Beauty Etiquetter: Should bad service equal no tip?
Beauty Etiquetter addresses your beauty-protocol predicaments with candid advice from industry experts and those in the know. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@ condenast.com.
The Quandary: I recently received a terrible brow job, but I still tipped the stylist out of guilt. Is it OK to not tip after a bad service? Should I explain if I don’t, or should I just ask to have it fixed somehow?
The Expert in Residence: Soul Lee, grooming specialist at Kiehl’s Spa 1851.
The Advice: “If you paid for the service and tipped your brow specialist even though you weren’t happy with the shape, you absolutely did the right thing. Standard tipping at a spa or brow studio is about 15 percent to 20 percent for good or great service, and even though you had a bad experience, the brow specialist booked the appointment and blocked out the time for you to take care of your needs. If you leave less than the standard tip, I think the specialist will get the message that you weren’t happy with the result.
“But to prevent an unsatisfactory result, always fully communicate with your brow specialist exactly what shape you are looking for before you begin. Bring inspiration photos if you need to, and talk to the specialist about what shape is best for you and how many hairs need to be removed for that shape. After the service, if you’re not happy with the result, you should definitely tell your specialist why you are not happy with the brows while you are still in the chair and give the specialist a chance to fix the problem before you pay. However, you should only go back to fix the problem if it can be fixed by plucking a few hairs or trimming to even out the thickness or balance the arch. If the brows are way over-plucked and beyond repair, do not go back to the same person. In this case, give your brows about a 30- to 60-day break from hair removal to allow the hairs to grow. You can fill in any sparse areas with brow powder or pencil. Then, to find a new specialist, ask friends or colleagues, or search online for a specialist with a good reputation. Make sure to find a specialist whom you can ask for a consultation while your brows are still growing out, so you can get advice and tips on how to grow them in properly. The specialist can tell you where you should let them grow and where you might be able to pluck, until you’re able to make the full appointment to reshape your brows. To further eliminate a bad brow job, remember that waxing and threading alone can be tricky and can result in over-plucked brows, so make sure you find a specialist who combines tweezing and trimming, or only tweezes and trims, to shape brows.”
Manigram From Cannes: Weekend Edition
In addition to our live updates from the Cannes Film Festival, L’Oréal Paris global nail artist Tom Bachik will be keeping a daily diary for Style.com as he finger paints the brand’s ambassadors, including Inès de la Fressange, Liya Kebede, Freida Pinto, Julianne Moore, Natasha Poly, and more.
Another chilly rainy morning [in Cannes]. Burr!
Early pedi with L’Oréal Paris spokeswoman Doutzen Kroes to start the day using her signature color, Doutzen, from the Prive Collection. Always smiling no matter the weather, [Doutzen] is beautiful from the inside out. Nails and makeup done, now she’s off to hair.
Beauty Nostalgia: Reminiscing With…Rita Hazan
Beauty Nostalgia is a weekly column on Beauty Counter in which we ask influencers, tastemakers, and some of our favorite industry experts to wax poetic on the sticks, salves, and sprays that helped shape who they are today.
The Pro: Rita Hazan, celebrity hair colorist and founder of Rita Hazan Salon.
The Product: “When I was going to beauty school, I used to perm my aunt Esther’s hair. I was about sixteen or seventeen at the time, living at home with my parents in Midwood, Brooklyn. I went to the beauty supply store to get these perm rods and I remember finding Apple Pectin Acid pH Perm Shampoo there. I loved the smell of the original Apple Pectin shampoo—it was so fruity and everyone was obsessed with it at beauty school. So I was, like, really excited to find the same thing for permed hair. My aunt was about twenty at the time, and I permed her hair every two months, washing out the solution in the kitchen sink. What’s funny is that my Aunt Esther is now the hair model for my Root Concealer; she’s been my guinea pig all these years. She doesn’t have a perm anymore and my taste for scents has evolved a bit (I’m more into the white florals and tuberose fragrances these days), but back in the eighties, Apple Pectin really was the coolest thing.”
Manigram from Cannes: Day 3
In addition to our live updates from the Cannes Film Festival, L’Oréal Paris global nail artist Tom Bachik will be keeping a daily diary for Style.com as he finger paints the brand’s ambassadors, including Inès de la Fressange, Liya Kebede, Freida Pinto, Julianne Moore, Natasha Poly, and more.
Hey, Ho, Hey, Ho…1,2,3, I belong with you, you belong with me! The Lumineers, live at Le Grand Journal—directly in front of our hotel!
Next, a few interviews and a workshop for editors where they learned all about L’Oréal Paris’ newest nail innovations, then back to glam for the red carpet. Here are shots of L’Oréal Paris spokeswomen Aimee Mullins in a sophisticated rich chocolate, and Sonam Kapoor in a youthfully chic neutral gray.
Manigram From Cannes: Day 2
In addition to our live updates from the Cannes Film Festival, L’Oréal Paris global nail artist Tom Bachik will be keeping a daily diary for Style.com as he finger paints the brand’s ambassadors, including Inès de la Fressange, Liya Kebede, Freida Pinto, Julianne Moore, Natasha Poly, and more.
It’s a new day! Here’s a look inside my kit. Like I always say: Have color, will travel.
A sneak peek at the L’Oréal Paris suite. I’m here for a couple interviews and then back down to get the girls red carpet ready.