Hairstylist's Prices Called 'Insane' After She Charged One Client $1,950 for a Cut and Color
Hairstylist Jasmine Policarpo is facing criticism from some TikTokers after she reported that she charged one of her clients $1,950 for a recent cut and color change. As one commenter pointed out, "That's a down payment on a car."
Last Thursday, Policarpo posted a brief breakdown of a recent styling commission on the account @byprado_. Seemingly anticipating backlash, she starts off by saying, "I did not think my last post was going to make so many people mad with how much I charge, but I think this one's going to make you madder."
In the video, Policarpo, who works in Riverside, California, transforms a brunette into a blonde over the course of nearly half a day. By the end, the woman, who started out with straight brown hair, has a full head of ashy waves.
But achieving the look was neither easy nor cheap, as Policarpo's captions reveal. She charged the woman $150 an hour for a process that took 13 hours, billing her nearly $2,000 in total.
Policarpo's initial prediction—that the video would incense viewers—proved accurate. Many commenters were aghast at her rates.
"The new iPhone cost less," one pointed out.
Some even went so far as to imply that she was ripping off her clients, claiming that their personal stylists could have executed the cut and color change in a fraction of the time.
"Could easily be done in 5-7 hours," one wrote.
"I got the same and even better for 300," another reported.
Other commenters criticized Policarpo for spilling bleach on the woman's dress in the process, staining her upper sleeve a reddish brown. "2,000 and you still ruined her shirt," one wrote.
In a reply to another, Policarpo explained the circumstances surrounding the accident, noting that the client wasn't upset. "The foils were heavy and she was pregnant. There was a lot of moving. But she was completely cool about it," she wrote.
However, several came to Policarpo's defense, praising the quality of her work and noting that the color change was a drastic one. "okay but her hair is basically white [now] so it makes sense," one wrote.
"None of you are the one in her chair! If her guest is fine paying her prices then why are all of you losing it? This is a gorgeous hair transformation," another scolded.
The video had 1.4 million views and 169,000 likes as of Wednesday morning.
Newsweek reached out to Policarpo for comment. While she did not immediately respond, her Instagram bio suggests that she specializes in blonding, correcting, and balayage.
