How much do you charge for an elderly lady’s perm?

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Beachy Waves

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I’m based in the North East of England and have been asked to do a perm for a clients mother.
I’ve never offered them in my salon as my typical clients are not of the elderly age group but since lockdown lots of people are asking me to do their relatives.
I have looked online and am just not sure what to charge.
Some start at around £45 but I don’t know if this is reasonable for elderly clients.

Thanks in advance
 
I’m based in the North East of England and have been asked to do a perm for a clients mother.
I’ve never offered them in my salon as my typical clients are not of the elderly age group but since lockdown lots of people are asking me to do their relatives.
I have looked online and am just not sure what to charge.
Some start at around £45 but I don’t know if this is reasonable for elderly clients.

Thanks in advance
You need to base it on cost and time, not so much what others are charging. Everyone's situation is different. I live in what is considered a fairly deprived area and my grandmother was paying £41.50 for a half Head perm+cbd and she has extremely fine hair! And half the time she'd come back with spikey bits from where they'd snapped her hair, or she'd end up with lines in her hair from the perm rods if you can do a perm without breakage and roller marks I know my grandparents would happily pay £45 :)
 
The thing is...perming is a dying art. Not many students learn to perm nowadays so fewer hairdressers can do it and without practice, some are far less competent.

As @ronray says, clients are willing to pay a decent price if they get a good service and the perm lasts well. Don't undersell yourself.
 
Im in the midlands and do a few oap perms in our salon and we charge £55. X
 
I think it's got to depend on how like it takes you.
Im not quick at rolling a perm, so that plus application of lotion and changing the protective capes and cotton wool coming up for an hour and a half.
I develop for 20 mins then neutralise for say 30 mins.
Add on a cut and set and I'm personally booking out over 3 hours. So, I've got to charge for it properly- 115 for perm, cut and finish.
If I was quicker or had an assistant to do the cleaning and neutralizing it may well be cheaper.
 
The national average for a perm is £45.00 - £60.00. When I was at college in 2014 we were still taught perming. My lecturer who was in her 30's said to me you can make it a bespoke service to offer. Make sure you keep the rubber bands away from the scalp and not to put them on too tightly. Some people do get perm lines but after a shampooing on the following appointment they go. Goldwell perms are the best, or if they have tinted hair then Zotos acid perms are great on these types of hair as they are more gentle. When we reopen next week we have at least 40 perms booked in for weeks. Most of these clients are are over 70. It is something that can still be offered in hairdressing as there are some ladies out there with quite fine short hair who badly need a perm to inject some life back into hair as they're getting older.
 
Work out how much your hourly rate.
The Dulcia Tonica perms are only around a fiver and they are a really good product, they never fall out and leave the hair in really good condition. It's Single perm and neutraliser in one box. I charge about £50 that safely gives me about £20 pH.
 
Wow I grew up watching my auntie who was a hairdresser home perm my mothers 80s perm well into the 90s. It is what inspired me to become a hairdresser myself. My old salon would charge a discounted “concessionary” amount. A lot of the salons in my local area still do a certain day for oaps. The town centre however, don’t really deal with this. I’d say it really depends on your area and the demand. The bespoke “trendy” salons in Cardiff would be quite stumped. Backstreet salons where the hair stylists are a little more experienced however would maybe charge around £45 with a discount for concessionary x
 
I love perming - it’s the best of transformation services imo
I don’t do get enough clients wanting perms, as they’ve been out of fashion for so long....and so many hairstylists can’t perm as it’s not been taught for years, but it is definitely on its way back girls so get practicing
I’ve never done OAP rates - as my thought is they have more disposable income than me!
My perms range from £65.00 for short hair/ partial perm - £120 for long curly
Not one to boast - but when I came into hairdressing (Late ‘70’s) EVERYONE had a perm, I could wind one in my sleep - so I am very good at them
Also being able to add Olaplex to a perm really does benefit the hair & you can wash it straight after, which is fabulous
 
I love perming - it’s the best of transformation services imo
I don’t do get enough clients wanting perms, as they’ve been out of fashion for so long....and so many hairstylists can’t perm as it’s not been taught for years, but it is definitely on its way back girls so get practicing
I’ve never done OAP rates - as my thought is they have more disposable income than me!
My perms range from £65.00 for short hair/ partial perm - £120 for long curly
Not one to boast - but when I came into hairdressing (Late ‘70’s) EVERYONE had a perm, I could wind one in my sleep - so I am very good at them
Also being able to add Olaplex to a perm really does benefit the hair & you can wash it straight after, which is fabulous
Like you I started my career in the perm boom lol. I was interested you mentioned olaplex. I keep hearing young stylists mention this but kinda thought it was something they were using to make over coloured / over processed hair feel better . I see it's quite expensive. Is it really worth it? Ive never been good at up selling .
 
