r/hairstylist

Title: Would you leave commission for a 1099 salon setup?
I’m a hairstylist trying to decide whether to stay at my current commission salon or move to a 1099 setup, and I’d love advice from other stylists who have made a similar change.
I’ve been at my current salon for about 3 years and I’m finally starting to get more booked. My commission structure is:
$850/week → 40%
$2,000/week → 43%
$2,700/week → 45%
$3,400/week → 48%
$4,000/week → 50%
I’m not consistently at $2k+ yet, and realistically it could take a year or longer to get there. I’m making about $850 per week. I also assisted for three years.
The other opportunity would pay me 70% as a 1099, and I would not be responsible for the rent. I’d just handle my own taxes, supplies, and business expenses. If I don’t make money, I’m not stuck paying rent.
A big reason I’m considering leaving is that I’ve had a lot of frustrations with my current salon. My boss will sometimes squeeze clients into my schedule, shorten the amount of time I’m given for services, and I don’t always feel like I have much control over my own schedule. I’ve also felt stuck there career-wise despite being there for years.
On top of that, I’m pursuing freelance bridal makeup, which could become another source of income. A lot of bridal work is on Saturdays, so I would need more control over my schedule and would ideally need Saturdays off from the salon.
The 1099 opportunity would give me much more control and allow me to build my own clientele/business, but I’m nervous about leaving somewhere where I’m finally starting to gain momentum.
I’m thinking about making the move around the end of October. I’m not expecting to make more immediately—I’m more interested in where each option could put me 1–2 years from now.
For anyone who has gone from commission to independent/1099: Would you make the jump in my situation? Did building clientele independently take longer than expected? And do you wish you had done it sooner?

Is watching tv and not being able to focus on anything but the uneven haircuts or colors. I really want to post a pic of the hair that inspired this post but it’s teetering breaking the rules. You guys ever just mentally bust in to “fix” the hair?

I’m thinking about building a loyalty system for hairdressers where customers get a digital stamp card directly in Apple/Google Wallet.
For example:
5 visits → Free haircut
No customer app or account. Customers simply show their Wallet card when they visit, and staff scan it with a simple app.
The hairdresser gets a dashboard to manage the loyalty program, customers, staff and branding.
Would this be useful for your shop?

Just thought I'd share - I had a bizarre interaction from the Colors with Chemistry lady (Julie Klein). Someone asked about her "directional color vector system," and I simply commented that her system is based on a universal scientific framework (similar to CIELAB Δ E values) used in industrial manufacturing to predict dye formulas based on chemical concentration. She immediately blocked me I'm assuming that's why.

If I create a workout program called 'The Ultimate Gravitational Glute Vector System,' I am just using fancy words to describe squats. I do not own gravity, and I did not invent the human skeleton. I am just marketing basic physics.

She didn't need to block me to gatekeep her "proprietary" color wheel from being exposed. The 3D CIELAB coordinate space and vector color shifts have been open-source industrial manufacturing science since 1976. It’s smart marketing to repackage it for stylists, but blocking people for pointing out that nobody owns the laws of physics is a wild look.

She’s smart to market this math to hair stylists, but blocking someone for pointing out that her "proprietary" color wheel is based on open-source, foundational physics is a bad look. Nobody owns geometry or the laws of light absorption. Google "CIELAB color difference calculation" and "Beer-Lambert law dye formulation" to learn this entire system for free. To map out color and depth right now without a specific software brand, you can map every hair scenario onto a 3D Coordinate System instead of a flat wheel. True color science splits light into three distinct, measurable Axes. Her entire webpage reads like a massive AI prompt output designed to overwhelm people with text. She translated standard industrial color science that the same chemical engineers at L'Oréal, Wella, and Matrix use to make the tubes of color in the first place into worksheets for stylists.While that takes work and deserves money if one chooses to charge.

You can learn the real science for free, and potentially see there are plenty of other colorists and artists who offer similar style worksheets and you might create your own and Google search concepts like :

-CIELAB color space explained (To understand the 3D grid).

-Delta E color difference(To understand how the math calculates the exact distance between two colors).

-Industrial color matching basics (To understand how manufacturing software predicts dye formulas).

I need advice badly.
I won’t name the salon or anything and will just use letters for the people there. (Ex: Ms. A and Ms. B)
I’ve been working at this salon for only a year, and just recently got on the floor doing clients. My boss Ms. A seems to be extremely emotional, and in the sense where if she’s mad about something she’ll just yell and complain when we’re in the break room. Ex: “Why can’t she just etc. etc.!!!!” Or “Can’t anything just work!!???” So of course me and some coworkers look at each other like- yikesss.
She’s also not felt like doing a client and made up a lie to reschedule them so she can go home early. And tells up to suck it up and we have to stay late cause we’re starting our careers, which don’t get me wrong I get it. But it’s the clear abuse of power that gets me.
If you do something she doesn’t like she’ll exclude you from something like the other day for example: “Oh look at this so funny!” And show everyone except you.
Or look at you like you’re a nuisance when you try to talk to her.
My manager Ms. B seems to make exceptions for people when she won’t for someone else I’ve noticed.
She also sides with Ms. A a lot in situations.
It feels like an environment where you can’t speak up even when they say we can. I’m just reaching my limit with this Salon and don’t know how much more I can stomach.
The unprofessionalism, abusive of power, and favoritism.
There’s not even a contract or a guidebook on salon policy to go back on, so if you mess up it’s a write up or taken off the floor.
So you never know if what you’re doing is right.
I don’t know what to do…
I know I just started but I keep seeing patterns and hypocrisy and I’m worried are all salons like this? How do I find the right one? Should I go back to school for something else while I can and run for the hills from this industry? I get all jobs are gonna suck but at least I’ll be at one with a contract and potential insurance. T^T

