spa secrets.(tipping)

TIPPING Points

TIPPING Points Express your appreciation with style. Divvy it up Sometimes you can hand over one tip -- 20 percent of the total for all services in big cities; 15 percent elsewhere -- and let the salon divide it among the staff. Ask the person who's ringing up your bill for guidance. The owner of a salon should never be tipped, says Garren. "But some people don't tip the assistant to the owner -- and he's the one who needs it most," he says. His assistant and the salon's colorists' right-hand people get $10 to $20. At the spa, the same rules apply. But one editor finds peace of mind in throwing in a little extra for more labor- intensive or unpleasant treatments -- like that first pedicure after a long winter in boots -- as sort of a self-imposed sorry-we-let-it-go-this-long tax. Make it personal Always write your stylist's name as well as your own on those ubiquitous little envelopes. One assistant at Garren New York appreciates a little positive reinforcement: "It's nice when clients write a note like, 'Thanks for the head massage.'" You could also deliver the tip yourself. (Move really quickly after a spa treatment, though, or the person may slip behind closed doors again.) Johns, who has clients in up to seven chairs at one time, sees another advantage: "I want to check out the color before you go." Scale down big-ticket treatments Pricey services have their own rules. "If you come in for $1,600 full-body microdermabrasion, you certainly don't need to leave a 15 percent tip," Chin says. In that case, $50 to $100 is sufficient. Cindy Barshop, whose Completely Bare spas specialize in laser hair removal at $150 to $1,000 a session, advises clients to give $25 to $40. Reward the front desk While the person who works at the front desk never expects a tip, it doesn't hurt to offer one. Galasso says his receptionist gets tips all the time, and front-desk staff ...