Women's haircut/styling

[oligopoly]

why is a woman's haircut generally so much more expensive than men's? is it becuase that's the going rate? it takes longer to do? needs more skilled workers, uses more 'materials (shampoo, mousse etc)?!

[dot.hawkes]

pretty much all of the above yes, though if men want to have a tri-colour foiled treatment and a designer restyle they certainly can, but it would take longer than ten minutes. Plus, when do men have a shampoo and conditioning treatment when they visit the barber's?

[nobjob]

no its because they know theres no way they would get men to part with that kind of money , the tight gimps !!

[steviep165]

i cant believe the exorbitant amount of money you ladies are prepared to pay to get your hair done. i mean we're talking 50 and 60 quid here!!!
long nought all over �3.50. sorted. and thats only because my clippers are broken!

[dot.hawkes]

I had mine done two weeks ago Steve and it only cost �46 so i got a bargain eh?

[violetblue]

It's because going to the hairdressers, for many women, is an 'experience' and not just a cut. If they're daft enough to spend �60 on a haircut that their local hairdresser can probably do, it's up to them. i wonder how much this Posh's bob (nice as it is) costs in fashionable salons? It's only a bob with a few straggly bits at the front, after all.

[oligopoly]

thanks for the replies ladies. the reason for asking was i thought it could be a good gap in the market - quality styling/cutting for females, but under �20 or so. like an easyCut :-) but with more flair. if the brand was portrayed right it could be popular, no?

[laurence2]

Us men look at getting our hair cut like going shopping.

1. we don't want to hang around for ages
2. we know what we want
3. we don't need a 3 hour chat from the hairdresser about
every Tom, Dick, & Harry
4. we don't want to spend �150 when this can be put to
better use {pub}
5. we would rather have a BARBER talk about football than
handbags
6. by having a short back & sides or a number 1 we save
valuable time when getting ready to go out

[dot.hawkes]

oh the cut is only part of it, your products alone for colour treatments and shampooing, conditioning, styling and setting would cost nearly �20 per head if you used a reasonably priced product, if you are just talking about cutting, which doesn't involve a shampoo and condition or any styling products, a trained staylist might do it for �15 but where would your profit be? Plus, how many styles can u do as a dry cut?

[oligopoly]

dot - surely the processes in place with companies like easyjet can be put into effect here - whether its bulk buying the treatment products, sponsorship, etc. Obviously the more products/effort the higher the price, but i would have thought hair cuts/styles could be done at half the normal price - the profit would be smaller per cut, but would bring in more revenue on a larger scale - like how ASDA works...

[Pippa68]

My local hairdresser does a wash,cut & highlights for �26. I also get a cuppa & a read of 'Take a break'. She does a sterling job, too.

The fashionable one in town charges �70 for colouring, which includes the cut & blow dry. If you just want a cut & styling you have several pricing options as you can choose between a creative stylist, senior stylist or a stylist (each one goes up by a fiver) A blow dry alone costs �20 if done by the senior stylist.

[violetblue]

I can feel a 'support your local hairdresser' campaign coming on! Agree absolutely with you, pippa.

Incidentally, my stepdad told me that during the war, one of the most important jobs was that of hairdresser, for keeping people's morale up.

[mimififi]

I have a mobile hairdresser whom I pay �40 to for doing mine and my 5 children's hair. She actually only charges me �25 but i think that I would pay �40 to have a cut and dry just for myself at a salon and I want to make sure she stays mobile as I can't imagine taking 5 children into the salon and I certainly wouldn't be able to go for myself as i just wouldn't have time.

she does a good job too.

[jessybean]

haha i get my mum to cut mine. saves spending the �50 she normally spends. used to get mine done for that much but to be honest im not one to bother too much with my hair so as to spend ridiculous amounts.

[luckyeight]

I think it's got a lot to do with the fact that men just wouldn't pay it as there hair is not as important to them... Women are under so much societal pressure to look good - and as a judge recently, commented, as woman's hair is her 'crowning glory' so they are prepared to pay a fortune for a hair cut. Sure it costs more if you want hi/lo lights whatever & you can see why, but just for a cut - it takes about the same length of time for a woman as as man. The expensive salons stay open because ppl are prepared to pay the money - paying for the brand name really.
Women are conned in a lot of ways in life. eg Why do pink razors cost more than blue ones!