The holiday season is here, so your calendar is filled with social events, and you want to look your best. Your beauty and grooming squad is taking care of you to make sure you’re shining bright all season.
So how should you tip them during the holiday season? Find out what you should tip and why you should take care of your professionals during this busy season.
How Much Should You Tip During the Holidays?
Generally, the average tip for a beauty and barber service should range between 15-20 percent. This is the standard you’d leave year-round for good service.
However, during the holiday season, it is common for clients to add an additional 10 to 30 percent to show appreciation for their professional. This amount usually ranges depending on whether they are new or returning clients that have been going to their expert for an extended period.
Think of it like this: if you normally tip 20 percent, consider bumping it up to 25-30 percent during the holidays. If you’ve been seeing the same professional all year, an even more generous holiday tip shows your appreciation.
Why Holiday Tips Matter
The holiday season is the busiest time of year for beauty professionals. They’re working longer hours, squeezing in extra appointments, and dealing with the stress of peak season.
Your stylist, barber, nail tech, or esthetician is probably booking back-to-back appointments to help everyone look their best for holiday parties, family gatherings, and New Year’s celebrations. A generous holiday tip acknowledges this extra effort.
Plus, many beauty professionals are small business owners or independent contractors. Unlike corporate employees who might receive holiday bonuses, these professionals rely on tips as a significant part of their income.
Holiday Tipping Guidelines by Service
Different services have different standard tipping amounts. Here’s a breakdown to help you plan your holiday tips.
| Service Type | Standard Tip | Holiday Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Haircut | 15-20% | 25-30% |
| Hair color | 15-20% | 25-30% |
| Barber service | 15-20% | 25-30% |
| Nails | 15-20% | 25-30% |
| Facial/Esthetician | 15-20% | 25-30% |
| Massage | 15-20% | 25-30% |
| Waxing | 15-20% | 25-30% |
Remember, these are guidelines. You can always tip more if you’re especially happy with your service or if you’ve been seeing the same professional for years.
How to Tip for Holiday Appointments
There are several convenient ways to show your appreciation through tipping during the holiday season.
Digital Tipping Options
StyleSeat allows you to automatically tip your professional via the credit card on your account or contactless payment options after your appointment is completed. You can set it and forget it with a default tip amount that will be automatically charged 24 hours after your appointment ends.
If you want to leave something extra or less, you can adjust the tip amount during checkout. This makes it easy to add that special holiday bonus without carrying extra cash.
Cash Tips
Some clients prefer to give cash tips, especially during the holidays. Cash goes directly to your professional without any processing fees, and it’s immediate.
Consider putting your holiday tip in a card with a personal note thanking them for their service throughout the year. This personal touch makes your appreciation even more meaningful.
Gift Cards and Presents
Some clients like to supplement their monetary tip with a small gift during the holidays. Popular options include gift cards to coffee shops, homemade treats, or small thoughtful items.
However, never replace a tip with just a gift. Your professional can’t pay their bills with a candle or cookies, no matter how nice the gesture.
Preparing to Tip This Holiday Season
Get your appointment on your Pro’s calendar by scheduling your holiday appointments ahead of time. The holiday season books up quickly, so planning ahead is essential.
When booking your appointment, take note of the price of your service to prepare your tip amount and what you can afford. This helps you budget appropriately and avoid any awkward surprises at checkout.
Plus, StyleSeat offers Book Now, Pay Later, where you can pay for your appointments in easy installments. This is a perfect way to gift yourself your favorite beauty service and your professional a tip during the holiday season without straining your budget.
Benefits of Tipping Your Beauty Professional
Although tipping for a haircut, nails, barber service, or other services primarily benefits the professional, it’s also beneficial to you as the customer. Here are some of the things that a tip can do.
Builds Strong Relationships
One of the benefits of a good tip for a beauty service is that it builds strong relationships. The relationship between a beauty and grooming professional and a client is unique, and every bit of love goes a long way.
Your professional remembers clients who treat them well. A generous holiday tip strengthens that bond and shows you value their work beyond just the service itself.
Leads to Better Customer Service
Beauty and grooming professionals strive to provide excellent customer service to their clients. However, there may be extra perks included by adding a tip.
For example, you may have access to popular time slots that other clients prefer, or you’re the first to know when a new service or limited-time promotion is offered. If you stay consistent with the tips and keep adding value to your professional, you might be more likely to snag some of those perks.
Makes Your Professional Feel Valued
A good tip for a beauty and grooming service does a lot for making your professional feel valued. Think of tipping as your way of saying thank you.
It not only shows appreciation for the service your professional has done, but it shows that you’re satisfied. During the stressful holiday season, this acknowledgment means even more.
Ensures Quality Service Continues
When you tip well, especially during the holidays, you’re investing in the continuation of great service. Professionals who feel appreciated are more likely to go the extra mile.
They’ll remember your loyalty when you need a last-minute appointment or when you want to try something new with your hair or nails.
Other Ways to Show Appreciation
In a perfect world, we could all be top-notch tippers to show our appreciation. But tipping large amounts can be challenging, especially if you’re budgeting during this holiday season.
If this is the case, there are other ways to show your stylist you care if the 20 percent tip seems out of budget.
Return Visits
Before you leave the salon, book your next appointment before heading out. That way, the professional knows you’re satisfied with the service and gives you additional time to budget for a tip during your next service.
Consistent clients are the backbone of any beauty professional’s business. Showing your commitment to returning is valuable in itself.
Referrals
If you love your professional but can’t always offer a tip, send some referrals their way. Referring your family members and friends to your expert will help them with business and provide additional revenue.
