Every time I go to a salon I suffer an ecstasy of indecision regarding the tipping process. How much do I tip- and to who? Do I have to tip if I hate my hair? Often I end up not tipping (shame on me) as I simply don't know what to do, so I've decided to clarify this by asking top hairdressers to tell me what they think. A good rule of thumb (in my opinion) is to always carry cash, and try and tip the juniors rather than the salon owner, as they're on less money.
I asked top UK hairdressers: What do you think is an appropriate tip in salon, and who should you tip?
Dom-Creative Stylist for Sebastian Professional
As with restaurants I would recommend 10%. It may be worth asking the receptionist how your Salons tip system works, it may be shared evenly amongst the team. Its great if you can tip whom ever had direct contact with you.
Adrian Allen
I don't believe in tipping for bad service and I like clients to actually give my team their tips so that the team member knows they have done a great job and can thank the client. I personally don't expect tips but I think a fair tip is around ten percent but only if you have had amazing service. It's interesting how a team member can start to wonder what they haven't done so well when they don't get tipped!
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Blowdrying my hair has always been a bit hit or miss. I remember the joy when the first affordable hair straighteners came on the market over 12 years ago (anyone else have the Babyliss Steam and Shine?) and the disappointment when it wasn't all I thought it would be. I simply HATE hairdrying, I hate the noise, the heat, the time, and how no matter how hard I try it just doesn't look that good. Most of the time I tend to let it dry wet and then straighten it the next day, but this *might* all be about to change, as I've just had a masterclass in how to do a sleek blowdry at home from the delightful Ben Cooke of the salon Lockenego.
The lesson was courtesy of Herbal Essences who have just released a new range called 'Seductively Straight', and my hair was first washed with these products before the styling commenced. Remeber- this was all me, as apart from directions, it was my hands holding the (heavy) hairdryer, and my hands twisting the brush in order to focus the heat down the shaft of the hair.
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Dr Pixie McKenna is well known in the industry for her expertise in all areas of dermatology, and she's currently the ambassador for Vaseline Sheer Infusions. We managed to get some time to chat with her about summer skin- and how to avoid that dreaded summer acne!
How does the changing weather affect your skin?
Dr Pixie:The temperature is going up and the clothes are coming off.If you want legs from heaven you simply must keep them moist! If not they will peel and become cracked and ugly! Its imperative to moisturise twice daily to prime your skin for summer exposure. Summer skin must also be protected from the rays so always remember your SPF even on a cloudy Brit summers day.
How would you suggest you target the dreaded summer acne, and why does this happen?
Dr Pixie: As the sun shines and the humidity increases the skin becomes clogged with sweat.This blocks the pores and so results in more spots.We often make the mistake of over cleansing because we feel spotty and this in itself may create more spots! Limit the cleansing
to once or twice a day and use a facial wash.Ideally let it sit on the skin for 5 minutes and then wash it off.A deep cleansing mask is helpful also- but limit it's use to once a week.Don't
avoid SPF because it gives you spots.Choose a light non oily product and ideally a spray which is less likely to block the pores.Finally ditch the war paint on a summers day as combining it with sweat is spot producing! SPF is the face paint of choice.
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Schwarzkopf Professional Colour Ambassador Anita Cox-McMillan knows everything there is to know about hair colour and how to maintain it, and we managed to get some time with her to quiz her about how to look after our hair- and what trends to watch out for this summer.
Should you change your hairstyle/colour during summer, and if so what do you recommend?
Generally clients have a tendency to go lighter during the summer, so going for more sunkissed and richer golden colours. Style wise it's down to personal preference, some people like to go shorter allowing them to stay cooler whereas some people like to keep a little length as this gives them the option of tying it up when sat round the pool or stuck in the office.
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I was lucky enough to grab some face time with the delightful parfumier Roja Dove at the recent Neutrogena launch for their Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Range, and quizzed him about how to get the most out of your scents.. with a couple of personal questions thrown in just for fun. Here's what I discovered.
Q. How do you make your perfume longer lasting?
Roja: First you should ensure your cleansers are PH balanced. This is because the scent that you wear comes from perfumed oil which sits on top of the skin. The perfumed oil is attracted to your skins own natural oil (think of it as Velcro) and if this is lacking your perfume won't last as long. By using a PH balanced cleanser you don't strip the skin of the oil your perfume uses as a base.
Q. Where and how should you apply your perfume?
A good tip is to apply the perfume all over the body and lock it in place with a body lotion. Always use lotion AFTER scent rather than before, as it will create a barrier the scent can't penetrate and dissipate in a small amount of time. Try and use an unscented lotion, or one that's part of the same range as your perfume.
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Summer is in the air, and as well as baring our limbs and slathering on the SPF, thoughts are turning towards our haircare, and how we can adapt our style for the coming months, We were lucky enough to grab some time with Adrian Allen from Adrian Allen Addicted and quizzed him about his colour predictions and how to style beach hair.
What changes do you foresee in colour styling?
Colour is following the texture trend we're seeing in haircuts. We are working on more texture enhancing techniques, contrasting panels inside the hair to enhance the shine when the hair is straight and giving the illusion of voluptuous hair when it's curled. Summer is going to be a sexy time for colour with lightened ends and pastel washes for the blondes and burnt veneers of browns, reds and coppers for the brunettes. Colour has to be changeable after all we want to be chameleons this summer.
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Hannah Marshall is well known for her inspirational structural designs, and has made major waves in the fashion world by clothing A-listers, and making appearances at Downing Street. We were lucky enough to get some time with her and quizzed her about her beauty and style choices, and which icons she admires.
What designers would you say inspire you?
I love powerful theatrical silhouettes that Thierry Mugler created in the 80's and 90's, and the clean minimalist lines by Jil Sander and Helmut Lang in the 90's.
You have very distinctive hair- what products do you use?
TIGI S Factor flat iron shine spray, black GHD's, Charles Worthington hair serum, Kiehl's shampoo and conditioner.
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