Why do you price hourly?
Hourly pricing provides an objective system for charging clients. The system ensures that clients are charged fairly for the time they take to complete. For example, a client with extremely long, thick hair may take much longer and use more product than a client with shorter, thinner hair receiving the same service. Hourly pricing makes the amount that each client pays proportionate to the amount of time, effort, and product required to achieve their goals.
Hourly pricing also means that there’s no up-charging for treatments that your hair desperately needs! If we have time for it, we’ll do it, and it’s all included in the cost. I prefer this system because clients have a clear idea of their price, and there’s no need to haggle or feel guilty over getting a hair mask or protein treatment. Your price is all-inclusive!
Why don't you accept tips?
Short answer: Tipping is antiquated. An upfront price is way easier for both stylist and client. Plus, no more pulling out your calculator at checkout!
Long answer: The American tipping system is the legacy of slavery. In the Reconstruction era following the Civil War, freed slaves who did not work as sharecroppers usually worked “menial positions, such as servants, waiters, barbers and railroad porters.” Employers would not pay these workers, with the understanding that patrons would leave a tip in return for good service. Tipping allowed the wealthy white business owners to continue to profit from the unpaid labor of Black people. In modern America, the tipping system has been standardized, and continues to allow business owners to skimp on labor costs while workers must depend on the often unreliable generosity and traffic of patrons. Source.
Tips used to make up up 25-30% of my pay annually. That means up to one third of my take-home pay was entirely unpredictable. With that in mind, I decided to alter my pricing in order to stabilize my income.
Why are haircuts priced by length?
Haircuts are actually mostly priced based on time. For the purposes of a service menu, I wanted to create a metric by which a client could get an accurate price estimate. Most of the time, the length listed correlates to the amount of time the cut takes. However, I have a few clients that are exceptions to that rule! Once a client and I get into a rhythm, their average cut time can change, and I can adjust their price. If you think you may be an exception to the length metric, i.e. your hair is extremely long but also thin and fine, contact me!
How should hair be styled for the appointment?
Your hair should be 1-2 days dirty at most, and be worn in a fashion similar to your every-day style. Extremely dirty hair is difficult to color, because an excess natural oils in hair cause strands to clump together and affect the amount and placement of hair when highlighting/color melting. Additionally, oil/product buildup can buffer the way color/bleach lifts or deposits, making color less effective. Hard water or chlorine buildup can also cause adverse chemical reactions to some products, causing hair to melt or break. If we determine that you might have a lot of mineral buildup (most people in SLO county do), I may send you home with a pre treatment to be done during the final wash prior to your appointment.
If your service requires bleach being applied to the scalp DO NOT scratch your scalp or harshly brush your hair for 24-48 hours prior to your appointment. Scratching and violent brushing can cause micro-abrasions on the scalp, and cause an itching/burning sensation or even chemical burns in the worst cases. I will not continue your lifting service if you are in extreme pain, and you may not be able to reach the desired level of lift. If you do experience burning during your appointment, please tell me! I’d rather have to find a work-around or bring you in for a second session than leave you with burns. Bleach is one of the harshest chemicals used during a coloring service, and should be approached with caution. Happy lifting :)
What should be brought to an extra long service?
Some appointments can take 5-7 hours. I always tell clients to prep for a long appointment like you’re going on a road trip. Anything you’d want in the car for a long journey, you probably also want to bring with you. Snacks, water, comfy clothes, phone chargers, and entertainment are going to be the most important things to bring to ensure that you’re feeling just as good at the end of your appointment as you did when you arrived. Extra long appointments can be tough, so if you need something please tell me! I’m always down to give you a stretch break.