Word-of-mouth referrals are incredibly valuable. When you recommend your professional to others, you’re helping them build their client base.
Reviews
Giving your StyleSeat professional a 5-star review will make a lasting impact on their business. Take five minutes to share your experience and add photos of your new look to their StyleSeat profile.
Your review can be the deciding factor between whether or not someone clicks that book button. Good reviews are free to give but invaluable to professionals trying to grow their business.
Share specific details about what you loved – their attention to detail, their listening skills, how they made you feel comfortable. These details help potential clients understand what makes your professional special.
Social Media Shoutouts
Tag your professional in your Instagram posts showing off your new hair, nails, or makeup. Share their work on your stories and encourage your followers to book with them.
This free promotion exposes their work to your entire network and can lead to new clients. It’s a simple way to show appreciation that costs nothing but means a lot.
Special Considerations for the Holidays
The holiday season brings unique tipping situations that you might not encounter during the rest of the year.
Multiple Services
If you’re getting multiple services done for a big holiday event, remember to tip on each service. If one stylist does your hair and another does your makeup, each deserves their own tip.
The same goes if you’re getting your hair cut and colored in one appointment. Tip on the total price of both services combined.
Salon Owners
There’s an old rule that you don’t need to tip salon owners since they set their own prices. However, this rule is outdated, especially during the holidays.
If the owner is providing your service, they still deserve a tip for their time and expertise. Holiday tips for owners are especially appreciated as a thank you for the year.
Regular vs. Occasional Clients
If you see your professional regularly throughout the year, a more generous holiday tip is appropriate. They’ve been taking care of you all year, and the holidays are a perfect time to show extra appreciation.
If you’re a new client or only see them occasionally, the standard tip range is fine. You can still add a small holiday bonus if you’d like.
Budgeting for Holiday Tips
Planning ahead helps you give generous tips without stressing your finances.
Start Saving Early
If you know you’ll want to give generous holiday tips, start setting aside a little money each month. Even small amounts add up over time.
Consider creating a dedicated “holiday tipping” fund in your budget starting in September or October.
Prioritize Your Regulars
If budget is tight, prioritize tipping professionals you see regularly. Your monthly hairstylist who’s been perfecting your cut all year deserves priority over someone you see once.
Be Honest
If you can’t afford a large holiday tip this year, that’s okay. Give what you can afford and express your appreciation verbally. A heartfelt thank you and a promise to return goes a long way.
Never skip the tip entirely just because you can’t give a large holiday bonus. A standard 15-20 percent tip is always appropriate.
FAQ About Holiday Tipping
Do I need to tip more during the holidays?
While not required, increasing your tip during the holiday season is a common way to show appreciation for your beauty professional’s service throughout the year. An additional 10-30 percent on top of your regular tip is standard.
This extra gesture acknowledges their hard work during their busiest season and thanks them for taking care of you all year.
How much should I tip my hairstylist for Christmas?
For your regular hairstylist, consider tipping the equivalent of one full service as a holiday bonus. For example, if your haircut normally costs $50, give a $50 tip in addition to your regular 15-20 percent.
If this seems too expensive, any extra amount beyond your normal tip shows appreciation. Even an extra $10-20 is meaningful.
Should I tip the salon owner?
Yes, you should tip salon owners if they’re providing your service. The old rule about not tipping owners is outdated. They deserve compensation for their time and expertise just like any other service provider.
Holiday tips for owners are especially appreciated as they’re also working extra hard during peak season.
Can I give a gift instead of a tip?
Gifts are a nice gesture but should supplement, not replace, a monetary tip. Your professional needs income to pay bills, not just presents.
If you want to give a gift, include it alongside your regular (or enhanced) holiday tip. A thoughtful card, homemade treats, or small gift card can accompany your monetary tip.
What if I can’t afford a big holiday tip?
Give what you can afford. A standard 15-20 percent tip is always appropriate, even during the holidays. If you can’t add extra, don’t stress about it.
Show appreciation in other ways like writing a glowing review, referring friends, or booking your next appointment. These actions are valuable even when you can’t give a large cash tip.
When should I give my holiday tip?
Give your holiday tip during your last appointment before the major holidays, typically in December. If you won’t see your professional in December, you can give it at your next appointment in January.
Some clients give a holiday tip at each December appointment. Others give one larger tip at their last appointment of the year. Either approach works fine.
Making the Most of Holiday Appointments
The holiday season is special, and your beauty appointments should reflect that. Here’s how to make the experience great for both you and your professional.
Book Early
Holiday slots fill up fast. Book your appointments as early as possible to secure your preferred time. This also shows your professional you’re committed and helps them plan their schedule.
Be Flexible
If your go-to time slot isn’t available, be willing to adjust. Your professional is working hard to accommodate everyone during this busy season.
Communicate Clearly
Let your professional know exactly what you want for your holiday look. Bring inspiration photos and be clear about your expectations. This helps them deliver exactly what you need.
Be Patient
Appointments might run a little longer during the busy season. Be patient and understanding. Your professional is doing their best to give everyone great service.
The Spirit of Giving
The holidays are about gratitude, appreciation, and taking care of the people who take care of us. Your beauty professionals work hard all year to help you look and feel your best.
A generous holiday tip is one way to say thank you for their dedication, skill, and care. Whether you give a little extra cash, write a heartfelt review, or send referrals their way, your appreciation makes a difference.
This holiday season, show your beauty squad some love. They deserve it for keeping you looking fabulous all year long.