HOW TO HIRE · BEAUTY & GROOMING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a hairdresser in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A hairdresser in Ireland costs €30–€120 per visit, typically around €60. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a hairdresser in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers hairdresser work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — consultations and Advice — many hairdressers offer consultations to discuss styles, colours, and hair care routines.
- How does stylist's experience change the price?Years on the job are part of what you are paying for. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the service change the price?A one-off design has no shortcuts to borrow from. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does salon's location change the price?A long drive means fewer jobs in a day, so each one costs more. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Services such as extensive hair repairs, wig fittings, or specific scalp treatments may not be included in standard hairdressing appointments — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a hairdresser job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO HAIRDRESSERS, BARBERS, BEAUTICIANS OR NAIL TECHNICIANS. Anyone may trade. The line that does exist is medicines: anything involving a PRESCRIPTION-ONLY MEDICINE — botulinum toxin above all — may only be prescribed by a registered prescriber, and that is a medical matter rather than a beauty one. A clinic offering injectables with no named prescriber is the single clearest warning sign in this family.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
For injectables, WHO PRESCRIBES — a named, registered prescriber who has seen you, not a prescription arranged remotely for someone they have never met; For any treatment that breaks the skin, what is single-use and what is sterilised; A patch test before colour or lash work, and enough time before an event; The training and the insurer for the specific treatment, not the salon generally; What the aftercare is and who you call out of hours if something goes wrong; Photographs of their own work on hair or skin like yours.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect treatment-specific professional indemnity — a policy for facials may exclude needles entirely. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 9%, the second reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers hairdresser work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — consultations and Advice — many hairdressers offer consultations to discuss styles, colours, and hair care routines.
A good answer: Years on the job are part of what you are paying for. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A one-off design has no shortcuts to borrow from. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A long drive means fewer jobs in a day, so each one costs more. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Services such as extensive hair repairs, wig fittings, or specific scalp treatments may not be included in standard hairdressing appointments — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a hairdresser job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect treatment-specific professional indemnity — a policy for facials may exclude needles entirely — styling and Treatments — hairdressers provide styling services for special occasions, such as updos or blowouts.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the hairdresser starts, and an itemised invoice after — colouring Services — hair colouring includes options like highlights, balayage, and full colour treatments.
Getting the quote right
- Stylist's experience — years on the job are part of what you are paying for.
- Complexity of the service — a one-off design has no shortcuts to borrow from.
- Salon's location — a long drive means fewer jobs in a day, so each one costs more.
- Complexity of the desired style — the more the brief departs from the usual, the more it costs.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: stylist's experience — years on the job are part of what you are paying for
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the service — a one-off design has no shortcuts to borrow from
- They will not talk about it: salon's location — a long drive means fewer jobs in a day, so each one costs more
- A price for the hairdresser before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the hairdresser has begun
What a hairdresser costs: €30–€120 per visit
The figures are for the job, per visit, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Haircut and Hair colouring each carry their own band. Hairdresser price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Hairdressers near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstStylist's experience — years on the job are part of what you are paying for — that is what the hairdresser is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the service — a one-off design has no shortcuts to borrow from — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfSalon's location — a long drive means fewer jobs in a day, so each one costs more — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherComplexity of the desired style — the more the brief departs from the usual, the more it costs — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the hairdresser is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, condition of the hair — wear and tear adds repairs the job did not originally include.
- Haircuts and Trims
- Professional hairdressers offer a range of haircutting services, including simple trims and more complex styles.
- Colouring Services
- Hair colouring includes options like highlights, balayage, and full colour treatments.
- Styling and Treatments
- Hairdressers provide styling services for special occasions, such as updos or blowouts.
- Consultations and Advice
- Many hairdressers offer consultations to discuss styles, colours, and hair care routines.
- Haircut
- Involves trimming and shaping hair to create a desired style.
- Hair Colouring
- Includes applying dyes or highlights to change or enhance the hair's colour.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a hairdresser: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the stylist's experience, the complexity of the service, and the salon's location. High-demand areas or renowned salons may charge more for their services.
A standard haircut usually takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour, while colouring services can take from 1 to 3 hours. It's best to check with the salon for specific service durations.
While most hairdressers are qualified to perform general haircuts and styles, specialist treatments like chemical straightening or advanced colouring may require a stylist with specific training. Information about your hair's history (previous treatments, allergies).
Yes, many salons offer package deals for multiple services, such as a haircut and colour treatment. It's recommended to discuss this with your stylist when making the appointment.
Services such as extensive hair repairs, wig fittings, or specific scalp treatments may not be included in standard hairdressing appointments. Always confirm with your salon about the scope of their services.
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO HAIRDRESSERS, BARBERS, BEAUTICIANS OR NAIL TECHNICIANS. Anyone may trade. The line that does exist is medicines: anything involving a PRESCRIPTION-ONLY MEDICINE — botulinum toxin above all — may only be prescribed by a registered prescriber, and that is a medical matter rather than a beauty one. A clinic offering injectables with no named prescriber is the single clearest warning sign in this family.
MORE GUIDES