Going to the hairdresser and coming out looking our best is a very pleasant feeling. But when the tipping time comes, you might wonder, “How much should I tip the shampoo girl?”
Getting our hair done is an experience most people look forward to. Not only is it fun to witness a hair transformation and notice how our clean hair looks and feels healthier afterward, but the shampoo process can be relaxing and release tension.
Shampoo girls or boys massage our heads and necks and scratch itches we can’t get ourselves. They do so much more than just shampoo and condition our hair, so it’s important to tip them accordingly.
Before we dive into how much to tip a shampoo girl, let’s discuss who a shampoo girl is and how much they do behind the scenes at a hair salon.
Summary
- In the USA, a shampoo girl typically expects a tip from the customer. You can tip a shampoo girl between $4 to $5, depending on the service and satisfaction. If the shampoo girl is also the stylist, you may tip 10% to 20% of the total service cost. Your tip should reflect your satisfaction with the service.
- In the UK, tipping is less customary. If you receive exceptional service and want to tip a shampoo girl, you can consider tipping around 5% to 10% of the service cost or a few pounds at least (£3-£5). Your decision to tip and the amount you choose depend on your satisfaction with the service and personal preference.
Who Is a Shampoo Girl?
A shampoo girl is primarily a worker at a hair salon that washes a client’s hair with shampoo and conditioner. Shampoo girls typically do this first before your hair is cut, or if you are getting your hair professionally colored or highlighted, the shampoo girl will wash the dye out of your hair.
While they have experience and offer an enjoyable service, there is much more to the job of a shampoo assistant than washing a customer’s hair.
Shampoo assistants are responsible for setting up the wash stations for specific clients. They need to ensure they are using the proper shampoo and conditioner for their client’s hair type or the colored dye they were just treated with.
For example, if a client has had their hair dyed blonde or has been given blonde highlights, a hair salon will likely want to use purple shampoo to enhance the color. A shampoo girl is the one who needs to pick that certain shampoo for that client, whether advised by the hairstylist or not.
Shampoo assistants can also take a client to the stylist’s station and blow dry hair and check on a client’s dye time and escort them to the wash station, but they never do any of the cutting, dying, or anything the stylist is there to do professionally.
Shampoo girls and boys can also take on other responsibilities in the salon if they are asked of them, such as answering phone calls or cleaning a stylist’s station.
They help when needed, but their main job is shampooing, conditioning, and being thorough with their wash and massage of the client’s hair.
Should I Tip the Shampoo Girl Separately?
If your shampoo girl or boy is a shampoo assistant, then it’s kind to tip them for their service. Some salons won’t have shampoo assistants, and the person who cuts and dyes your hair washes it too, and in that case, you would still tip them but not extra.
In the hair industry, it’s best to tip every individual who provides you a service, even someone who only washes your hair.
How Much Should I Tip My Shampoo Girl in the USA?
In the USA, it’s customary to tip service providers in the salon industry. For a shampoo girl, a common tip is between $4 to $5, depending on the level of service and satisfaction. However, if the shampoo girl is also the stylist, you may tip 10%-20% of the total service cost. Ultimately, the amount you tip should reflect how happy you’re with the service provided. If you’re super happy, go above & beyond the average and if unhappy, just don’t tip!
Tipping depends on the overall price you’re paying for the service in the United States service industry. Like servers at restaurants, shampoo assistants rely heavily on tips. Tips are where these service providers earn most of their money on the job.
Shampoo assistants typically make minimum wage at best, whereas stylists only make around thirty thousand dollars in salary a year in the United States. Tips help them stay in their profession and make decent money.
You can tip your stylist 20$ to 30$, but when choosing an amount for your shampoo assistant, nothing over 10$ is necessary. They offer thorough service that deserves a reward, but because the service doesn’t require skill like a stylist, a lower-priced tip is acceptable.
Five dollars is okay, considering an average tip for a shampoo assistant, but as long as you tip them for their service, it’s up to you what you think they should receive.
How Much to Tip a Shampoo Girl in the UK?
In the UK, tipping is less customary and not as expected compared to the USA. However, if you receive exceptional service and would like to tip a shampoo girl, you can consider tipping around 5% to 10% of the service cost or a few pounds (£3-£5). Ultimately, if you want to tip or how much you want to tip depends on your satisfaction with the service and personal preference.
Tipping is very different in the United Kingdom because workers tend to make more money without the additional money for their service. It’s not as expected, but when you do tip, it can be relatively similar to what you would tip in the United States.
Stylists generally get tipped 10%-25%, so shampoo girls or boys get tipped anywhere around 5% to 10% percent of the service price. Tipping shows appreciation, lets workers know you enjoyed their service and helps them in the long run.
Even when tipping is not as expected, like in the United Kingdom, it’s still a common courtesy to show appreciation to service providers.
What if I Can’t Afford to Tip The Shampoo Girl?
It’s important to tip our service providers, especially ones whose income relies on tips. If you can’t afford to tip even 5 dollars, maybe consider waiting to get your hair done until you can tip. Shampoo girls don’t need a big tip, but they deserve at least something for their service.
While a shampoo girl may seem like they don’t provide much of a service because of how short-lived it is, shampoo assistants offer service and an experience that provides comfort and relaxation. They deserve a tip as much as you deserve a great hair salon experience!
When Not to Tip a Shampoo Girl
Most hair salons offer more than just hair services.
Depending on the salon, there are hair care sections with shampoo, conditioners, hydrating hair masks, and whatever other products the stylists there recommend.
In some hair salons, there are also jewelry sections, hair extensions to pick from, and sometimes even cosmetic sections with make-up to purchase make-up stylists to do your make-up.
If you are tipping through your check and not with cash, then don’t purchase any of these products on the same bill. If you are at the salon for a make-up stylist only, you don’t need to tip anyone who doesn’t provide you service.
You don’t need to tip when buying products, just those who provide service during your visit.
If you believe your service was bad, or the shampoo assistant was rude, it’s your choice whether or not to tip. You can explain to them what you didn’t like about their behavior and justify the lack of tip. It could even be an opportunity for the shampoo girl or boy to learn from the situation and improve their professional skills.
It’s best to always tip, but it is ultimately your decision as the customer.
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