Why Are Clients Choosing Ulta Over Independent Hairstylists?
Lately, I've noticed a growing conversation on social media about getting your hair done at Ulta Beauty instead of visiting an independent hairstylist.
You've probably seen the videos. Someone shares her salon experience, shows off her finished hair, and announces that she paid $65 for a service her regular hairstylist charges $100 or more to perform.
And the comments begin.
Some people are excited to discover a more affordable option. Others question why independent hairstylists charge what they do. And inevitably, someone declares that she'll be taking her business to Ulta from now on.
I understand the appeal. Everyone wants to feel they're getting good value for their money.
If you can get a hairstyle you love while spending less, why wouldn't you consider it?
But as someone who has worked in both a corporate salon and independently, I find myself looking at those comparisons a little differently.
Because there's more to the price of a salon appointment than the number on the receipt.
Are We Actually Comparing the Same Services?
Let's start with the obvious question.
When someone says she paid $65 at one salon for a service that costs $100 somewhere else, what exactly was included in each appointment?
Was the shampoo included? A deep-conditioning treatment? A steam treatment? A haircut or just a trim? Was the blow-dry part of the service, or was it an additional charge?
And was the advertised price the final amount paid?
These details matter because salons don't all structure their pricing the same way.
Some offer bundled services. Others use à la carte pricing, where individual services are charged separately. A haircut, color application, conditioning treatment, and finished style may each have their own price.
And this isn't exclusive to corporate salons. Independent hairstylists use both pricing models as well.
Consider a client who wants balayage, root color, a haircut, and a finished blowout. One salon might advertise a lower starting price for balayage, but charge separately for the root color, haircut, and certain finishing services. Another might quote a higher price that includes several of those steps.
Until you compare the complete appointment, you don't really know which is less expensive.
The same applies to a silk press. A basic shampoo and silk press isn't necessarily equivalent to an appointment that includes steam conditioning, a precision haircut, and additional styling time.
I'm not suggesting that a lower-priced appointment can't be an excellent value. Sometimes it absolutely is.
I'm suggesting that we should make sure we're comparing the same things before deciding someone else is charging too much.
The Price of a Service Doesn't Tell You What It Costs to Provide It
Here's something I think gets overlooked in conversations about salon pricing.
A large corporation and an independent hairstylist operate under very different business models.
A national retailer may have greater purchasing power, established supplier relationships, centralized marketing, and the ability to spread certain operating costs across multiple locations.
An independent hairstylist may purchase professional products in much smaller quantities, sometimes without access to the same pricing arrangements. That stylist is also responsible for expenses such as rent, equipment, insurance, booking systems, continuing education, and the supplies required to perform each service.
Of course, corporate salons have substantial expenses too. They have employees, benefits, management, facilities, and operating costs that must be covered.
The point isn't that one business model is more expensive to operate than the other in every situation.
It's that the cost of providing a service isn't necessarily the same simply because the finished hairstyles look similar.
And a higher service price doesn't automatically mean the hairstylist is making more money.
When you compare two appointment prices, you're seeing what the client pays. You're not seeing what either business spends to provide that service.
I Started My Career at JCPenney Salon
I understand the corporate salon environment because it's where my professional career began.
After graduating from cosmetology school, I went to work at JCPenney Salon in Connecticut.
I don't regret that decision. It provided an opportunity to develop my skills, gain experience working with clients, and begin building my career in a structured environment.
There were also practical advantages. Corporate salon employment offered benefits and a level of stability that weren't always available in smaller independent salons at the time.
Looking back, I recognize that I could have pursued opportunities at other salons. I was a capable young stylist, but I hadn't yet developed the confidence to recognize everything I could accomplish.
JCPenney felt like an accessible place to begin, and it served a purpose in my career.
But here's what I find interesting today.
When I worked there, I was newly licensed and still developing my professional experience.
Clients booked appointments with me because I was a hairstylist working in an established salon. They didn't necessarily know much about my background or ask to see an extensive portfolio before sitting in my chair.
More than 25 years later, including 14 years working in film and television, I have considerably more experience, technical knowledge, and professional judgment than I did when I started.
Yet as an independent salon owner, I'm often expected to provide photographs, credentials, and other evidence of my abilities before someone feels comfortable booking.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to see a hairstylist's work. In fact, I encourage clients to ask questions and make informed decisions.
But I do find the contrast interesting.
Why are we sometimes willing to take a chance on an unfamiliar hairstylist working under a recognizable corporate name, while expecting an independent professional to prove considerably more?
A familiar company name may make a client feel comfortable, but it doesn't tell her how much experience the individual hairstylist has.
There are excellent, highly experienced hairstylists working in corporate salons. There are also newer professionals developing their skills, just as I once was.
And the same range of experience exists in independent salons.
The name on the building doesn't tell the whole story about the person doing your hair.
Does Your Hairstylist Need to Offer Every Service?
Working independently has given me something I value tremendously: the freedom to determine which services I offer and how I structure my appointments.
