I wrote a hair post in both 2007 and 2008, so I suppose it’s only appropriate to continue the tradition in 2009! This post is dedicated to recession’s impact on hair budgets.
The recession is a major reason why I’ve been neglecting my hair a bit during these past several months: skipping my straightening treatment ($250), trading down my stylist (from $60 per cut to $20 per cut), and spacing out my haircuts (long layers mean I haven’t cut my hair in… I’m too embarrassed to admit how long!).
Recently, I thought about getting a digital perm because I have a hankering for long loose curls. A few of my girlfriends got it done and they look beautiful. Imagine long cascading waves that tumble past your shoulders. 
Unfortunately, such tumbling curls are only to be had for a price – $250 to $350. That’s too expensive for me right now.
I decided to put off the digital perm given that I have many uncertainties looming in my life: job and the whole recession doom and gloom, expenses for a possible new business, a new apartment with increased rent, the need to save for retirement (or else be reduced to a life of penury in my old age), etc.
A gorgeous head of hair is lovely, but I’m not sure it’s so important that I need to get it done right this moment. So, as many others have done, I’m putting off the “big-ticket” items in these uncertain times. My hair budget has definitely decreased along with the with the economic recession.
Have you decided to trade down on haircuts / treatments and or products because of the recession? Did your hair budget decrease from what it was in 2007 or 2008?
If I have any hairstylist readers out there, how are you faring?
image source: abcnews.com
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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
Perms can come out tight and you’ll never get that loose curl look..
Anyway, I’ve stopped dyeing my hair and not only have I saved so much $$ but my hair feels so soft and thick
Oh my god, I just blogged about my cut on the barter system. That’s too funny. After this experience, I’ll be paying for a cheap cut and tipping very well if I like it a lot.
As for products, I’m actually using MUCH better stuff than I ever have before because of the drug store sale/coupon/rebate games I’ve been playing.
Yes! In December, I traded my $60 shampoo/cut/blow dry/style at the salon for a $14 cut at Supercuts. The Supercuts stylist was recommended by a friend, and, I swear, she did a better job than the salon stylist.
Also, Supercuts often has coupons. I once got $2 off. It almost felt like stealing!
I’ve actually been spending more on my hair! When I moved, I left behind the awesome Aveda school ($16/haircut). I have had my hair cut twice (~$50 including tip/haircut) at an Aveda salon. I don’t like my hair stylist as much as the students, so I am going to go look for another (cheaper) stylist.
I stopped doing cut and colors (about $150 every 4-6 weeks) and now I am getting hair cuts only for $45 every 8 weeks. I stopped using designer shampoo (about 20 a bottle for shampoo/conditioner each for the small bottles) and on to drugstore brands.
The funny thing is I am actually enjoying my natural hair color right now which I hadn’t seen in years.
Perms make me think of 80s frizz. I had a lot of perms growing up! Long loose waves sound amazing though — can they really turn out like that? Ooo, just did some googling — a digital perm??
Anyway, for me, my hair care routines changed when I moved to L.A. It’s so ridiculous here. I didn’t mind paying $120 for a nice cut and color, but not $100 for a so-so hair cut. Long layers and natural color for me!
Well, I love the idea of long, loose curls cascading down. But given the cost, I think you should just get very proficient with some ionic curler sets! At least in this economy.
I’ve definitely been stretching out my hair cuts. This last time, I lucked out with a Gene Juarez Academy cut that I loved. (First time I’d trusted my hair to a student, but the cut I had was pretty basic. In the end, though, she added some extra dimension and I love it!)
Added bonus? The academy has monthly specials, so I was able to get a coupon for 50% off any service. So my hair cut (normally $12.95, cheap by any standards) was $7 after tax. Which also allowed me to tip more generously. If I’d been more organized, I would have gone and gotten a hair color too.
Hair is one of the first areas I ever down-graded on as I’ve found that as long as I don’t do it myself, it comes out about the same without any huge differences. I’ve always been a fan for having a student stylist if I’ve got the time (they always take forever). Otherwise, two highlights a year and cuts 4-5 times a year. If I really needed to save, I’d do away with the highlights and go back to allover colour. I’ve got too many grays now to leave it be (shhh…don’t tell!).
Hair is the one thing I won’t really budge on, I have short hair that needs to be cut at least every 6 weeks (although my stylist has not been cutting enough off, so that’s not helping my wallet), and have been using nicer shampoo, but I might switch to a cheaper brand, when they actually start coming out with sulfate free stuff that doesn’t cost $20 a bottle.
I have been stretching out my treatments. Instead of every 5 weeks, now its more like 6-7. I work at a college w/ a cosmetology school – maybe I’ll give them a try.
Well, I’ve never cut my hair. It probably requries a bit more shampoo, but it’s probably saved me money and time in the long run. (I’m very lucky because my hair doesn’t get tangled easily!)
I have naturally dark hair but have blond highlights. I decided to try a few products that will help get a few more weeks out of my hair color and help to cover my roots. ALL of the products have failed me and my hair really needs to be done. I’ve been trying to get my color/cut to last for a 8 weeks instead of 6 but those last 2 weeks are just torture.
Gahhh! Now I want one of those perms!!!!!
