Do You Tip a Piercer?

Learn the proper tipping etiquette for ear piercings, nose piercings, and more

Co-authored by David Wilkins and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: March 10, 2023 References

Are you supposed to tip your piercer?

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Best Tipping Practices

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Alternate Ways to Tip

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Expert Interview

Sweet! You just booked the appointment for your dream piercing. You’ve reviewed the piercing fee and decided on the type of jewelry that you want, but one question still remains: how much are you supposed to tip your piercer once your appointment is done? It’s no secret that tips are a central part of the American service industry—and the world of body piercing is no exception. We’ll give you the inside scoop on how you can thank your piercer for a job well done, even if you’re a little strapped for cash.

Things You Should Know

Pay a 20-30% tip if you had a great experience getting your new piercing, or 10-15% if the experience was just okay.
If you don’t have a lot of money to spare, pay a tip that’s comfortable for you and your current financial situation.
Show appreciation to your piercer in non-financial ways, like online reviews, gifts, and treats. You can also let them photograph your healed piercing for their portfolio.

Section 1 of 3:

Are you supposed to tip your piercer?

Tipping isn’t expected for a piercing, but it’s a really nice gesture. Like other service industry workers, many body piercers don’t earn a significant salary and often rely on customer tips to help make ends meet. Tipping your piercer is a great way to support them both personally and professionally.^{[1]
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- When you go to a studio, you aren’t just paying for a piercing—you’re paying for an experienced professional to pierce you safely and with the proper equipment. Leaving a tip is a great way to acknowledge and thank the piercer for doing a service that you couldn’t (safely) do at home.^{[2]
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- While it’s great if you can leave a tip, it’s not the end of the world if you can’t, either. If you aren’t in a great financial situation yourself, your piercer doesn’t expect (or want) you to leave a huge tip.^{[3]
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Section 2 of 3:

Best Tipping Practices

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Give a 20-30% tip if you’re really happy with your piercing experience. Let’s say that you hit it off with your piercer and got a new cartilage piercing that you really love. If the piercing service cost $50 and the jewelry cost $60 ($110 combined), your total tip could range from $22-33 (or $132-143 total).^{[4]
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- Some piercing studios let you add a tip at the bottom of the receipt (like you’d do at a typical business). You can also leave a cash tip, if you’d prefer.^{[5]
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- It’s okay to leave a smaller tip (like a $10 or $20 bill) if that’s what you can afford.^{[6]
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Leave a 10-15% tip if you weren’t blown away by your experience.^{[7]
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Research source} Maybe your piercer was running a little late, or their bedside manner could use a little improvement. A 10-15% tip still acknowledges your piercer’s time and expertise while also reflecting your experience.
- Let’s say that you just got your septum pierced—the service cost $70, while the jewelry itself cost $20 ($90 combined). A 10-15% tip of $90 would be $9-18, making your total $99-108.
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Leave no tip if you have a really bad experience. Maybe your piercer was really rude and unprofessional, or they did a really sloppy job with your piercing. If you aren’t happy with the service you received, it’s valid and understandable to not leave them a tip.

Section 3 of 3:

Alternate Ways to Tip

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Post a really great review online for your piercer. Tons of people consult review sites before booking appointments with piercing studios—so, a glowing, 5-star review is a fantastic way to pay it forward to your piercer. After your appointment, drop a review highlighting what you enjoyed about the experience and why you would recommend the piercer to other people (don’t be afraid to list them by name!).^{[8]
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- Example: I was really nervous about getting my first helix piercing, but Kyle was very kind and helpful. He walked me through the entire piercing process, made sure I was comfortable, and gave me really thorough after-care instructions. He did a really fabulous job with my piercing, and I’ll definitely be booking him in the future!
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Give them a personalized gift. Maybe your piercer is a huge fan of a certain indie band, or they have a sweet vinyl records collection. On the day of your piercing appointment, surprise them with a gift related to these interests and hobbies, like a set of concert tickets or a vintage vinyl record.
- Does your piercer have any pets? Getting them a special pet toy is a really special and personalized way to show your appreciation.^{[9]
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- If you don’t know a lot about your piercer, you can always give them a gift card to a popular store.^{[10]
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Bring them their favorite drink or snack. Baked goods, coffee, candy, and energy drinks are all great ways to show your piercer how much you appreciate them if you can’t afford a big tip. You could also give them a gift certificate to a local restaurant or coffee shop.^{[11]
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Refer your friends to the piercer. What better way to thank your piercer than to help them earn more money in the future? If you hear a friend talk about getting a new piercing, give them your piercer’s contact info (along with a glowing recommendation).^{[12]
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- “I heard you talk about wanting a tragus piercing. I really recommend Daniel at Blue Chameleon Studios—I had such a great experience with him when he did my conch and daith piercings.”
- “Whoa, you’re thinking about getting a belly button piercing? You should totally meet with Kendra. Let me grab you her socials!”
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Let them take pictures of your piercing once it heals. Once your piercing is completely healed and photo-ready, drop by the piercing studio. Piercers are always looking to expand their portfolios with photos of past client work—by lending your time, you’re potentially helping your piercer net more business in the long run.^{[13]
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