Haircut norms?

July 16, 2024 11:10 AM

Someone from the local salon is willing to do a masked outdoor trim. This will be the first time I've had my hair professionally cut since my last barber visit in 2008, and also the first time since I started presenting fem. What should I know?

Can anyone give advice on what to expect with regard to price & tipping in the greater San Francisco bay area? I'm looking for what I think is a pretty basic trim.

What do I need to do in preparation? Wash my hair shortly before so my hair is still damp? (I know she's bringing a spray bottle.)

What else should I know?

posted by sibilatorix to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (8 answers total)

I'm in Chicago and go to a casual and queer salon. The stylists are extremely capable and talented, but it is not like some fancy high-end place up their own ass, to give you an idea of the tier of service.

Since you're coming in with no haircut at all, you're going to be getting a consultation and what they refer to as a style change, i.e. you're not just getting an existing style neatened up, but you're getting something totally new. That'll increase the pricing range.

You say you're presenting fem, but that could mean anything for your hair really. Are you doing pixie short? Chin to shoulder length? Mid back? Length and complexity of desired cut will also change the pricing range.

I would expect to pay somewhere in the range of $120-150, cheating up a bit from Chicago's general affordability. If your stylist is an employee of a salon, or a contractor paying salon fees, I would tip 25-30%. If your stylist owns their own business (owns the salon, or is coming to you privately and fully able to set and keep their own pricing) then tipping is a little weirder, from "less than that" to zero.

You should arrive clean with freshly that day washed hair, since you'll be outside with no shampooing chairs. Damp or dry doesn't matter. Probably they'll spray you down real good with water and leave-in no matter what.
posted by phunniemee at 11:23 AM on July 16

What do I need to do in preparation? Wash my hair shortly before so my hair is still damp?

These are great questions for your stylist. Some may want your hair dry so they can see it's natural tendencies/do dry cuts/dampen hair to their own preferences. I would also ask about pricing.

My stylist (in the Bay Area) starts at $110 for cuts, but that includes shampoo and blowout so yours may be cheaper? I usually tip 20%, but I might go higher if this person is making a special trip to see you.
posted by oneirodynia at 12:20 PM on July 16 [3 favorites]

Yes, I'd ask about the hair - they may very well want to see it clean but dry and minimally styled to see what they're working with.

If you have ideas of what you're looking for, have a picture or three handy to show. (Don't have a entire pinterest board of twenty-five inspirational ideas unless your stylist has suggested you do that - a few ideas will be fine, along with a willingness to hear "that exact thing isn't going to work with your hair texture but what about XYZ that's similar?"

Be prepared to answer a couple of questions about your current routine re: any products or styling you do now and how much you are/aren't willing to change that. Personally, part of my talk with any new stylist is always going to be "I am not going to be using product, I am going to blow dry about twice a year, whatever we do needs to be pretty much wash, brush, and go" and any time I've let myself get talked into " but it only needs a little bit of product to look great!" I'm sorry later.

If you're thinking you might want to move toward something really different but aren't quite there yet, it's absolutely fine to take baby steps, but still useful to talk about an eventual goal! "I'm dreaming of a pixie but I'm not ready to commit to that, can we take a couple of inches off and plan to go a little shorter each time until I figure out how short I really want to go?" is a very reasonable way to start out with someone new while you're developing a rapport with them.

I hope it goes well and you feel both safe and great afterwards - good luck!
posted by Stacey at 12:37 PM on July 16 [2 favorites]

Just as a note of reassurance, because in your situation I might feel anxious about looking uncouth for not knowing, it is completely normal to not be sure what your haircut is going to cost even if you are looking at a price list and have been getting fem haircuts your whole life. You should be able to get a ballpark idea from the salon's price list but there are so many variable related to how they assess your hair length, whether they are a junior or senior stylist, what is included or extra in terms of washing and styling, etc, that the final bill tends to come as a surprise to me much of the time. Add in the home visit and that's another factor.

It is also okay to ask the stylist for an estimate or range, especially if you plan to pay cash and need to have it on hand.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:40 PM on July 16

It's okay to ask questions and not know exactly what you want, and it's okay to ask them for advice. I'd say to find a few photos (Instagram is pretty good for this) of styles you might want, making sure the people have roughly the same hair texture and volume as you. The best hair cuts are collaborations with your stylist.

I also think it's okay to say, Hey, I've never gotten a fem haircut before, and I am new to this.

As for whether you should wash it or not: the way it goes in a regular salon that caters to women is that you show up with dry, styled hair, and you talk about what you want, and then they wash it, and then they cut it. If you're getting color, they do that before the wash. Since you all are outside, it's totally reasonable to ask the stylist their preference.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:53 PM on July 16

Definitely ask about whether she wants your hair freshly washed or dry—different stylists will have different opinions.

I do want to flag that my stylist charges more for things like pixies and bobs, because the details matter more the shorter the hair. Your hair may be long enough, or the style you are looking at may be blunt enough, that that is not a factor, but I was surprised by it, so I thought I’d flag it.

I pay about $125 for a haircut outside of SF, and I tip 20%, but I think that’s a higher than average fee even for this area.
posted by moosetracks at 1:20 PM on July 16

Nthing to ask about prep. My current stylist is VERY PARTICULAR about not having any product in my hair when I show up, for instance, and that it be totally dry. It's very normal to ask if they'd like you do anything in particular, and given that you're doing an outdoor cut, it's even more normal to ask how they'd like you to prepare.
posted by lapis at 2:52 PM on July 16

My stylist charges $85 for shampoo, cut, and blow-dry for my thick, shoulder-length cut with a few long layers. She doesn't charge less if you skip the wash and/or blow-dry. She's on Taraval; salons in fancier neighborhoods are more expensive. I tip 20%. If paying by card, it's better to tip in cash.

You can get the hairdresser's advice on what cuts might be flattering. If you know what you want, it's good to bring at least one picture. If your hair is thick and you don't want layers, ask about texturizing to reduce bulk at the 'hemline.' Ask how much styling will be needed, and also what types of products might help. Styling products can make hair smoother, add height and/or volume, and even enhance curl if the hair is wavy. I find it's not necessary to spend a lot of money on products...and the ones sold at salons tend to be expensive. Same for hairdryers: pricier isn't always better.

I agree with the person who said that it's fine to change your hair a little at a time if that feels more comfortable. Also, don't be shy about changing stylists for any reason. If you ever want to go in person to a place that is extremely intersex-positive, you might try Glama-Rama on Valencia St.

Feel free to send me a message if you have more questions!
posted by wryly at 3:02 PM on July 16