Originally published Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Hair-care is a priority even in hard economic times
Women would rather skimp elsewhere to continue to be able to splurge on hair care.
Money-saving tips
For those who want to keep their costs down, Debi Dumas, head colorist at the Jim Wayne Salon in Beverly Hills, has some tips:
Be honest: Don't be afraid to tell the stylist your budget. "You can be honest without looking cheap," Dumas said. "A stylist would rather find a way to work within your budget than to lose you altogether."
Go for a bang cut instead of a hair cut: If you want a change but only have a few bucks to do it, get your bangs trimmed. Most salons will do this service for free, with only a small gratuity (about $10) for the stylist.
Skip the blow dry: Air-drying your hair (or blow-drying it yourself at the salon) can save you about 20 percent, Dumas said.
Choose a simple style: Some haircuts (a short bob, for instance) need to be trimmed every few weeks to keep their look; some only need maintenance every few months. Ask your stylist for a cut that won't require you to come back in a month.
Get your hair done by an assistant: Call your salon and ask if there are specific days or evenings when assistants need "models." Assistants at high-end salons, who are usually licensed and already have completed schooling, need practice. "It might take a lot longer, but you'll save money," Dumas said. "Most salons are pretty picky about who they hire as assistants. ... They want to do a good job." Plus, she added, going with a newbie isn't a huge risk, because the senior hairdressers usually are hovering nearby.
Color only the areas that show: Ask your colorist to color only the hairline and the area around the part. The less color you use (and the less time it takes the colorist to apply it), the less it will cost.
Do highlights and/or lowlights: Highlights/lowlights are much easier to maintain, while allover color needs to be done every few weeks to avoid noticeable roots.
Be cautious with home color kits: Sure, you might save a few bucks doing your own hair, but if you do it wrong (because really, who hasn't?), you're looking at about a $200 color correction. If you must do your own color, use semipermanent color conditioners or color glosses, which are gentler on the hair and should eventually wash out. And stick with a shade that's close to what you already have, to avoid major color problems (i.e. light blond dye on dark brown hair can make the hair orange).
Filter your shower: Chemicals in the water can oxidize your hair, which pulls out the color you've put in. Getting a water filter for your shower can extend your hair color by several weeks or months.
Los Angeles Daily News
Every time Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif., resident Kate McLaughlin gets her hair done, her husband has a fit. The way he sees it — why waste a couple hundred bucks on a haircut when the economy is down and millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet?
But ask McLaughlin, and she'll tell you flat-out: Hair is nonnegotiable.
"You just grin and pay for it like you do your school loan, mortgage payment and vehicle repair bill," said McLaughlin, a former newspaper reporter and now a college journalism instructor. "Hair is a top spending priority in any economy."
But it is expensive.
At most high-end salons in Los Angeles, a cut and color can cost between $200 and $500. Even at budget- conscious spots such as Supercuts, highlighting services start at $75 (add on their $16 haircuts and you're looking at a nearly $100 service, minimum).
It adds up. According to a British survey conducted by the hair product company TRESemmé, the average woman spends about $50,000 on her hair in her lifetime. That's a figure that includes about $160 annually on shampoos and conditioners, $120 for home styling products and $520 for haircuts — plus $330 more per year for those who use color.
"There are a thousand other places we can economize — food, booze, trips, travel, fuel consumption, clothes, accessories, Starbucks, nails," McLaughlin said. "Anyone who is skimping on the locks, in my humble opinion, has her priorities wrong."
Most women agree. At least according to Debi Dumas, chief colorist at the Jim Wayne Salon in Beverly Hills, who said she hasn't seen a big change in business — even with the sputtering economy.
"You get a lot for what you're spending," said Dumas, who has tended the tresses of celebrities including Sharon Stone, Candace Cameron Bure and Mischa Barton. "If you go to buy a new outfit, you feel good in it the first time you wear it. ... But after you've worn it one or two times, you don't feel as special in it.
"When you get your hair done, you're going to get four months out of it."
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
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