Tipping your hair stylist?

[Penny4]

I've been going to the same hair stylist at a local salon for the past 4 or 5 years. She recently left the salon to go into business for herself. She has a "booth" or space in a building with many other stylists, but they are all independent business owners.

I plan to continue going to my stylist in her new location, but do I tip her? I always thought the rule was that you don't tip the owner of a salon. But it seems strange to just suddenly not tip her. Her price at the old salon was $60/cut and I always tipped her $12. She doesn't have prices up on her website yet, so not sure if they have changed.

Thoughts?

Actually, just found out, her price for a cut is still the same...$60.

[OakLeaf]

My stylist owns her salon and there's a line for a tip on her credit card slips. I've read that that thing about not tipping the owner is obsolete. Or perhaps, I'd apply the rule to, say, contractors, movers, etc., where I tip if it's an employee doing the work but not if it's the owner doing the same work.

I think that renting a booth is SOP these days, actually.

[Chile Pepper]

My stylist is the owner of the salon, and I always tip her. I figure it's better to err on the side of being generous. I actually asked the receptionist the last time I was in whether it was strange that I tip the owner, and she said some people do, some don't.

[Crankin]

I have been going to the same salon for 16 years. At one point, near the beginning, the owner did my hair, as my stylist left. I never tipped her. It's a very successful "spa" type salon, although at that point, it was not as large as it is now. I can maybe see tipping someone who rents their own chair somewhere, but at the place I go, they are employees.
I tip my hair stylist more than any other person whose services I get! My hair is awful and she does a great job. A few months ago she had carpal tunnel surgery and was told she could no longer cut hair, only color. Someone else started cutting my hair and she was coloring it. I was unhappy the whole time. Last month, she told me she could resume cutting my hair, as it's short and it doesn't require a lot of blow drying/styling after the cut. I am thrilled!

[Aggie_Ama]

I tip my stylist and she is part owner in her salon. They rent a spot in a building that has a lot of salons, I think the renting a chair is very standard. She still charges me what she did when I met her a few years back, $25 for wash cut and style on short hair, a steal for the great job she does. I only tip $5 but I figure it covers her credit card fee since I never bring cash.