Graduated last month and was hired as an assistant. They were using illegal BB formula and told them I didn't want to use it (for my health and also, my license) I was fired. Now I can't find another assistant gig, anywhere! I really just feel like I need more training with color technique before I launch on my own. Looking for advice

Listen, I'm a hairstylist now for 30 years. I've worked in salons, suites, retirement communities, solo, not solo, traveling.... all of it. Why are your basic traditional salons so toxic? I swear! Especially when those salons are owned/run by a family. Like keep your family shit to yourself and out of your business. And if you make an owner mad, they cut off your booking... like are you cutting me off or yourself.. because if I don't work then you don't either. Do you want the business or not? I can work anywhere and people aren't flocking to work for you... ready for another walkout?

Sorry. I needed to vent.

Hi all. I’ve been a stylist for 20 years but I really don’t do a lot of Vivids behind the chair. It’s just not my demographic!

So I have a school aged client who wanted blue hair for the summer. We bleached it and did Arctic Fox blue (I can’t remember exactly which shade) back in May. It’s pretty faded by now but school is starting again and he can’t have “unnatural” hair color. Blonde is fine, though!

So for those of you who do a lot of vivids: how do you remove it once it’s faded? I thought of Malibu C DDL but I believe that works best when it’s fresh color, right? Would it make a difference now that it’s been 8-10 weeks? I’ve also heard from other stylists that you shouldn’t use lightener, but it’s better to use with highlight color or clear with 20 vol. I’d like to avoid bleaching it or bleach bath if I can.

What’s your go to move for your clients? Thanks!

Do any of you implement a rescheduling policy?

I have a few repeat rescheduling offenders. I’m a color specialist and do a lot of grey root retouches, so I see those clients every 4, 5, 6 weeks for that. Most of those clients book their next 2-3 appointments with me because a lot of them prefer evenings or late afternoons and want to ensure they get those spots. However, a couple of them will frequently end up texting me a week or less before their appointment needing to reschedule and asking what else I have available that week or the following week. I typically do not have any those times available because I usually am booked a month out. In the past I have ended up working on my days off or staying extra late to accommodate them but I am working on my boundaries and no longer will do that.

I realize that I am to blame for allowing this behavior by accommodating their requests and making time for them outside of my regular schedule. Will being firm on my boundaries alone help resolve this issue?

What has worked for you in making sure people keep their rebooked appointments? Should I only allow them to book one appointment out at a time? Implement a 3-strike rescheduling rule?

Any advice appreciated!!

Hi I currently go to Paul Mitchell cosmo school and I’m looking for some advice. I started at the end of February and it was ok at first but I really hate it now. It’s just not for me I have no motivation and I dread it so much. I only go 3 days a week and have missed some days and it’s a long program so I’m nowhere near done. My parents pay for it. I want to switch to a technical school and do nails. They offer a 3 month program that in total is the same cost as 1 month of the school I go to right now. I can’t keep going here and I know there’s no way I will graduate. I really want to do nails. How do I tell my parents? I’m so scared they’ll be mad bc they have been paying. Thanks so much

Hi there! Hoping to get some advice from some other stylists about where my business is at. I want to start all of this saying I’m super grateful for my clients, how busy I am, and the people who want to sit in my chair!

I’m in a position where I’m losing clients due to lack of flexibility on my end. I work 4 days a week, 10 hour days, and book out 10 weeks for daytime appointments (first one now available is October 20th at 12pm) and weekend and evenings are out even further (first evening being November 24th) As of now any flexibility on my end if clients need to move things around comes from, last minute cancellation from other clients, or me double booking or coming in early or staying late. I try not to come in early or stay late as it creates a lot of resentment on my end.

When I tell my clients I can get you on a cancellation waitlist they usually will opt for that and then we book my next available just in case nothing opens up. That’s usually okay for one appointment and if they couldn’t get in earlier, they usually understand. But once that happens one or two times to them needing flexibility, and me not being able to offer it, they usually move on to another hairstylist who has more flexibility.

The other aspect to this, is that I really would like to not be so far booked out. I would love to be able to do spontaneous trips two or three months from now. But just feels impossible when my books are already filling for 3-4 months.

I know the most practical frame is to just raise my prices. The thing is, I feel like everyone is on a super delicate balance right now as consumers go. I don’t want to alienate clients who are good at keeping schedule by raising my prices, but at the same time I need to offer more flexibility. Also feels super scary to raise my prices in a time of such finical instability.

