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    Do You Know What To Tip At The Hairdressers?

    A couple of quid on the counter might not be good enough.

    Do you know what you should tip at the hairdressers?

    We asked some actual hairdressers what the rules are, and they declined to comment because "the tipping system is very discreet," apparently.

    So discreet is this tipping system that nobody here in BuzzFeed's London office seems to have a bloody clue, either...

    "I cut my own hair with clippers and then I give myself £2 and pat myself on the arse." - Tom Chivers, senior writer

    "I tip the person who cut and styled my hair around 5 quid and then the person who washed my hair like 2? IT'S ALWAYS SO AWKS." - Remee Patel, staff writer

    "I tend to leave £2 for the hairwasher, but otherwise don't tip for cut. If it's highlights etc, then sometimes I add on £5? It's confusing! " - Ailbhe Malone, lifestyle editor

    "Tipping would be so much easier if we had pound notes. Tipping with coins makes me feel like a miserly git. I don't tip my hairdresser often, but recently in Nigeria (WHERE THEY HAVE MOSTLY PAPER MONEY) I did. It felt great." - Bim Adewunmi, culture editor

    "I always tip a pound. I am a terrible person." - Robin Edds, senior writer

    "I just had my first haircut in England! I told the guy that I didn't know if I was supposed to tip and he told me people typically did, but the whole thing was so awkward that I panicked and I think I only tipped him two or three pounds. Basically, I just threw all the coins in my pocket at him and ran out." - Ryan Broderick, reporter

    "I just never take the change from paying with notes." - Jamie Jones, staff writer

    "I tip if they've not botched my hair. Sometimes a hairdresser's chat can really brighten my day up! I tip then too. Usually only about £1.50, maybe it should be more." - Matt Tucker, picture editor

    "I always tip around 10-12%. Even if I'm not happy with it, cos I'm afraid they'll remember me and ruin my hair intentionally next time." - Declan Cashin, UK homepage editor

    "I literally had no idea we're supposed to tip hairdressers. I'm a terrible person." - Francis Whittaker, breaking news editor

    "I usually tip around 3/4 quid. I have no idea if that's what expected or not. If they've fucked up my hair, I usually still tip because I'm too *afraid*." - Rossalyn Warren, reporter

    Since we have no idea, and the hairdressers won't tell us, we asked a knowledgeable beauty editor.

    They would rather remain anonymous, lest their secret spilling subject them to bad hair for life...

    "If you love your hair, leave a tip. I'd say 10% is about right," they told BuzzFeed.

    "If it's the kind of salon where a junior washes your hair, it's nice to give them a couple of quid too. They've just washed your gross hair, they're on minimum wage and they're probably on their feet for eight hours with no break so it's kind of the least you can do."

    If you're paying on card, can you bump up your total or should you still leave cash?

    "I always tip in cash," suggested our expert. "When you add a tip to a credit card the money often doesn't make it back to the staff. If you give 'em a tenner, it's theirs to keep."

    If you're paying for something mega-expensive like colour can you wang them a fiver or should you still suck it up that 10% is the way and leave a big tip?

    "I'd say suck it up! Colour is an art form, a science, something that technicians train for years to be great at and something that's probably entailed them missing out on other clients to spend a couple of hours with you," our expert fairly points out.

    "You're paying for their expertise and that professional difference, so I stand by the 10% rule."

    Is it ever OK not to tip?

    "The only times I think you could waive it would be if you've just had a quick blow-dry at a blow-dry bar or a quick fringe trim," our expert says.

    TL;DR, always tip 10%. Take cash.