You just got a beautiful $250 hair color at a salon in West Vancouver—maybe full highlights, a balayage, or a complex color correction—and now you're staring at the payment screen wondering what to tip. On higher-priced services, the math can feel less intuitive than tipping on a quick haircut. Here's a straightforward guide.
The Standard: 18-20%
For a $250 hair color service, a tip of $45-50 (18-20%) is standard for good service. This is the same percentage range you'd tip on any salon service—the price doesn't change the expected percentage.
If your colorist did exceptional work—corrected a color disaster from another salon, spent extra time on consultations, achieved exactly the shade you'd been dreaming of, or made the entire experience particularly enjoyable—tipping 20-25% ($50-62) shows extra appreciation.
Breaking Down the Numbers
On a $250 color service:
15% = $37.50 — Acceptable, but on the lower end. This might signal that you were satisfied but not thrilled, or that the service was adequate without being special.
18% = $45 — Standard good-service tip. This says "you did your job well and I'm happy with the result."
20% = $50 — Generous standard. Easy math, and a nice round number that shows genuine appreciation.
25% = $62.50 — Exceptional service tip. For when your colorist truly went above and beyond or achieved something remarkable.
Why Hair Color Commands the Same Percentage
Some clients wonder if they should tip less on expensive services—after all, $50 feels like a lot more than $10. But consider what your colorist actually does during a $250 color service.
Color work requires extensive training and ongoing education. Your colorist understands color theory, the chemistry of how different formulas interact, and how to assess your hair's history and condition to predict results. They spend 2-4 hours on a single service, often more for complex work. Custom color mixing requires expertise—they're creating formulas specifically for your hair, not applying something from a box. And the stakes are high—color mistakes are visible, embarrassing, and expensive to fix.
The percentage stays the same because the skill, time, and expertise scale with the price. A $250 color service requires more from your stylist than a $50 service, so the tip appropriately scales as well.
When to Tip on the Higher End
Consider tipping 20-25% when your colorist performed a color correction, which requires significant expertise and patience. When they spent time doing a thorough consultation before starting work. If they mixed multiple custom formulas to achieve the perfect shade. When they stayed late or came in early to accommodate your schedule. Or if they provided detailed aftercare instructions and product recommendations.
When 15-18% Is Fine
A lower-end tip is acceptable when the service was satisfactory but not remarkable, when there was minimal consultation or personalization, if you had to wait significantly past your appointment time without acknowledgment, or when any aspect of the experience was lacking even if the technical result was fine.
The Cash vs. Card Question
On a $250 service with a $50 tip, the question of cash vs. card becomes more relevant simply because of the amounts involved.
Cash tips go directly to your colorist immediately, with no processing fees. If you have cash, many stylists prefer it. Card tips are processed through the salon's payment system. The stylist receives them (usually in their next pay period), sometimes minus a small processing fee depending on the salon's policy. Both are appreciated. Neither is wrong. If you don't have cash, don't feel obligated to find an ATM—card tips are completely normal and accepted.
Tipping on Color vs. Other Services
Some clients visit the salon for multiple services—color plus cut, or color plus blowout. When services are combined, you can tip on the total amount. For example, if your color was $250 and your cut was $75, your total is $325, and 20% would be $65.
If different stylists performed each service, split the tip proportionally based on the service costs, or ask the salon how they prefer to handle it.
Building a Relationship
Finding a colorist whose work you love is valuable. Great color work that suits your skin tone, maintains well, and makes you feel confident is hard to find. When you do find that person, consistent generous tipping helps maintain that relationship.
Your colorist will remember you, prioritize your appointments, and potentially go the extra mile for someone who consistently shows appreciation. This isn't about buying better service—it's about acknowledging the skill and effort that goes into making you look great.
The Bottom Line
On a $250 hair color service in West Vancouver, tip $45-50 (18-20%) for good service, or $50-62 (20-25%) for exceptional work. The price of the service doesn't change the percentage—your colorist's skill and time scale with the complexity of the work. When you leave the salon loving your new color, the tip is how you say "thank you" in a way that's meaningful.