Tipping your Makeup Artist or hair Stylist.
The topic of tipping frequently comes up in the beauty industry, and my team is no stranger to inconsistent gratuity. It seems the growing trend is that consumers have become less apt to tip a makeup artist or hair stylist when the services are performed on location. I'm not sure if that is because they assume the gratuity is already included in their service price or if they just don't know when or how much to tip.
Let's face it, that moment when your service has been completed can be awkward for the client if they're not sure if they should tip, or how much. Here are some things to consider when you are thinking about whether to tip or not to tip:
1. Did the makeup artist or hair stylist arrive on time?
2. Was the makeup artist or hair stylist genuinely happy to be providing your service?
3. Did the makeup artist or hair stylist present themselves in a professional manner?
4. Were you provided the luxury experience you expected to receive?
5. Did you get the desired look that you discussed with your makeup artist or hair stylist during your consultation? If it wasn't quite right at first was the service provider able to tweak it to make it perfect for you?
6. Would you book with the artist/stylist again?
Often times clients aren't sure how much to tip, a good rule of thumb is 20 - 30% of the cost of your service. If you aren't sure if gratuity is already included in your service you can do a few things; one reference the companies website or two, ask your artisan / stylist "Do you happen to know if gratuity is included in my service today?".
Closing thoughts on tipping your makeup artist or hair stylist:
A high level of professionalism deserves an equal level of gratuity. If you're willing to tip someone in the restaurant industry who is giving you a bit of instant gratification, then you should tip someone who builds your confidence and makes you look and feel beautiful.