It’s not easy to find beauty schools that do hair for free.
The good news is that there are often options to get a free haircut. But once you start looking for elaborate styling, coloring, and the latest styles, you’ll probably need to spend some money.
In this article, we are not interested in online cosmetology schools for free, only beauty schools that offer free haircuts and how to get free hair styling.
People Who Might Need A Free Hair Cut
In these difficult economic times, it is understandable that more and more people are looking for free hairstyles. Many people have seen the cost of essential items like food, clothes, and electricity go up and up.
When the price of essentials continually rises, finding the money to pay for services that don’t contribute to basic survival is challenging. But we still want them, so why not look for free options?
Some people don’t have any money at all, even for necessities, so it would be nice if they got basic services like a quick haircut or barbering now and then. Seniors, in particular, can be on a fixed income. The homeless are also obvious candidates for free services.
Options for Getting A Free Haircut
- It’s not really free, but you can barter your goods or services with those of your local barber or stylist. For instance, you could mow their lawn or bake a pie in exchange.
- Number two, which is totally free, but might have scary results, is to do your own hair. Just be prepared to wear a hat wherever you go for the next couple of weeks. I speak from experience.
- If you live with people who have manual dexterity and can possibly help you with your haircut needs, you might ask them to help you out.
- Number three, you just might be able to offer yourself and your head of hair as a live model for your local beauty schools nearby. In return for having your hair cut, you agree to let students and instructors give you a style in a classroom setting. You might need school connections for this to work out.
Are Free Cuts and Styles Any Good?
Honestly, it can be hit-and-miss. Just a moment’s inattention and a mistake can be made that’s hard to fix.
The one time I went to a student barber (and paid!), the results were less than stellar!
The student was unenthusiastic and didn’t seem to know what she was doing.
The instructor stepped in for a minute to help her, but overall it was a terribly slow and uninspired process with a poor result.
Reddit is full of stories about student haircuts gone wrong. But keep in mind that it’s often the disasters that get the most attention.
Not many people are interested in hearing about the good results that someone got from a low-cost or free haircut at a beauty or barber school.
Do Beauty Schools Do Hair For Free?
You can periodically find beauty and barber school students offering free cuts. However, it may be tricky because they usually charge something.
All schools have expenses such as rent, salary for instructors, insurance, and so on. Students’ tuition or government subsidies will indeed pay for most of the schools’ cost of operation, but consider the following…
Imagine you run a beauty school and offer free and good styling by students. Clients would overrun you! Even those with enough money to pay for it would come just to save a few bucks! For this reason, beauty schools charge something even when students do the work, and especially when students do good work.
Related: How To Become A Barber
That said, from time to time, you can find special events where low-income people will be accepted for styling.
These are usually advertised in advance and will take only those who really need a financial break. You have to be truly broke to qualify.
If you qualify, these events can be lovely, with a relaxed atmosphere. Clients can make good connections with each other, and some even feel inspired to get into the beauty field themselves and “pay it forward.”
Homeless Folks Can Sometimes Get Free Haircuts
If you are genuinely homeless and do not have the funds for a haircut — or even have money to eat — you can sometimes get a free cut.
There is a wonderful new trend among barbers offering services for free to those living on the streets. It is called Haircuts for Homeless. Unfortunately, it’s only available in some places, but it is a growing trend.
In Los Angeles, The Kind Cut organizes events for free cuts to many people in need, including those in women’s shelters. No doubt barber schools in California are letting their students know about this trend, so there is hope for the future.
Videos show this great trend in action.
So, all in all, free haircuts at beauty schools are a possibility. You might have to put some effort into it. Usually, some kind of exchange is necessary, such as offering something in exchange or doing it yourself, but as they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way.