Oopsminty
MamaCaz, many of the hairdressers are just paid employees. And often not particularly well paid either
They have no input as to how much is charged
That might well be the case for many, Oopsminty, but even so, I wouldn't tip unless the person have gone over and above what was expected of them. They will be on at least the minimum wage, and generally-speaking, I don't see any more reason to tip them than I would, for instance, a checkout operator in the supermarket.
My hairdresser used to work in someone else's salon, where I presume she rented a chair, but her prices were higher than those of the salon owner, so I think it's reasonable to assume that she added on the cost of the chair etc.
These days, she works alone, renting a room that she uses twice a week and doing some home visits. There is still a tips box on the counter, and while I don't feel guilty about not tipping her, I do feel a bit awkward. It feels like many customers are guilt-tripped into putting something in it.