You've just spent 2 hours in the salon chair, a couple foils, a few snip-snips and some soft curls. You go to pay and do a double take at the number on the machine. How can slopping on some bleach and a shampoo/condition cost this much money? It's not like it's hard, your stylist replicated that IG inspo photo in like 120 minutes?! Why the heck do stylists charge SO MUCH?
Let me help provide some insight and clarity into the stylist side of this interaction. Doing anything correct takes time for anything in life, so why should hair be any different? Both you and your stylist want your hair to look AND feel the best. Stylists that taking pride in caring for your hair, while achieving the desired outcome is what we all want right? Anyone can just throw on a few chunky foils and call it a day. But taking the time to blend and create that seamless transition takes practice and time. Sure, I can bust out a creative colour (balayage, foils, etc) in 2 hours or less, but it took me 10 years to be able to perfect that technique so YOU only have to spend 2 hours in the chair.
You can find any stylist in any city that matches your budget, and I'm totally not saying that you need to spend a certain amount of money. There is stylists that will always match your price range when that is your number one priority. Many stylists take time out of their personal schedule to continuously upkeep their education (without pay), and are always learning ways to give you the most updated techniques to apply colour, and that costs money. All of those costs are based on how they price for your service.
It's also important to keep in mind the tools required for that perfect balayage or hair cut.
Hair scissors can be upwards of over $1000, the best professional color or bleach lines, and making sure we provide you with the best salon products while styling. Not to mention the curling irons, straighteners, brushes, hair dryers... all the best of the best to provide you the highest quality hair experience. You don't expect your home reno contractor to use less than ideal materials... so why would your stylist?
Stylists charge for their expertise and knowledge. The more they learn, the more they perfect doing hair, the more valuable they become. Just like anybody in any career, the better, you get the more money you make, etc. So let me ask again, why should hair be any different?
The most difficult thing to hear as a stylist is that we charge too much or that clients don't see the value. We put so much time and effort into learning and perfecting how to do hair or a certain style and we value our time and effort. When stylists first meet you, they want your full trust, they want to know that you chose them because you trust them to create your desired look, or help you achieve that whether it be in one appointment or a couple appointments. If a client is worried about the price, it may be hard to achieve what they want because you cannot perform and use all the product that you know that "look" will take. This really breaks our heart because we know what it'll take for colours, or the "upkeep" on what each colour will be.
It's also entirely okay if you can't afford a specific stylist or your budget doesn't accommodate that full platinum blonde transition. We're living in a pandemic and sometimes just financially things won't work out. I read a good quote "Just because you can't, doesn't mean it costs too much, it just means it's not in your price range". We all have things that we pay for without blinking an eye. Mine is totally Starbucks, I'll pay that $5-$7 dollars for a good coffee, or latte.. because I know its going to be good and I want to treat myself. Do I have coffee at home I can toss in the Kuerig? Yes, BUT I'm willing to pay the premium for something I want. You pay X amount of dollars for hair, just like coffee, because you know its going to be good, you know that your hair will look amazing and still feel so healthy.
Hair truly is an investment, it's something you literally wear everyday, it's something you look at everyday. Whether it be in the mirror or driving in the car, you see it all the time. Especially more now with all the Zoom meetings and Facetime calls. You deserve to feel beautiful and love what you're seeing when you look in the mirror.
If you're wanting to keep your costs lower, chat with your stylists, maybe they can come up with a more basic colour that will fit your price range and have less of an upkeep. In the end, we really enjoy your company, we are in the industry of dealing with the public, we love people. We want you to feel comfortable financially and happy with your hair. So maybe you only get a root touch up every 10 weeks, but on the 3rd appointment you splurge and spoil yourself with a balayage. Things can work and we can make it work. We just want the respect that we deserve when it comes to pricing for our knowledge, time and tools. If you have any questions always ask, consults are always free! I would be thrilled to work with you to find a solution that's affordable to you and still looks flawless, because you deserve the best of the best. Girl you CAN have your cake and eat it too! Til next time loves, xo.
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