The Hairco guide to smarter colour spend, better margins and less waste.
Direct answer
Most UK salons should be paying £4–£10 per tube of professional hair colour, depending on brand, size and mixing ratio. If you're not tracking cost per ml and cost per service, you're likely overpaying — often by £5,000–£10,000+ per year without realising it.
Why most salons get this wrong
Hair colour is one of your biggest weekly expenses, but also one of the least reviewed. Most salons check the price per tube, stick with the same brand and accept price increases over time — but ignore cost per ml, mixing ratios and wastage. That's where profit quietly disappears.
What you should actually be measuring
1. Cost per ml
Divide the tube price by its volume. This is your true product value.
2. Mixing ratio
A 1:1 ratio means higher usage; 1:1.5 or 1:2 stretches further. The higher the ratio, the lower your cost per service. Full ratios are in our colour mixing guide.
3. Cost per service
How much colour are you actually using per client? This is the number that matters most.
Quick example
- Brand A: £6 (60ml, 1:1)
- Brand B: £8 (100ml, 1:2)
Brand A looks cheaper, but Brand B often delivers more services per tube. This is where many salons lose margin without realising.
Brand comparison: what are you really paying for?
Premium brands (e.g. Wella Koleston Perfect Me+, L'Oreal Majirel)
Pros: consistent, familiar results; strong brand reputation; education support.
Cons: higher cost per tube; pricing includes marketing overhead; often less flexible on mixing.
Challenger / independent brands
Pros: lower cost per ml; competitive performance; better margins per service.
Cons: less brand recognition; requires testing; less built-in education.
| Brand type | Cost | Efficiency | Margin impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | High | Medium | Lower |
| Trade-focused | Low | High | Higher |
For a deeper look at two of the big names, see our Koleston Perfect Me+ vs Majirel comparison.
Where your profit is disappearing
Even if your pricing looks fine, these areas add up fast:
- Over-mixing — every extra gram is wasted money.
- Poor mixing ratios — some colours cost more simply because they don't go as far.
- Brand loyalty — comfortable, but not always cost-effective.
- Hidden supplier costs — delivery fees, minimum orders and inflated "free" perks. Nothing is ever truly free.
What this means for your salon
Cost: save £1 per tube across 100 tubes a week and that's £5,000+ a year back into your business.
Profit: colour pricing is fixed in your service menu, so any saving goes straight to margin — no extra clients needed.
Client results: clients don't ask what brand you use; they care about coverage, shine and condition. If results stay consistent, switching products won't impact loyalty.
Workflow: better control means smoother operations. Digital scales, measured mixing and stock tracking create consistency across your team.
How to reduce your colour costs (fast)
- Calculate cost per ml — stop comparing tubes, start comparing value.
- Weigh every mix — no guessing means no waste.
- Test alternatives properly — use swatches, models and trusted clients; a lower-cost product may perform just as well.
- Control your stock — too much ties up cash, too little means panic ordering. Track real usage.
- Review your supplier — check pricing, fees and flexibility. If they won't help you save, others will.
Quick checklist: are you overpaying?
- Do you know your cost per ml?
- Are your mixes always measured?
- Are you using the most efficient ratio?
- Have you compared brands recently?
- Are you carrying unused stock?
If any answer is "no", there's margin to recover.
Final thought
The most profitable salons don't just deliver great colour — they control what it costs, because clients remember the result, not the brand on the tube. At Hairco & Beauty we're a trade-only wholesaler supplying professional colour ranges built for real salon life: consistent results, reliable performance and pricing that protects your bottom line. Open a free trade account to see your pricing.
Written by Charlotte Read, Content Writer at Hairco & Beauty. Charlotte has over six years' experience in professional hair and beauty, and our guides are informed by colleagues with 100+ years of combined salon experience and by insight from the trade customers we supply. More about our content.
