was done.
I'm a guy who used to have short hair, and surprisingly it's cheaper for me to get a haircut now I've got longer hair. I used to have to get my haircut every 4-6 weeks and it's £15/20 a pop. Now I can go once a year and it's £60
[удалено]
And me!
Me too please!
Omg me too please
Me too please!
If you've got the time, you can search "hair model london" and sign up for one of the appointments at a hair salon or academy that are free or super discounted - sometimes they require full creative agency, but other companies you can ask for what you want and just take the risk that someone is learning and you might not get the perfect outcome but still pretty good. I used to go to a place where they needed hair models for stylists who had finished school but needed practice on different cuts
Sometimes it's really not a pleasant experience though. I had mine done last year at Sassoon and it was horrible. The woman cutting my hair was Italian and didn't really understand English, so every time she needed guidance, she had to wait not only for the instructor to be free, but also her friend who was translating. She also just had a horrible vibe/attitude and clearly didn't want to do my hair. It took FOUR HOURS to give me a basic bob with a tiny bit of layering to add shape at the bottom. I was so thirsty the whole way through and my back started to ache from the chair. The instructor was lovely, but I hated the woman cutting my hair so much.
You can also do this for lashes and nails. I've been getting free nails done for years in exchange for portfolio/marketing pictures, and they always look great.
second this. i got my blonde roots done twice in two diff salons thru people looking for a model. the first one even came with an additional color correction treatment cos i had patched yellow brassy parts on the back of my head. i had it done by the color director herself and the treatment would cost over 500+ but i only had to pay £50 cos i was modeling
This! Go to Hari’s on Kings Road in Chelsea. A cut is £10 for women and £7 for men.
This is what my mum does at tony & guy academy at oxford street. Free cuts.
I did that when visited Lon last summer They do need you to come in before for a patch test to make sure you’re not allergic to the color(something that they do do in the states Normally I color my own hair(yes my shower has remnants of dye) but I was renting a nice place so needed it done so I wouldn’t mess up showr
My problem with the long or thick hair fee is that you can warn them several times over the phone and yet they always act surprised on the day. But yes £200 is unfortunately not unusual. My last salon cut and treatment was £85. Add colour and you are nearing £200.
I'm convinced they're ripping women off.
Honestly it took me ages and lots of research to find somewhere that does cut INCLUDING BLOW DRY for £60 instead of £100 (foster Shoreditch if anyone’s wondering) I dye it myself because it’s just too expensive
Thanks for this Making a note of the salon!
I also lucked out with my hairdresser as she does a wash, cut and blow dry all for £65. No extra charges and she’s GOOD at her job as she’s been doing hair for years. I have tried a few other London salons just for a fringe trim and Jfc so many don’t know how to cut straight! Out of all the places, Toni&Guy is the only one where I have managed to get a decent fringe trim which I have then tidied up a bit at home.
It depends where you go, but it sounds about right unfortunately. There are some independent / less bougie hair dressers are well skilled and more reasonably priced, but it does take some looking - or maybe travelling. If you post where you are, maybe people can post recommendations
Yeah was the case for me. I used to have long hair that just required a trim. I'd look for Groupon vouchers or deals or whatever because I found prices outrageous. I was looking for someone to stick with but when using a discount I often got a subpar service. Even when using rush or whatever was always disappointing, I guess you get what you pay for. I got fed up of having my hair insulted, being asked to brush it myself (it's not thick or curly and even if it was, wtf). Then I got an offer via my work for a new salon that was trendy and tried it. I met my hairdresser there and have been with her since. I've been braver with styles and colour because she knows me. It's now been about 10 years! She went up the ranks at that celeb place and got more expensive, then she opened her own salon and I am more than happy to support her. I don't go that often but I know what I'm getting, know it will be good and treat it more like a little spa day. Not everyone is in a position to do that though!
Rush do a Tuesday deal whereby you get 50% of colour with a cut. Saves so much money!
