Color and Chemical Cost Per Service Calculator

Works out what each color or chemical service costs the salon in product, adds in the other costs the owner gives, and shows the profit and margin at the current price.

Hair salonBeauty and Personal Care✓ Checkedv1.0

Before and after

BEFORE · what the owner typed

Northbank Hair Studio, 641 Millbank St, Fernbank. Kenji Taylor owns it. I want to know what my color is really costing me. Lana Wise does most of my color and Lamar West is my assistant who shampoos and tones. Services and what I charge: - Root touch-up $85 - Full balayage $240 Root touch-up formula: 60 g permanent color (tube is 60 g, I pay $11.40), 60 g developer (bottle is 1000 g, I pay $9.00). Gloves and cape cleaning I call $0.75 a client. I want to add 10% waste on product. Balayage formula: 40 g lightener (tub is 500 g, I pay $32.50), 80 g developer (same developer), 30 g toner (tube is 60 g, I pay $11.40, same as color), 15 mL bond builder (bottle is 250 mL, I pay $45.00). Foils and gloves about $2.50. Same 10% waste on product. Target margin is 65%. Don't count my labor, I'll figure that separately.

AFTER · what the skill produced

Northbank Hair Studio: Color Cost Per Service

Cost per unit

Permanent color/toner: $11.40 / 60 g = $0.19 per g
Developer: $9.00 / 1000 g = $0.009 per g
Lightener: $32.50 / 500 g = $0.065 per g
Bond builder: $45.00 / 250 mL = $0.18 per mL

Root touch-up (current price $85.00)

Permanent color: 60 g x $0.19 = $11.40
Developer: 60 g x $0.009 = $0.54
Product subtotal: $11.94
10% waste: $1.19 (rounded to the cent)
Gloves and cape cleaning: $0.75
Total cost: $13.88
Profit: $85.00 - $13.88 = $71.12
Margin: 71.12 / 85.00 = 83.7%
Target margin was given only for balayage, so no price recommendation for this service.

Full balayage (current price $240.00)

Lightener: 40 g x $0.065 = $2.60
Developer: 80 g x $0.009 = $0.72
Toner: 30 g x $0.19 = $5.70
Bond builder: 15 mL x $0.18 = $2.70
Product subtotal: $11.72
10% waste: $1.17 (rounded to the cent)
Foils and gloves: $2.50
Total cost: $15.39
Profit: $240.00 - $15.39 = $224.61
Margin: 224.61 / 240.00 = 93.6%
Price needed for a 65% margin: $15.39 / (1 - 0.65) = $43.97, rounded up to $44.00. Your current price is well above that, so this service is above your target.

Summary, lowest margin to highest

Root touch-up: 83.7% margin, $13.88 cost
Full balayage: 93.6% margin, $15.39 cost

Both services are above your 65% target on product cost alone. Rent, utilities, tax, payroll, and the stylist's and assistant's time are not counted here, so the real margin is lower. Please confirm tax and payroll questions with your accountant.

Questions for the owner

Do you want a target margin for the root touch-up too? We only used 65% for balayage because that is what you gave.
When you figure labor separately, do you want us to add Lana Wise's and Lamar West's time to these totals? Please send the hourly cost or the minutes per service.
Does the balayage use the same 10% waste on foils and gloves, or only on product? We applied it to product only.
Do you use a different developer amount for toning? We counted none beyond the 80 g listed.

What it does

Works out what each color or chemical service costs the salon in product, adds in the other costs the owner gives, and shows the profit and margin at the current price. If the owner gives a target margin, it also shows the price needed to hit it.

Use it when: Use when a hair salon owner or stylist wants to work out what color, bleach, toner, or other chemical services cost in product, and what to charge, such as: figure out my color cost, what does this formula cost me, how much should I charge for a balayage, or check my color margins.