Some of the best hair dressers in the world work in Los Angeles. Good for our hair, not always good for our wallets. If you don’t know what you are doing you could end up owing a lot more at the counter than you anticipated.
A couple days ago while cruising the Free section on Craigslist (one of my favorite time killers) I stumbled upon this ad:
Hair Models needed for classic haircutting at Beverly Hills Salon. The cut will be a one length above the shoulder haircut. This means no layering or fringe work. Classic elegant bob shaped hair to possibly slightly longer. Please contact me to discuss if your hair is right for this as well as if this look would be right for you. Pictures of your current hair style also help. Model cuts will start as soon as May 9th.Immediately I got to writing a response because you have to jump on these things fast!
Hi, my name is Kelly and I would be interested in being a hair model for a classic bob style. I have had a bob and a dramatic A line before - most recently last summer my hair was the same style as Jenny McCarthy and I really liked it. My hair color is currently a reddish brown (Specifically Goldwell 6RB) and the length is just above my shoulders (maybe 1/2").Also, my sister is a hair dresser and I was her model for her state board exam a few years ago (wow, was that stressful) so I guess you could say I have model experience. I am attaching a pic that was just taken this past weekend to show my hair and face shape. Thank you, KellyI didn't hear anything for a couple days and thought it was a dead lead but finally got a response that I had been chosen. My appointment was last night and it went way better than I expected, my stylist Sam was an absolute doll and treated me like royalty (I am a contessa you know). I got a nice cup of tea followed by a scalp, neck & shoulder massage, a deep moisturizing treatment, a warm towel for my hands and then a superior cut by an incredibly trained technical stylist. Did I mention this was all free? What an awesome experience! Sam also gave me a card for 50% off a future appointment with him ~ something I will definetly need because his fees average about $100 per service.
The moral of this story is that it is possible to get a good affordable cut in LA - you just have to know where to look. The Vidal Sassoon and Toni & Guy Academies offer services from their students at incredible pricing. Remember; they are students so you get what you pay for but these students are very well trained in the VS & T&G techniques as well as closely monitored by their instructors throughout the entire process. These are the people who swear if you don't look good, they don't look good! So its worth taking a risk with them. Your service might take a little longer than it would with a professional because they are continually having their work approved by an instructor so make sure to clear some space in your schedule and bring a magazine or book
If going to a student is too far outside of your comfort zone there are still deals to be had by licensed professionals continuing their education. Many salons offer advanced education courses for stylists who want to learn the latest, trendiest dos. These courses usually require the stylist to bring in their own hair model – hence my free haircut comes in. Always remember to tip your stylist even if your service was free, thrifty does not mean tacky!
Average cost of a hair cut in a Beverly Hills Salon: $100 + tip
Cost for my Classic Bob Style: Tip (I left a 20)
Total Savings: 100%
Final Word: Cut out over priced beauty services!
Original Price = $120
