Had a chat with a retired cosmetologist that made me rethink my pricing

Ngl, I was talking to this lady who's been doing hair since the 80s at a convention in Denver last month. She said she used to charge $35 for a cut and color back then and now she sees newbies charging the same, and it hit me that we're undervaluing ourselves by not raising rates with inflation. What does everyone charge for a basic color service now?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendyc538d ago

Respectfully, I see it a bit different. Inflation matters but so does experience, and a new stylist with fresh training can still be affordable while they build their book. Charging what the local market will bear is more important than just matching what someone charged thirty years ago.

hill.barbara5d ago

Totally feel you on this one, Wendy. It's tough because everyone's situation is different, and what works for one stylist might not for another. That balance between covering your costs and not pricing out the people in your area is a real juggle. I've seen too many folks get fixated on what the "rule" is instead of just watching what actually happens in their chair. Sometimes you gotta just test a price and see who shows up, you know?

masontorres8d ago

Yeah @wendyc53, I drove six hours to that same convention and talked to an old-timer who said she charged $40 for a perm in the 90s and now sees people doing it for $45. It's wild how much we leave on the table just because we're scared to ask for more. How do you figure out what your local market will actually pay without guessing wrong?