Cutting Cost -- It's Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow, And Prices Bend Every Which Way

As far back as biblical times hair was making waves, so to speak.

Delilah took the shears to Samson, making him feel vulnerable and powerless. More recently, Hillary's hair and headband have caused great consternation in the fashion world. And the high-priced hair benders continue to jockey for position to "do something" with the First Hair.

Earlier this month an Oregon consumer sued a department store salon over a hairy experience. Seems a perm caused her hair to fall out, and she was forced to wear a wig while applying for jobs. Now she wants $50,000 for a Bad Hair Day.

To say that we are a nation obsessed with hair is an understatement.

According to Glamour magazine, Americans spent $16 billion on hair products and services in 1991.

Prices for haircuts, perms and color vary widely, as we found while checking last month.

In an informal survey of 20 area salons and one school, we found haircuts varied from a low of $6.95 to a high of $75; perms from $27.95 to $95, and a single permanent color from $15 to $80 and up. Some salons give discounts for senior citizens; others run discounted specials for all age groups.

Some places specialize in children's haircuts. Auntie M's Inc., Kuts for Kids, charges $12 to $18 for youngsters, but also does adults for $20 to $25. Li'l Klippers does children only and charges $13 to $15.

Becky Bjorback, who owns Li'l Klippers, advises parents of children coming for the first haircut to bring a blanket, a bottle, a pacifier or some other comfort item. Bjorback and her staff spend time familiarizing the child with the salon and its special chairs - a jeep, a horse and a rocket ship. Kids lie down on a table at the shampoo bowl and can choose from strawberry, tropical fruit or apple flavors.

Prices can be squishy for adults. Some salons have a la carte pricing, meaning you pay one fee for a shampoo, another for a cut and still another for blow-drying.

And there are other variations. For instance, at Gene Juarez's six salons cuts generally range from $25 to $55, depending on the stylist's experience and the customer's hair length. But Marco Farmer, who wields the shears in Juarez's Salon at the Four Seasons, charges $75, because of his tenure with the corporation and artistic ability. Even at $75 there's a wait of at least a couple of months to see Marco (his professional name).

Dallas Fremont of Salon Dallas on East Madison Street also charges $75. He says he rolls the money back into his business through education, which is expensive. For example, he recently attended a seminar in New York with Vidal Sassoon.

If you pale at the thought of a $75 haircut, consider the $275 fee charged by Frederic Fekkai, who holds forth at Bergdorf Goodman Inc. in New York.

Fekkai, currently a media darling, trained in Paris with Jacques Dessange then opened a salon in New York in 1989 before setting up shop in Bergdorf Goodman. He trims the tresses of Emma Thompson, Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver, Jodie Foster, Jane Pauley, Tina Brown, Paula Zahn, Martha Stewart and others. He would like to add Hillary Rodham Clinton to that list.

Several stylists we interviewed said Seattle is a great hair town.

Hairdressers who come from other cities often remark on the high quality of cuts they see, says Keith Funai, co-owner of coupe Rokei with Rory McGowan for the past eight years.

"Seattle has a real interest in fashion, a lot of people in business who want to look good. A more sophisticated town," says Gary Bocz, who's been in the hair business for nearly three decades.

But Jerre Jovan Doss, the owner of Jerre Jovan Professional Hair Design who has specialized in ethnic hair for 18 years, disagrees. She believes African-American women here don't devote as much care to hair as their counterparts in Atlanta and San Francisco.

Gene Juarez, who's been in the business nearly three decades and owns six salons and three schools, has a different view. The hair industry is nearly recession-proof in his opinion.

"We're a `need to have,' " Juarez says. Diamond rings and other high-end items may have to go when a recession strikes. But people need to keep up their appearance so they can keep a job or get a new one if they've been laid off.

Hair coloring is the fastest-growing segment of the industry. And we don't mean those obvious one-color dye jobs of years ago done in the home basin.

You might say the yuppies have "foiled" gray hair.

Colorists or "foil jockeys" separate small bunches of hair and place each section on foil. Chemicals are added and the hair is wrapped in foil to retain heat and let the coloring work. It can take an experienced colorist an hour or more to do a "foil" wrap with shoulder-length hair.

Rubber caps with tiny holes sometimes are used instead of foil for coloring extremely short hair. The hair is pulled up through the cap with a crochet hook and colored in sections.

Men are a big part of the color trend. A decade ago 2 to 3 percent of men had some color put in their locks. Now it's 10 to 20 percent. Very little of it is all one color.

Foils and "cap" colors cost from $25 to $100 depending on hair length, the quantity of hair to be colored and the number of shades applied.

Color can be a styling aid because it adds texture and body, says Rory McGowan, co-owner of coupe Rokei, who believes extremely curly perms are dated.

Many of the cuts this season were designed to go with the '60s looks in fashion, with some romantic shoulder-length and looser styles. Short hair is more elegant and fuller than in years past. And French rolls are the hot ticket for wedding parties.

Some salons specialize in caring for African-American hair. Jerre Jovan Doss recommends that black women look in the phone book for shops that advertise "specializing in ethnic hair or `hair relaxing' " because doing black hair requires special training. For black women, curling can be a dual process in which the stylist first straightens the hair then curls it. Consequently it takes more time and costs more than a perm for Caucasians, she said.

Some salons advertise "hair extensions" as seen in the entertainment field, for instance the Patti LaBelle look. But that's something you'll have to shop around for. Not every hairdresser knows how to do it.

And if you have a "bad hair" day? You can complain to the State Department of Licenses, Teri Osborn, program manager for Washington State Cosmetology, Barber, Manicurist, Esthetician Advisory Board, P.O. Box 9026, Olympia 98507-9026, 1-206-586-6359.

However, bear in mind that the board's principal concerns are licensing, safety and sanitation. But if you got a perm and your hair fell out, the board is interested, Osborn said.

The state requires hair stylists and barbers to post their licenses where customers may see them. Under state law, cosmetologists or hairdressers may shampoo, cut, trim, style, color, bleach, straighten and perm hair.

Barbers are permitted to cut, trim, arrange, wave and shampoo, but not do chemical work such as coloring or perming.

------------------------------------------------- SOME TIPS FROM HAIR PROFESSIONALS

-- Be leery of places you can get into immediately. Think in terms of making an appointment as you would at a better restaurant.- David Hanen, owner of Salon Panache, Kirkland

-- Communicate with the stylist, but don't permit yourself to be dictated to. Describe your lifestyle, likes and dislikes and how much time you have for your hair. Be prepared to be involved.- Gene Juarez, owner of six salons and three schools

-- Find a hairdresser you like and stick with that person. - Jerre Jovan Doss, owner of Jerre Jovan Professional Hair Design

-- Take pictures of hair styles you admire when you're going to a new stylist. Maybe elements of the cut can be adapted to suit you. - Rory McGowan, co-owner of coupe Rokei

-- Ask the salon owner if there is someone who specializes in your type of hair because it could save you time. Also ask if you could be on the list of "models" for stylists in training. Many salons offer cuts and coloring at greatly reduced prices or for free. The stylist will be supervised probably by the best people in the salon. The drawback is the work takes longer. - Gary Bocz, owner of two salons

-- Ask for a consultation. Some salons charge, many do not. Ask about training of stylists. If you see someone on television with a haircut you admire, call and ask where they have it done. - Keith Funai, co-owner of coupe Rokei

-- Avoid using poor-quality non-water-soluble hair spray because it builds up on your hair. - Juanita Clark, owner of Francine's