If you have gone to the hair salon in the past several years, you'll know firsthand that getting your hair done is less affordable than it once was.

It may seem like every time you go to your favorite hairstylist, the price for your service has increased.

Well, let me tell you, it has!

The price for the client has increased, and the price for the Cosmetologist has grown, too.

As a professional Cosmetologist for 20 years, I have seen this increase, and I'm not going to lie, it's shocking!

It blows my mind to see how much I pay for my supplies, education, marketing, and insurance to stay open for business.

Let's discuss the top 5 reasons why the price to get your hair done has increased so much!

Cost of Goods

Many coaches in the hair industry say that we, as beauty professionals, should not use the cost of goods as a reason for our price increases.

But I am here to tell you that if the cost of our supplies has increased, which it has, then the price of our services has to follow.

Cost of Living

It's no secret that the cost of living has increased year over year.

What cost $10 five years ago doesn't cost $10 now.

Yep, inflation! Fuel, utilities, rent, insurance, taxes, and shipping costs have all increased.

If the cost to rent my chair rises, I must increase my rates as an intelligent business owner to make a profit.

Speaking of profit, not all of the money I make is profit.

Most of it goes back into my business for my expenses.

At the end of the day, hairstylists still have to make money to feed our families and pay our bills.

Social Media Influence

So you see a girl on TikTok or the Gram with the gorgeous hair color you want and screenshot it for your hairstylist to see.

You show your stylist at your next appointment, hoping your end results will be similar to your inspirational photo.

Let me say that knowing how to analyze a photo and the techniques required to get anywhere close to the desired look takes education.

Social media drives the majority of clients' hair inspiration, and this influence is directly connected to the education needed to duplicate these modern looks.

Education

Continuing education for hairstylists, such as subscriptions, in-person classes, and online coaching, ranges in price, but all have a cost.

Sure, some education is free on YouTube, but the best education comes at a cost.

Since we continue investing in our trade, we have become more valuable and desirable as Cosmetologists.

If a hairstylist becomes more popular, the demand for their time increases.

But there are only so many working hours in a day.

So what happens?

The hours become more valuable, and the hairstylist raises their rates.

It's a simple supply and demand scenario.

Experience and Demand

When the hairstylist becomes more popular, the demand for their time is higher.

Which results in a higher price point.

A higher price point should also be expected if the hairstylist has a lot of experience in a specific area, making it their specialty.

The more experience someone has, the more they will typically charge for the service.

How does all of this result in a higher-priced highlight?

At the end of the day, Cosmetologists are business owners and entrepreneurs.

We live and die by the decisions made in our businesses.

If the cost of the materials required to do our job increases, we must increase our prices.

If the landlord raises the rent, we must increase our prices.

If social media drives the need for us to seek more education, we must increase our prices.

If the demand for our time increases, we become an in-demand hair stylist.

If we want our business to thrive, we must continue to stay on trend by learning new skills.

Every other business increases its prices so they don't cut into profits.

So why would it be any different for Cosmetologists?

The Beauty Industry in the Modern Age

Many years ago, there was a stigma on Cosmetologists. The fallacy was that hairstylists were not smart enough for college and chose an "easy" career.

With the number of business, marketing, art, graphic design, photography, and videography classes we must take to keep our businesses running, a hairstylist likely has enough credit hours to earn a bachelor's degree.

A career in Cosmetology is extremely rewarding and is not in any way easy!

There isn't an income cap like in other industries; you can earn as much as you wish!

There are also multiple revenue streams once you earn your Cosmetology license.

Check out this post for more information on alternative ways to earn money as a cosmetologist.

The beauty industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Now is the best time to join the world of Cosmetology!

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