Olaplex is used extensively in colouring - bleaching in particular as it really makes a difference in the integrity of the hair after the process.... and if the hair is left in better condition any colour wash/toner you apply after will last longer & look nicer.
As I’ve said, I love perming - especially good strong hair!
However, often it is the client with fine, coloured hair that wants some ‘style support - that is the head I would definitely use Olaplex on!
I personally would never perm hair that is bleached - a few highlights maybe- but even with the addition of Olaplex I wouldn’t perm a full head of bleached hair.
It isn’t cheap - but you can get the small Travelling stylist kit for around £100 - and a little goes a long way
There are many different ways to use it - but in a perm you simply add 1/32oz in with you favourite perm lotion & neutraliser.
They also recommend ‘creep time’ - which I never heard of before.... but you let the hair ‘rest’ after rinsing for 5 - 20 minutes before you add the neutraliser.... and the best bit is you can shampoo straight after!
there’s a ton of info on their site so take a look
 
Sorry I know this was a couple of months ago...
I was very fortunate to work in a salon which predominantly had OAP clientele. This meant we did 3-4 perms a week, so great for when I was training. I was the only one at college to do perming as an extra module at Level 2. Some girls at college told me their salons only did 1-2 a year! I feel very privileged to be trained in this 'dying art.'

I'm mobile based in Southampton and I charge £65 for a short perm, cut and BD/set. I think we used to charge £53 in the salon, but obviously I have to take everything with me including a portable backwash and hood dryer 😧
I use Biolife - can never go wrong with them 😊
 
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Thank you for answering Jess. That’s helpful. In the end I charged £45 for the perm and set and she was there hours (poor woman)
Where can you get that perm lotion from please? I have only used the Salon Services own one before.
 
We don't do many perms, but I tend to charge a similar price as I do for highlights.....so t bar price would be my short oap style perm, half head price for a shoulder length, etc.
 
I love perming - it’s the best of transformation services imo
I don’t do get enough clients wanting perms, as they’ve been out of fashion for so long....and so many hairstylists can’t perm as it’s not been taught for years, but it is definitely on its way back girls so get practicing
I’ve never done OAP rates - as my thought is they have more disposable income than me!
My perms range from £65.00 for short hair/ partial perm - £120 for long curly
Not one to boast - but when I came into hairdressing (Late ‘70’s) EVERYONE had a perm, I could wind one in my sleep - so I am very good at them
Also being able to add Olaplex to a perm really does benefit the hair & you can wash it straight after, which is fabulous
Had no idea you can use olaplex with perm solution... I do lots of perms, I love them... Mainly on teenage boys who are all going for the top perm😂 I use natural styling solution as they do a resistant solution too... I charge 55 for a top perm Inc cut and finnish 🌞
 
I've always permed and can wind in my sleep. I use plastic strips to put under the bands to lift away from the hair. No lines or breakage. I do a lot of OAPs and do a cheaper rate on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And that's at £45. I use Affinage, regular, litre perm on some that like a strong, tight perm. But mostly I use Avec Acid Wave. Beautiful lotion. A favourite was Wella Tailored Curl, but that got discontinued. I usually work on two hours for a perm including the cut and finish. And I've never neutralized for thirty minutes! I use large rollers to perm too if it's a natural wave wanted. Piggy back curls were taught using two rods when I was at college. So many ways to perm.
 
Thank you for answering Jess. That’s helpful. In the end I charged £45 for the perm and set and she was there hours (poor woman)
Where can you get that perm lotion from please? I have only used the Salon Services own one before.

I can get Goldwell Biolife from any of the suppliers near me, Capital, Salon Services, Salon Supplies. Biolife 1 & 2 are acid perms (though I think they've discontinued 2 😢 which is a shame because it was gentle enough to perm damaged, bleached etc hair with it). If I need a stronger alkaline perm I use Indola 4+4.
I know, perms are a long haul! When I was a junior and it was my job to rinse and neutralise, I didn't enjoy it because it was half an hour all in all at the basin and even though I worked quickly I knew the ladies were getting tired. They were always so lovely about it though!
 
I do a lot of perming In my salon, we actually offer oap discount everyday £55 normal price £49.50 discounted this is for short hair, and £60+ for long hair as these are not normally standard mature lady perms and take more time, I use GOLDWELL top form for the majority of perms in the salon or the GOLDWELL bio life for longer hair, softer effects etc , and I also can’t say I’ve ever left the neutraliser on for 30 mins at the sink I normally rinse for 3-5 min neut with rods in for 5 take rods out rest of neut for 3-5 rinse for 5 condition with anti oxi I suppose the whole process at the sink takes 30 mins, also setting pins under your bands to stop breakage works a treat but they thought us at college to use lollipop sticks
 
I am a hairdresser from the 80's, so that was the bulk of my business. We charged $55 for a perm and haircut way back then. Seems like some of your prices are a little low.
 
I am a hairdresser from the 80's, so that was the bulk of my business. We charged $55 for a perm and haircut way back then. Seems like some of your prices are a little low.
I think it depends on the area of the U.K and whether it's town centre or not. I know mine would have words with me if I hiked my prices right up lol 😂 we're Lancashire folk and pull no punches. Say it as it is 😉 everyone's happy and that'll do for me 😊
 

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