I did just move into a nicer bigger suite space so I do think the perceived value is there for me to raise my prices. I just want some other perspectives to make sure I’m not missing something that’s staring me in the face.

Thanks in advance!

Hello i (19f) am a recent graduate from cosmetology school and im working at a salon as an assistant. I’ve been there for 2 months and lots of things have happened that i’m not sure if i should quit and try to find a new job. My first week a stylist found out i was 19 and asked if i was a virgin she is a lot older than me she also has made comments about the fact that i was raised by a single mother and on multiple occasions have made comments about my body and what i eat to the point where i have gotten an ED. I can’t bring it up to my boss because they are best friends and I know they have had problems in the past with assistants. My boss when i first started was super nice but after a few weeks there was a switch and everything he said when i first started isn’t true and they are changing protocols. They are changing my schedule and not asking me about it then get upset if i have plans. Made me come in when i was sick then got upset when i acted sick and didnt want to be around our elderly clientele along with that he started to give me the worst shifts WORST OF ALL they have no education an assistant has been there for 8+ years. I can’t work there anymore i’m loosing my passion i am having multiple panic attacks and nervous breakdowns because i am so young a lot of salons don’t want to hire me but i fear if i stay here im going to either end up fired or loosing my passion and hating everything. So should i quit and find a new salon or is this how all salons are going to be?

Doesn’t this feel more like an insult?!? Like you might as well not even tip.

I’m a newer stylist and still using the heavy, painfully loud dryer I got in beauty school. It works, but after a full day my wrist and shoulder are done, and it takes forever on thicker hair. I’m looking at the Shark SpeedStyle, BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium, Sam Villa, and maybe a refurbished Dyson if I find one at a reasonable price. My budget is around $150–$300, and I care more about weight, drying speed, durability, and how it performs after months of daily use than fancy attachments. For stylists who use their dryer all day, which one has actually held up? Also, has anyone switched from BaBylissPRO to Shark and noticed a real difference?

Has anyone ever had a client or or have a medical emergency in your chair?

I was doing a perm on my client and when it was time to rinse, he stood up and suddenly dropped to the floor. He was fine after he came to, but definitely gave everyone in the salon a fright.

I can’t figure out which is worse- sitting at a desk for 8+ hours or being on my feet all day doing hair?

Ive always wanted to become a hair stylist but was convinced not to when I was younger due to the strain on the body. I ended up going into accounting and now my body hates me. I feel so tired from sitting and I’ve gained more weight than I thought I would.

I’m naturally someone who loves to move around and work physical jobs. The part that concerns me about doing hair is that it’s not so much moving around but it seems like a lot of standing and upper body movements.

For those who have done both, which takes a worse toll on your body? Desk work or being a hairstylist?

I started at my salon a year ago as an assistant and graduated hair school last september. I was told in my interview that after i received my license that I would be able to have models come in via sign on the window. I have now been there for a year and I’m seeing no progress in my career whatsoever. Keep in mind, I’m not fresh out of high school whatsoever. I’m being paid barely above minimum wage and learning almost nothing at all. I love my coworkers as people, but I feel like they lack any respect for me at all. They leave messes everywhere whether that be color all over the shampoo bowls, not scooping color into the barrel before throwing it in the sink or leaving capes and towels on the ground rather than in the laundry basket. A big problem I have is the food messes. People will eat in the break room and let food go all over the ground and leave stains and opened food either in the trash or on the table which causes ants and flies to circle, not to mention the smell also. I’m the one who has to clean that up. I clean the toilets almost every shift and they still complain about the bathroom being “disgusting.” I’ll be in the middle of a task whether that be putting color away or unpacking an order and they ask me to sweep their chairs while they sit on their phones. I feel like it’s a humiliation ritual sometimes and they think they’re above helping me. Another assistant was hired and while she helps me a lot, she’s already allowed to take clients while I struggle finding time to bring in friends and family because my boss only has limited time to oversee my work. There are some days where the salon is basically dead and after doing what I have to do I’ll just sit down for however long because nothing is going on. I know i probably shouldn’t be doing that, but I’m just so tired of being a maid. Stylists (not everybody) will have me wash and blow dry their clients and not even tip me out. I think they see me sit down when there’s nothing to do and get upset, but to be honest after huffing cleaning chemicals, having to wipe up piss and shit from the bathrooms and dealing with disgusting food smells, I don’t want to do anything. Lately on a few occasions I’ve maybe forgotten to sweep up after someone or fill their barbicide and i get passive aggressive remarks from my coworkers about it. Is it crazy of me to think that maybe they should do it sometimes if i forget or help me even if just a little bit. I want to leave and find a new salon so badly, but I feel I’ve already invested a year into this one and I do not want to start over as an assistant somewhere else, but it’s seeming like a good option at this point. I’m so very frustrated and sad. I loved doing hair at school and was so excited to get into this field, but I’m really starting to hate it. Am I being overdramatic?