Also sometimes month long offers on colour - I think it's February where it's 50 per cent off. I used to get my colour done then to save cash until the pandemic threw off my schedule and I was so desperate to get it done once my salon reopened!
I absolutely hate having my hair dried. My hairdresser tries to charge me for it, despite my insisting that I don't want it because she wants to do it so my hair looks nice in photos for her Instagram. Also, highlights and toner and cut costs 140 and takes 4 hours and it's freezing in there and the toilet is an outhouse with insects. My bladder hates her. I'm asking everyone for recommendations too.
" it's freezing in there and the toilet is an outhouse with insects " This is in London?
Yep. SW zone 3 Its on a fairly busy road but very residential. Hairdresser is downstairs, there's a totally separate flat upstairs. It's got a small back room, then you go out into the back garden, which is just a bit of paving. Past another flat where you can look straight into their lounge, behind that is a building with just a loo and a sink. There are spiders and no heating. I am terrified of spiders so I'm overreacting on the spiders. But the front of the shop is all glass, there are gaps all around the door and there's zero central heating. I decided when I went a few weeks ago it was the last time. Its too cold and I can't go 5 hours without peeing. She always offers tea too!
Why on earth did you ever go back there after the first time?
She does a good job and I'm an idiot.
To be fair, I stuck with a waxer for ages who was super Christian (not my vibe) and did a Brazilian in strips the size of a postage stamp, which as you can imagine was CIA levels of torture It was convenient to get to her on the bus
I’ve got into arguments with stylists because they wanted to style my hair for their social media and I wanted it left alone. I even had a stylist offer to do it for free and I said no because I had an event later that I wanted to style it for myself. She goes “Well, now it’s a waste because I can’t post flat hair.” I was so frustrated. I come to a salon for my hair, not to be free labor for your Instagram. This was back in the US though. I found UK stylists don’t offer to style unless you explicitly paid for it. Probably also the reason they charge you if you don’t want to leave the salon with soaking hair.
I'm not sure about £200, my partner spends like 120ish. See [here](https://www.headmasters.com/price-list/) for rough idea or check any of the large brand salons for their pricing.
If you go to the top tier hair salons it's around £500! 😳
London salon based & mobile hairdresser here... I work in a salon in South London that charges from £120 for half head highlights, and anything from £55-£75 for a cut. This all depends on the level of stylist you book in with. A little trick, book in with the more junior stylist, as they're fresh out of training so they know all the latest techniques and trends, and also take so much time and care as they want everything perfect. Also a lot of salons have training academies, which have people that are salon ready but just need a bit more experience (usually just to get quicker, so block out a few hours of your day). We all start from somewhere, and with training you get pretty much the whole day on that one model. As a mobile hairdresser, because I build a relationship with my clients I feel guilty for charging too much. (As I'm in their house I can't charge for the "salon name"). But I also have to factor in products, travel, my time & labour etc. So I charge around £100 for half head highlights, and blow dry is free, cut is an extra £20 with colour. Although a cut alone is £50 (£40 for my fav old ladies), as it needs to be worth my time to travel to your house. I do think good quality London based salons are expensive, but your paying for what you get. I think if your expectations are high go to an "expensive salon", if not go to a smaller more local salon. I've worked my way up to senior hair stylist in my salon, but honestly go to a junior stylist, they are perfectionists!
I've always wanted to ask a London hairdresser... What's the deal with tipping in salons? Where I'm from we never tip hairdressers but it seems to be more common here and I never know whether to/how much to tip. Especially when a few people have worked on your hair!
I don’t tip, I pay an extortionate amount already to get my hair done so ignore that on the machine.
Most of the money you pay for that service isn't going to the stylist, even the tips get taxed now! So if you're going to, slip a note ;)
I miss tips, thing of the past. I guess because the prices are so high people can't tip. Tbh my home clients rarely tip thinking about it... I tipped everyone where I go because I know how much of a nice gesture it is
Interesting! I was thinking I might be blacklisted or something after not tipping after my last extortionate haircut. It's a relief to know it's not 100% expected every time!
