Christmas Gift Guide for Hairdressers: Ideas by Situation

A good Christmas gift for a hairdresser is something they use every working day and rarely replace: care supplies, a case or a comb set. Scissors are personal, so unless you know their hand, size and handle, let them choose a pair themselves.

What should you buy a hairdresser for Christmas?

Choose by what you know about the person. The less you know, the more useful it is to buy a thing that doesn’t depend on their hand or size.

What you know	Start with
Nothing about their kit	A care kit or an oil pen
They’re an apprentice or student	A comb set, then a care kit
They have a favourite pair	A leather sleeve or a case
They carry a full kit	A wallet or roll bag with plenty of pockets
They already feather	A feathering razor
You want to buy scissors	A gift card, so they choose

Our list of seven gift picks goes into more detail, and this guide adds the situations around them.

What can you give someone whose kit you don’t know?

Give care and comfort items, because they work for any pair. A maintenance kit holds oil, a cloth, a brush, finger inserts and a tension key, and an oil pen is a smaller present that does one job.

Keep in mind: some pivots need no oil, so the maker’s care page decides. Our maker care instructions list what each brand says.

What suits an apprentice or a TAFE student?

Something that helps them practise at home and keep their kit in order. A ten-piece comb set gives them the common shapes in one pack, so they don’t buy them one by one.

Keep in mind: their course kit list comes first. If you’re unsure, ask them or their educator, or read our apprentice and TAFE kit guide before you buy.

What suits a stylist with a favourite pair?

A case or a sleeve that protects the pair they already love. The Juntetsu sleeve holds one scissor of 5” to 7” in leather, which makes it easy to match to almost any pair.

Keep in mind: a sleeve holds one scissor, so choose a wallet if they carry several. They should put a clean, dry pair in with the tips seated before they fasten it. Our accessories guide compares cases, holsters and combs.

What suits someone who carries a full kit?

A wallet with a pocket for every tool. The Juntetsu Sentinel has eight pockets with flap guards, and the roll bag has slots for up to twelve scissors.

Keep in mind: check how many tools they actually carry, because a big wallet for two pairs isn’t a good fit. Our backup scissor plan explains why many stylists keep a second pair on hand.

What about a feathering razor?

Only for someone who already works with one. A guarded razor like the Juntetsu is a different technique from scissors, so it’s a better present for a stylist who feathers than for one who doesn’t.

Keep in mind: the razor’s blades need replacing, so check which blade it takes before you buy refills. Browse the full razors collection if you want to compare.

What if you want to give scissors?

Let them choose. Size, hand and handle are personal, and a pair that doesn’t fit can’t be much use. A gift card means they can compare pairs themselves, and our gift cards page explains how to ask about current options.

If you do know their pair and want to add to it, the sets and kits collection has cutter-and-thinner sets. Left-handed? Choose a true left-handed pair, as our left-handed guide explains.

What if you’re buying for a whole team?

A salon owner can give every stylist the same care kit, and keep the scissor choice personal. That’s the standardise-the-system idea in our guide to buying for a salon team. For larger orders, see our wholesale page, and the top 10 questions salon owners ask covers the rest of team buying.

What should you check before you order?

Check the delivery page and the returns page before you pay, because gifts are the purchases most likely to need a change. SalonScissors’ shipping page and returns page set out the current terms. Don’t rely on a date you’ve heard elsewhere.

Common questions

What’s a good gift for a hairdressing apprentice?

A comb set or a maintenance kit. Both are useful from the first day, and neither depends on a size or a hand. Check their course kit list first.

Can I buy a hairdresser scissors as a gift?

Yes, if you know their hand, size and handle. If you don’t, ask about a gift card so they can choose.

What if they already have the gift I bought?

Read the returns page before you pay, and keep the packaging until you know. Items need to be unused and in their original packaging.

What’s a gift for someone who has everything?

A better way to keep what they have: a case or wallet sized to their kit, or a care kit that matches their maker’s advice.

Next step

Want more in a small budget? Start with the seven gift picks, or browse the accessories collection.

Further reading

Our knowledge base lists every guide by topic. Scissorpedia is a reference website on scissors. SalonScissors is part of the ShearAlliance, working with other trusted scissor websites.