Are you wondering whether you need to tip your hair dresser? And if you should tip, how much is appropriate? As with any other professional service provider, many people consider it customary to tip your stylist. If you're looking for more information on how to tip a hair dresser, this guide will offer information and guidelines on the subject.

• Nowadays, it seems as though tip jars pop up wherever you go—at your local cafe, at the dry cleaner, perhaps even at convenience stores. Although it is not necessary to tip every service provider, many people feel that it is customary and good practice to tip those who provide you with particularly personal service, including your hair dresser.

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  (Creative Commons photo by rochelle, et. al.)

• When deciding whether or how much to tip, always keep in mind that some stylists, just like waiters and waitresses, depend on tips as part of their income. Consider how well you feel you have been served—if you have visited a salon for the first time and feel as though you got poor service or were overcharged, you may want to tip less. If, however, you visit the same hair stylist regularly and always get superior service, consider giving him or her a larger tip.

• Keep in mind that tipping well may prove to be beneficial down the road; if you consistently give your stylist a healthy tip, he or she may be more apt to try and accommodate you if you need a last-minute cut or a quick trim in between cuts.

• Some hair dressers or barbers may have a tip jar directly at their station in which you can deposit your tip. Higher-end hair salons or spas may provide envelopes in which you can discreetly place tips for your stylist and/or shampooer. If neither of these options are provided, you will have to find another way to give your stylist a tip.

• If you are paying for your hair cut with a credit card, keep in mind that not all credit card machines will provide you with the option to add a tip to the total. To be safe, ask your stylist or the cashier to add a certain percentage or amount to your bill before they ring the transaction through.

• Perhaps the easiest way to tip your hair dresser is to budget ahead and have some cash in varying denominations with you before entering the salon. This way, you can simply slip him or her what you feel is an appropriate amount and not have to worry about asking for change or figuring out the percentage amount at the till.

• Especially if you are visiting a hair dresser for the first time, the best way to find out tipping standards is to ask when you call to make the appointment. If you're comfortable doing so, ask what the standard tip is and whether they have a preferred tipping method. This way, you can avoid any embarrassment when you go to pay for your cut and ensure that you have the right amount of cash to tip your service providers. You never know—the salon may be one of the few that include a gratuity in their prices.

• Although tipping hair dressers has become standard practice for many, you should never feel obliged to give a tip to someone whom you feel has provided you with poor service. When deciding whether and how much to tip, consider how much time the stylist has spent on your hair and whether you are likely to make a return visit.

• Introduction
• To Tip or Not to Tip
• How to Tip
• When in Doubt, Ask
• Conclusion