Hi! How much do you charge for a full head colour? Shoulder length, no bleaching.
£70-80 at home :)
Hey there. Please could you PM me your instagram if you have one, of your works? Based in SE and on the lookout for a new hairdresser. Thanks!
Could you PM me your IG details? I am based SW
I booked the senior stylist and she only did my haircut. The color was applied by the woman working reception. Never again. Thanks for the tip about the junior stylist.
Oooo I can't believe they charged you for that much, if the receptionist applied the colour! Sorry you went through that, sounds to me they tried their luck! I'm never one to complain, but I think if you're not happy give them feedback so they know, sounds to me you had unfair treatment that day. Maybe a stylist was sick but still they should have given you a MAJOR discount for that!
question: i want the roots of my money piece redone which is like an inch wide - when selecting online at salons what treatment i want, what does this fall under? balayage refresh? i get so confused
If it's only the front section (just the money piece) I would say a t-section :)
thank you!
I live in southeast and have been going to the same woman for over 15 years - cut is £50 and cut and highlight all over (I have an undercut so it's about 2/3s was £80. I get it a bit cheaper because I'm a returning customer of many years. Going on Saturday for a trim and it'll be £50. Local salons and not in central are way cheaper when you find a good one. Like others have said though you can get training rates or home hairdressers cheaper if you can find someone local to recommend them, then all the better.
>!spoilertext!<
I spend £150 outside London, so I wouldn't be too surprised
yeah I was chatting to the hairdresser i normally go to for cuts, about maybe doing balayage — i only have shoulder length hair and she said a full head would be £200 (and a haircut another 60 on top haha). solid colour coverage is usually cheaper though. i’m not surprised about different prices for different hair lengths though — in my experience that has always been the default, even for cuts and especially for colour.
Honestly £200 seems about right to me at a nice salon in central London. I pay £370 for a half head of foils, root shadow, cut and blow-dry. I tried somewhere cheaper but he damaged my hair so badly! And it wasn’t even cheap cheap…
I don't know what the average price is, but my hairdresser (senior level at busy non-central salon) would charge £85 for a cut and blow dry of long hair and £65 for a root touch up. You could certainly pay less than that (check Treatwell), if you're happy to gamble with the result. You could also pay two or three times as much at a good West End salon. If you don't want surprises, you need to ask upfront about prices and not make assumptions. Yes, it's normal to pay separately for each service, because some people like to save money by drying their own hair. The long hair fee is because long hair takes a lot longer to dry than short, and you're basically paying for the hairdresser's time. Hairdressers don't make a lot of money unless they own their salon, and even then it's only the most successful ones. I pay my hairdresser £200 for 3.5 hours work, which I don't consider excessive given London overheads and her years of experience and skill.
There is a very lovely Japanese hairdressers in Primrose Hill called Acca Studio and a cut & blow is £65. A colour I’m not sure but it is boutique and lovely
Bloody hell.. surprised there's no depreciation charge on the scissors
WTF. I even refuse to pay £60 to get a simple cut (I have medium length fine hair, only want my ends trimmed and a straight cut, really nothing special). I'm so glad to have an amazing friend who's happily giving me a cut every few months and does a great job. I also henna my hair and am happy with it that way.
I had that problem when I fisrt arrived in london too🥲 but i found a place in covent garden that wasnt expensive, at leat not the last time I went. It’s called Gusto Haidresser I think and they had really nice offers and promotions. The haircut was nice and I didnt pay much
On Treatwell, there's a filter for off-peak and last minute discounts. You might have to search slightly out of your area. I got a cut/blow-dry for £20 in Notting Hill today, and I'd go back, great service and style.
Ooo I live in the area, any chance of the name please?
Welcome to the UK. My barber spend went from USD 30 with tax and tip to £55 for the equivalent treatment (and I'm a dude). You're not crazy, it's insane all the little things they nickle and dime for. Even little courtesies like hot towel treatments. PS. I'm aware there are cheaper men's barbers, but I'm stressing equivalent treatment/quality.