A corporate salon generally operates within a company-established service menu and business model. Independent hairstylists often have more flexibility to concentrate on the services that reflect their interests, training, and strongest technical skills.
That's an important distinction.
Hairdressing encompasses an enormous range of specialties. Precision cutting, corrective color, textured haircare, chemical straightening, hair extensions, and bridal hairstyling all require different knowledge and techniques.
Being a licensed cosmetologist doesn't mean every hairstylist is equally experienced in every service.
Some professionals are exceptionally skilled at color. Others specialize in natural haircare, extensions, or precision cutting.
And sometimes the best choice for a client is to work with more than one hairstylist.
There's nothing wrong with seeing one professional for your color and another for a specialty service.
The important thing is finding someone whose experience aligns with what you're asking that person to do.
That matters whether the stylist works at Ulta, JCPenney, or an independently owned salon.
What About the Experience Itself?
There's another part of the comparison that deserves attention: where you're receiving the service.
At Ulta, salon services are provided within a retail beauty environment. Depending on the store's layout, that can mean shoppers nearby, retail activity, and a different level of privacy from what you'd experience in a private salon suite.
For some clients, that's perfectly fine. They appreciate the convenience of combining a salon appointment with a shopping trip.
Other clients prefer a quieter, more private setting where the appointment feels separate from the activity of a retail store.
Neither preference is wrong.
But the environment is part of the service experience.
When someone compares a $65 appointment at a retail salon with a $100 appointment in a private suite, the finished hairstyle may be only one part of what those prices represent.
Privacy, atmosphere, appointment structure, and personal attention may carry value for some clients and matter less to others.
It's worth considering what matters to you.
And Will Corporate Salons Always Be the Less Expensive Option?
This is where I start thinking like a business owner.
I've watched videos of clients celebrating how much less they paid at a corporate salon compared with what they were accustomed to paying an independent hairstylist.
I understand why they're excited.
But I also wonder what happens if those comparisons become increasingly common and more clients begin choosing corporate salon services specifically because of the perceived savings.
Large companies pay attention to revenue, operating costs, service demand, and profitability.
If a service becomes more popular, a company may evaluate whether its pricing still makes financial sense. It might maintain the price because it attracts customers. It might adjust what's included. Or it might eventually raise the price.
A retail salon may also benefit when salon clients purchase beauty products while they're in the store, which adds another consideration to its business model.
We don't know what any particular company will decide, and a lower price doesn't mean that company is losing money.
But it's worth remembering that corporations are businesses, too.
Their pricing decisions are influenced by costs, demand, competition, and financial goals, just as independent salon pricing is.
A price that makes a service attractive today isn't a guarantee that it will remain the least expensive option tomorrow.
And there's an interesting difference in how those decisions are sometimes perceived.
When a corporation changes its prices, clients may recognize it as a company decision.
When an independent hairstylist changes her prices, the decision can feel more personal because the professional and the business owner are often the same person.
But both are running businesses that need to remain financially sustainable.
So, Should You Book at Ulta or With an Independent Hairstylist?
I don't believe there's one answer that works for everyone.
If you've found an excellent hairstylist at Ulta who understands your hair, provides the services you need, and charges a price you're comfortable paying, that's a good relationship to have.
And if you've found an independent hairstylist who offers the expertise, consistency, and experience you value, there's a reason to maintain that relationship as well.
What I would encourage clients to do is look beyond the starting price.
Find out what's included in the appointment. Does it include a trim/ haircut, a basic conditioning service and a more involved treatment, or a simple color application and a customized color service.
Consider the professional's experience with your particular hair needs. Think about the environment in which you prefer to receive services.
And don't assume that a corporate salon is automatically a bargain or that an independent hairstylist is automatically charging too much.
I've worked on both sides of this industry. I know talented professionals can be found in both environments.
What I've learned is that the value of a salon appointment isn't determined solely by the company name, the setting, or the price.
It's determined by what you're receiving, the professional providing it, and whether the experience and result meet your needs.
Before you decide one hairstylist is too expensive and another is a bargain, make sure you understand what you're actually comparing.
Looking for Personalized Haircare in Atlanta?
At Tenacious Salon, I focus on services that reflect my experience and areas of specialization, including luxury hair extensions, precision cutting, smoothing treatments, and bridal hairstyling.
My approach is centered on understanding your hair, providing thoughtful professional recommendations, and delivering services suited to your individual needs.
If that sounds like the kind of salon experience you're looking for, I invite you to explore Tenacious Salon.
About the Author
Tiffony Simpson is a licensed cosmetologist with more than 25 years of experience, including 14 years working in film and television. She began her professional hairstyling career at JCPenney Salon in Connecticut and is now the owner of Tenacious Salon in Atlanta, specializing in luxury hair extensions, bridal hairstyling, smoothing treatments, precision cuts, and personalized hair care solutions. Her approach combines technical expertise, professional judgment, and a commitment to helping clients achieve healthy, beautiful hair for everyday life and special occasions.
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