I was just talking to my BFF in L.A. Her DH recently switched jobs, they have been hit hard financially and they are cutting down on a lot of their expenses, like laundry service, in home manicures, gardening, housekeeping, etc. But the one that threw me off was that she said that she will delay getting her hair done by a few more weeks...
...because her stylist charges $265 for cut and color? Does this amount sound rather obscene to anyone else? I understand that the rates in Dallas are lower than in L.A., I think that anything over $170 is more than I would spend here...this could be because I come from a circle of old friends who had cosmetology licenses and I got accustomed to getting things done for free...
What's appropriate in L.A.? Is $265 normal? I was thinking anything over $200 is too much.
Also, if anyone has a recommendation I can pass along to my friend, please let me know.
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"Go either very cheap or very expensive. It's the middle ground that is fashion nowhere." ~ Karl Lagerfeld
That is what it was when I lived there(LA), which meant Kincali went back to her natural hair color. Also, it was $40 + tip to get my eyebrows waxed, so I started getting them done for $10 at a nail salon down the street. It was't always perfect but it was cheap.
hmmm ... well, I spend $100 to get my hair cut (+$20 in tip), and $120 (plus $25 tip) for my color, so... yup $265. Hurts, which is part of the reason I'm rockin' roots and hippie dippie nearly waist-length hair right now. Can't justify the costs at the mo...
ETA: D'oh! I didn't realize you were asking about LA only. Well, here's a NYC perspective. The overall cost is more likely a reflection of the geographic area...
-- Edited by Starstuff at 16:53, 2009-02-26
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"I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn't itch." - G. Radner
She can get the same service for less in a non-trendy neighborhood, but depending on where she lives, she would have to burn gas and sit in traffic. I can get my eyebrows waxed in the Valley for $25 including tip, and that's in a "nice" part of the Valley. (A snob would correct me and say there are no "nice" parts of the Valley.)
Hair and makeup is a big industry here, so there are a bazillion salon schools (Aveda, Paul Mitchell, etc.) that feed the entertainment industry where she can get a deal. Some salons also give a discount on certain days of the month when they do training.
However, this being L.A., where you get your hair done and how much it costs is a status symbol, and some people wouldn't go east of the 405 freeway unless it's to get a personal blessing from the Pope, the Dalai Lama, or Barack Obama himself.
But I agree with your basic point - yes, she could do better price-wise.