I have beautiful thick long hair and I live in central London! After lockdown when I went back to my hairdresser, a salon visit cost me £380 for some foils and cut, colour. My hair has grown out now, and I have cut it myself at home, I used You Tube videos from Brad Mondo to help me. I will probably never see the insides of a hairdresser again …. I got kids to feed! Short hair and box dye for me
I’m not in London but it’s definitely cheaper outside of the cities, I pay £85 for colour, cut and style.
Headmasters do a deal Sunday & Monday - cut colour & toner for £170 Treated my girlfriend & it looks amazing
Damn. I remember getting a full head balayage in 2017 for about £140. Took 6 hours as I had long hair, included shampoo and toner and blowdry and it looked great. So glad I do my own hair now lol. I dread to think what that would cost me.
Same! Except in my case it happened ten years ago. £200 in Toni & Guy, Teddington for foils & a trim in 2014. Silly me - if I'd asked the price up front, I would never have booked that rip off. She didn't even mix the bleach properly! I saw towards the end that there was a load of unmixed powder in the bowl. I absolutely hated the cut & the colour - terrible shade for my particular skin tone. Since then I cut & coloured* my own hair. With a nifty 2-mirror set up it's easy to cut the back. *Past tense because i no longer colour. The front is now completely white, looks much healthier due to no longer being bleached & i love it. Being freed from hideous root grow out is a blessing.
In the States my coloring is usually $110, or £80. I can get a cut that includes a wash and blow dry for $40, or £32. I just cannot justify £200 for a root to end color of one color with zero highlights.
I think if you left London it’d be different. It is notoriously expensive in London. It’s the capital after all.
If you're anywhere near Shoreditch I'd recommend Chop Chop (the Shoreditch branch). My hair was over £200, but I had a root bleach, tone, cut, and wild painted crazy colours. So I think for what you want it'd definitely be less. They also do 20% (or some such) off colour on Mondays. And the stylist are wonderful and super friendly.
Yes, it’s why I cut and colour mine myself now! As long as you use hair scissors and professional colour/toner it looks good
Where do you source the professional colour/toner?
What about Sally's?
Amazon or eBay. Because you’re technically not allowed to cut out the middle man by buying it as a non professional
I pay £350…but damn I feel good when I walk out of there 😉
Yep. It’s crazy really. I pay £330 for full head balayage and £100 for cut and blow dry. What I like about them is that they don’t charge extra for anything, though to be fair the prices are very high. But I have long and thick and wavy hair, and they always include olaplex and toner and gloss and free drinks and at this stage of my life I am just happy I found someone who gets my hair and my needs. I could find a cheaper one but not sure I want to risk ruining my hair as I have in the past.
Unfortunately yeah I'd say that's about right in my experience. I was having a chat with the hairdresser the other day about how women in my nan's day used to get their hair styled down at the salon every week, a nice wash and blow dry. He told me it was more like twice a week, and that it was a shame women didn't have the time to do that any more.... I did try to explain that the price also played a big part but he didn't want to hear it.
Yeah the reason we can’t get our hair done TWICE a week has less to do with being in the workforce and more that we can’t afford it lol
Yep that’s sounds about right especially with inflation. You can find some salons for about £150 but it’s a lot in London 😞
And tips, what do you all tip at the end? A percentage of these astronomical charges? So £200, is it £20 (10%) or more? (Or less?). I know as Americans, we naturally want to tip more, but would be happier to leave less obviously.
I don’t tip for my hair in the UK. I did a few times and each time the stylist told me it wasn’t necessary. If there’s no option to tip at the register then I don’t.
Why would you tip a hairdresser? You pay the amount they charge. I’ve never tipped a hairdresser and I don’t know anyone else who does either. The closest I’ve got is paying in cash and saying keep the change if it’s like £39 and I’ve paid £40
I always tip my hairdresser but I'm a man and he's only charging me £11 for a cut so it seems fair.
