And this is why I'm no longer a hairdresser :) When I worked as one I brought home $400 a month before tips. I was being paid minimum wage and had ZERO benefits. If I was sick and couldn't go to work ... I didn't get paid. I didn't have health insurance, sick pay, vacation pay or anything else.
I spent 8 hours a day on my feet dealing with people who would say "cut off an inch" and when I cut off an inch would have hysterics because they really only wanted a 1/4th of an inch cut off and blame ME. Or would want me to not give them the HAIRCUT they asked for ... but they wanted me to make them look like the MODEL in the book. And again would be pissed at me if all I could give them was the cut. And I was extremely good at what I did.
Oh and all that color, cotton, foil, bowls, brushes, as well as the chemicals to STERILIZE THEM cost money. Many of which the stylist has to pay for herself (if she's renting her booth especially). My salon didn't pay for my curling irons, scissors, combs, brushes, perm rods, curlers, hair dryer, etc etc. ALL that stuff I had to buy on my own.
And do you KNOW how nasty feet are? ALL feet? It's gross.
Now I worked in the business over 20 years ago so I'm sure they are making more than $400 a month now, but I can promise there are a LOT of them that are actually making LESS than minimum wage and STILL don't have benefits.
AND I spent 2 years getting proper training and education to get a LICENSE (which costs money AND continuing education classes, which again my salon DIDN'T pay for, all that came out of my pocket).