OH man, i’ve been having the wifey cut my hair for years now nevermind the recession. ofcourse, i’m also a guy and rock a mohawk
all you have to do is shave around the mane and you’re good to go!
I hear ya. I haven’t gotten a haircut in months – let alone a highlight. My roots are killing me. I’ve been so desperate that I’ve just tried to sit out in the sun for awhile and get some highlights circa the Sun Inn days of the ’90s.
It’s not that I can’t spend some money for a highlight/cut, but damn, $100 + tip is ridic in my humble opinion!
If you get a digi perm, can you do a post? That sounds interesting!
This past year, I went to a salon training night in lieu of my normal $160 haircut. My hair was dreadfully long, and I got probably around 5-6 inches cut off – all for free! After a few months of that, I got bored with the very vanilla cut, and sprung for a cut at a “curly hair” salon. The cut cost $100, but the stylist gave me a great shape that I can wear with my naturally wavy hair – it is literally wash and go, amazing!
I have always stretched out my cuts… I usually get a cut about 3 times a year, and just that runs me $240! I’m pretty adventurous with my hair, so every once and awhile I’ll be a hair model and get a free cut and color (awesome). A couple of weeks ago, I was feeling like my cut looked shaggy and was dying for some bangs, so I popped into a Rudy’s (I think there is on in LA in The Standard) $27 bucks and my hair is adorable! I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to go back to the $80 cuts…
My boyfriend is a hairstylist at an Aveda salon, so–don’t kill me–I get my cuts and color for free on Friends and Family Night once a month! If I weren’t dating a hairstylist, though, I would definitely NOT be paying for color, although I probably would have kept going to my former hairstylist, who charged about $30.
BF’s business is still good, for the most part. His salon is in a fairly wealthy part of the city. The few customers he has lost due to the economy have been replaced by newcomers to the city, referrals, etc. My dad’s wife is a hairstylist, too, in another city, and her business is WAY down. So it seems to vary.
I haven’t gotten a hair cut in months. I really really need one but I keep trading things off. Like I decided to get our car detailed for our upcoming trip to Chicago instead of getting my hair cut. I have really long layers too so last night I decided to take a pair of scissors to my layers. No it’s not professional quality, but I think it looks better!
I have thick straight layered long colour treated hair. I used to get my hair cut every 5-7 wks. Now I go every 10 to 12 wks. I have always cut my own bangs in between appointments. Last summer I had lowlights put in to my highlighted blonde hair so I can go almost 3 months for highlights instead of 2 months when my hair was lighter. I originally got the lowlights for a change, but it turned out to have financial benefits.
My stylist has taken $5 off her services (she works in a salon) to help keep customers coming in and understanding that they too are struggling. I have always been a generous tipper, but I try to give that savings back to her in a tip. I’ve been a client for years and I really think she is great as a stylist/colourist, but also as a person.
I’ve also switched from a high end shampoo and conditioner to drugstore one (it works almost as good). I switch to high end one every few wks to alternate. I use coupons/sales to purchase both types.
Yes actually I’ve been avoiding any hair related expenses since my wedding last August 2008. My mom has been trimming my hair for me so it is just straight and boring. I’ve stopped coloring – I’m only 26 with no white hairs to cover so i may as well leave my golden brown alone.
I may splurge to get a long layer and some side swept bangs but thats all!
I still get my color and cut done every 6-8 weeks, but negotiated with my stylist for 10% off if I pay in cash and only roots every other time (saves about 25$). I was spending a LOT on shampoos, but decided to give “no poo” a try and have now been shampoo free for two months. My color is lasting longer, my hair feels great, and how cheap can baking soda and apple cider vinigar be – epecially when you buy them anyways for other household uses!
I quit getting my hair done long before the recession. I got ticked off with my stylists when I was about 20 and have yet to go back. And actually I think I cut, style and color my hair better than any stylist I’ve found because I will actually spend the time to figure it out myself. Since I do it all myself it’s easier to figure out what you really want. I think if you just do your homework and are willing to invest the time into it, it always turns out better. In fact, I get asked all the time who does my hair and everyone is stunned when I say I do it myself. It’s a pretty rewarding feeling. And you save *tons* of money.
I've definitely been spending less money (and time) on my hair, though that might be a factor of having a newborn just as much as being in a recession. I've been going longer between haircuts (helps that I'm growing out my hair–I used to have a super short cut that required frequent trimming), going way longer between dye jobs than I'd like to admit, and opting for cheaper shampoo and styling products.
I've always had long hair for that reason – short hair needs more upkeep. I've also decided to stop fighting my hair's natural texture (wavy), i.e. no more $250 straight perms.
I talked to my stylist about how to make things cheaper, and she was pretty cool about it. I space out highlights and save about twenty bucks on most visits. I am also planning on trying out Organix shampoo and conditioner instead of my beloved Enjoy next time I run out. It's a savings of around fifteen bucks a pop…but I will have to see how much I like it.
Yeps I was referring to a digital perm (post edited for clarity). There are a couple of Korean boutiques that I know of that do a great job with such perms.
I spent like 15 minutes looking at pictures of them last night — they look great and you don’t have to curl your hair? Now I want one! Except I didn’t see any white girls with them? Is it allowed? haha
I guess it doesn’t matter, it is highly unlikely I’ll actually be willing to pay for it.