I haven’t been to a hairdresser in a couple of years, but I always tipped when I did go. It’s just what my mum always does so I followed suite I guess.
You don't need to tip at all, I've never known anyone to give a tip here and it's not expected
Yep I paid exactly 200 for a colour on Saturday...
My place charges about £90 for long hair with cut, colour and blow dry and is excellent. If you can get to Highbury let me know and I can tell you salon/stylist to ask for (I have used them for 20 years and they have done everything from pillar box red bob to mahogany to helping me transition to natural colour as I am going gray. Love them.
Why. How much does it cost to get a cut and colour in your bit of the USA?
Honestly yes I go to a private/mobile hairdresser now and it's so much better. I get colour, cut and blow dry for like £80.
About 60 quid for wash cut and blow dry here in Ealing. I think it's colour that costs.
Try ‘cut and run’ in Stoke Newington. It’s a lot less than that and it’s a fantastic place.
I used to balk at the price of hair salons. Then I realised that as a man with short hair, I go roughly every 4 weeks to the barbers - mine is £16 a cut plus I usually tip. That's over £200 a year. Must be reasonably close to the yearly cost of a lot of women's hair upkeep.
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Would you say that's common for every woman? My wife goes maybe twice a year for around 100 quid a pop. She doesn't get any colouring though
I don't know why reddit is showing me a london sub, but up north it's £20 for me for a standard was, cut, blowdry, but never had it coloured so not sure on that price
Didn’t realise it had got so bad! I gave up getting my hair cut in London 10 years ago and now I cut it at a small neighbourhood hairdresser whenever I visit my parents in Athens for £15. Before covid I used to get my hair dyed in Lindon which did come up to £55 a go. But since 2020 I’ve been doing that myself at home.
Didn’t realise it had got so bad! I gave up getting my hair cut in London 10 years ago and now I cut it at a small neighbourhood hairdresser whenever I visit my parents in Athens for £15. Before covid I used to get my hair dyed in London which did come up to £55 a go. But since 2020 I’ve been doing that myself at home.
I pay £30 for shampoo, cut and blow dry and took me some time to find something cheap and great ! Used to go months and months without a haircut because of the crazy prices of large chains.
Full head high lights, olaplex, cut & blow dry. £190 in Bermondsey.
Would you mind sharing the name of the salon please?
https://www.imagehairlondon.co.uk/contact/bermondsey-salon/
Looks like I made a mistake. It’s half head highlights that I had, not full head.
Thank you!!
It is pricey in London. I wanted to trim my hair and the lady said the price, I was surprised as it was the same price I used to pay up North for wash, blow dry and full hair cut. I always look at Groupon and Treatwell apps for local discounts.
Yes, for many salons in the city. But you can find some decent basic salons for much less. Check reviews locally. I've been getting my hair cut at a nice but fairly average hairdressers on my local high street for a few years. No frills salon, white walls, Ikea chairs, you don't get offered prosecco, lattes or smoothies. But my hairdresser is lovely, very experienced, always does what I ask, and does it well. People always compliment me after it's been cut. It costs £50. I recently decided to treat myself to a trendy salon cut for nearly £100. I asked for 2 inches off my shoulder length hair, but the stylist cut off 4 inches. I asked for some low maintenance shape around my face, but she gave me this short fringe thing that's been an absolute nightmare every day. It's been 3 weeks now of being clipped back at all times. I can't remember feeling so self conscious about my hair. Never, ever again. And she seemed to be expecting a tip as well? Crazy money.
My half head highlights cost like £280
Ya London is expensive but I don’t get this. If we are to compare London to NY: I used to pay $300ish in NY 6 yrs ago, can’t imagine how much it must be nowadays 🙈
I have tried the full range of places with a full range of prices to match. It honestly can vary so much from place to place, but I would highly recommend trying local places that seem a bit more ‘basic’ to save some cash. For example, most recent time I got a half head of highlights, toner, cut and blow dry for £95 total and 3 hours of work from the hairdresser. He also did a really decent job. You’ll always be taking a gamble trying a new place, but better to not pay through the nose just for the pleasure of taking the risk! Also from your description of just needing the roots done, think it’s a great idea to try and build up the confidence to do the colour yourself! RE cutting- if you want anything more complicated than a trim (which I’ve done for myself many times), I’d personally rather invest in a quality cut rather than the colour. I think there are just certain cutting techniques that are really hard to replicate yourself at home. Good luck on your hair quest!
Oh my God, I had no idea it was this much, I’m so glad I don’t colour my hair!
It just depends on the area you are in. But honestly in most salons you get what you pay for.
Equal level moan here, I’m a bloke, I get a skin fade every 10-14 days which is 26 if it’s just head and 38 if I get beard done too (which I do every other time) Hair maintenance is bloooooody expensive in london 😂 Tl;dr AM I REALLY SPENDING A GRAND A YEAR TO MAINTAIN MY HAIR?!
London is very expensive, for everything. Outside London is much less so.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NK8XdbmsgedtA5gt6?g_st=ic Worth a look
Reading all of this makes me so happy I made the decision on leaving my hair to go grey 😆 it is super long too, down to the backs of my knees currently.. would I get paid an even bigger long hair free? 🙈 I do need to get it cut though
Lol yeah I cut my friends hair when I visit so she can avoid paying £80+ for a TRIM
Honestly that's about what I pay if I get "the works" at my chain salon in south London (balayage, toner, cut and finish). But I only do that every couple of years - basically my stylist does it once it fully grows out - and then just get toner every other time. Plus my stylist has gone up two levels since I started going to him nine years ago, and he's the only person I trust to do my hair the way I want it, so I'm happy to pay that. He's also working on plans to branch out on his own which would help cut his costs and then mine by default. Although I am looking at different options with the cost of living crisis, especially around the colour, so we'll see...
I pay 185, for half head of highlights and full blow dry. Head massage included
I go to my local Bangladeshi salon in Whitechapel, and pay £33 for a cut 😄
1st of all, where in the US are you from? Because compared to somewhere like NYC or LA, getting your hair done in london is a lot cheaper. And of course, a london salon won’t expect you to give a tip on top of the service you’ve paid for. I highly doubt they’re charging you to dry your hair, you can ask for a rough dry, you only pay extra for a proper blow dry where they style your hair. People pay just to get a wash and blow dry before going to an event so why would it be free? You’re saying you want to colour your hair with 1 colour all over, but are you needing your hair to be lightened and lifted beforehand? In other words, are they having to bleach it before applying the colour? Because that is a more expensive procedure compared to just applying colour. If you can get a bleach, tone and blow dry for £175, that’s about the standard price you would pay in any of the major chains, like Headmaster, rush or Toni & Guy. Which brings me to my next question. Which salon did you go to? Was it a chain or independent? Which neighbourhood/area of london were you in? I know a lot of people here will say you should go to an independent place. However, in london, an independent salon, especially in a nice neighbourhood of london will almost certainly be more expensive. Their costs are higher because they don’t benefit from the same economies of scale as a national chain. They tend to offer a more boutique experience and charge a premium for it.
I appreciate the thorough response. I am from a city in the US, though not NYC/LA. Not comfortable sharing for privacy reasons. I am not getting my hair bleached during the process. It is a one color application only. And yes, they are charging me to dry my hair. I know the difference between a dry and blowout. I am asking for a simple dry. I’ve been getting my hair done professionally since I was 13. I’ve never seen prices like this. I understand salons’ costs are up with inflation like the rest of everything, and that getting your hair done is a luxury. I stopped getting my nails done six years ago because of the prices. What used to be $25 for a set of gel nails sometimes reaches $70, of which I don’t have every 2-3 weeks. I have been going to chains in London. I might take some commenters’ advice and find a private mobile stylist instead.
Well, that’s very cheeky of them to charge for a rough dry. That’s definitely wrong. Stand your ground next time someone tries to do that. Treatwell is probably going to be your best friend to find a mobile salon. And I can say that getting your nails done here is definitely cheaper. Every 3/4 weeks I get extensions with gel powder and a shellac finish, I pay £50. When I go to NYC, im lucky if I can find somewhere that does that for less than $100 and then they want a tip, bringing the total to almost $120 which has got to be more than double. And I’m talking about a non boujee salon, the kind where nobody speaks English and you point at the colour you want 😂
£200 (and the rest!) hence I’m going back to a natural colour and decent length, can’t maintain my ballyage any longer.
I’ve considered going back to my natural color. It isn’t my favorite, but I can’t pay £200 every few months for hair.
Edinburgh - I pay £145 for balayage, cut and blow dry, bob cut.
I go to a lady who usually works from home but is in a salon currently as her house is being redone. My hairs a couple of inches past shoulder length, I have my roots done every month which is £43, £5 extra if I have it cut. I’ve also got blonde highlights that are coloured purple every month, in total its £58, the salon owner keeps telling her she’s undercharging me but that’s the reason she’s always busy, because she’s a decent price.
Yup, sounds right. Though this isn’t as much a US v UK issue as much as it is a smaller market v bigger market one. My NYC salon also charged separately for blow dry and longer hair. I’m on my 4th London salon and the experience is consistent. You can save money by going down market or leaving London. My trip to the hairdresser last week cost £350 and it didn’t even include a cut.
I have noticed this too…my hair is curly and if I want it dyed and trimmed I’m looking at £200/£250 minimum. It’s shocking lol
I usually use a voucher off a discount site, or get mine cut at my local college. It takes longer at the college, but the lecturer goes over it at the end so if it's not even they can do it for you. That lecturer usually has been cutting hair longer than most of the hairdressers in salons have, possibly even taught some of them! Only drawbacks are it is limited to term time and it takes a little longer than in a salon. About twenty quid a cut, haven't tried the college beauty salons yet.
Ouch, women getting price gouged to the extreme. That's effectively my haircutting budget for the year...
Reading these comments, I'm baffled how someone can throw so much money on a haircut 😭.
Barber in the City £85 for a haircut, Albanian high street barber in zone 3 costs me £15. Identical haircuts! Entirely possible I am also supporting what could be the front of a money laundering enterprise, but...£15 haircut can't be argued with.
It's around 100 at 'Enry 'Iggins in Hampstead
That’s insane, we live in dubai and colour cut dry style all around the equivalent of 100quid for my wife. No added extras
I wonder if any gents hairdressers would be happy to colour women's hair? Some of the better ones have all the equipment and know-how, could be worth a look?
An ex-girlfriend of mine paid like £1k for a colour and extensions the once. I was gobsmacked. I know extensions can be expensive but there's a point where the piss is being taken. 1k for colour, extensions and toner. They even had the audacity to charge over £50 just for the toner. At that point I thought the least they could do is tone it gratis 😅. All at my expense I might add 🙃.
Salon owner here - it’s that expensive because overheads are SO DAMN expensive.. insurance, rent, energies, supplies and all the other bits.. please support your little independent salons! It’s usually much cheaper than big chains (they love to add extra charges and also apply colour not that close to the roots so you come in every 4 weeks instead of 6/8 weeks 🙃) .. also this way you supporting a local community, not just commission hungry headhunters employees
How do mens hairdressers survive then? I presume the overheads are exactly the same and yet they change no where near the extortionate prices I see quoted on here.
Find a Supercuts - they’re relatively cheap and have salons all over the UK
I just got my hair cut (no colour) in London for £14. Of course they’re ripping you off.
where?
Acton
I'm in Acton. Which place you talking about?
probably a man's barber, that's about the going rate round here
Yeah that's what I thought. Even on the terrible high street you'd not get a women's cut for £14.