Getting a professional blowout is considered a luxury treatment in many parts of the world, but the price you pay depends enormously on where you happen to be sitting in the salon chair. Freya, a beauty enthusiast and hair salon owner herself, decided to put that idea to the test by comparing the cost of a blowout in London to what she would pay for the same service during her trip to Thailand. The difference she discovered left her genuinely surprised, and when she shared her experience online, it left thousands of others equally stunned.
Freya runs her own salon in Sunninghill, which means she has a very clear understanding of what professional hair services actually cost to provide. Back home, she charges around $75 for a blowout, a price she considers reasonable given the overhead costs of operating a business in the London area. For her Thai experiment, she walked into a salon called Care For Your Hair, located in the Ko Samui district, curious to see what the same treatment would run her there.
Because Freya wears hair extensions, she was particularly interested to see how the stylist would handle them and what impact they might have on the final bill. Before the session began, she announced her plans to the camera: “I’ll ask for a wavy blowout with roller curls, so let’s see how it turns out.” The stylist took on the task without any hesitation, treating the extensions as a non-issue throughout the entire appointment.
@freyasbouncyblowdrys had so many messages asking me to try a blowdry in Samui so here we are!!! I was so impressed @careforyourhairsamui are amazing 🩷 Any guesses how much it cost me?? #blowdryqueen #blowdrytour #blowdrythailand #holidayblowdry #blowdrystyle ♬ original sound – Freya's Bouncy Blowdrys
From the very beginning, Freya was impressed by the level of comfort and attention she received. She noted how pleasant it was that clients could lie in a fully reclined, almost horizontal position while having their hair washed, something far less common in Western salons. The stylist even draped a blanket over her to keep her comfortable during the washing process. “I feel like my hair has never been cleaner,” Freya said enthusiastically, adding that the service also included a relaxing scalp massage.
After the wash, the stylist carefully wrapped Freya’s hair in a towel turban before beginning the blow-dry and setting the rollers to create the soft, wavy finish she had requested. Every section of her hair, including her bangs, was carefully wound onto rollers to help the style last longer. Once the rollers came out, the result was voluminous, perfectly formed waves that clearly exceeded her expectations. “It’s beautiful! Thank you so much, I’m absolutely thrilled! I’m coming back next week,” she told the stylist with obvious delight.
The total cost for the entire experience came to roughly $35. While most viewers watching her TikTok video were floored by that price, Freya herself offered an interesting perspective, noting that she actually considered it “expensive by Thai standards” and believed she could have found the same service for even less elsewhere on the island. Despite that caveat, she agreed without hesitation that the quality and attentiveness of the service made the whole thing completely worth it.
The clip quickly spread across social media, sparking a broader conversation about the dramatic differences in beauty service pricing around the world and how much of what people pay in major Western cities goes toward covering business costs rather than the actual skill involved.
Thailand has long been recognized as one of the top destinations in the world for affordable beauty and wellness treatments, drawing travelers specifically for services ranging from traditional Thai massage to hair and skincare treatments. Ko Samui, where Freya visited, is one of Thailand’s most popular resort islands and sits in the Gulf of Thailand, known for its palm-lined beaches and thriving tourism industry. The island’s beauty and wellness scene has grown significantly alongside its tourism sector, with salons and spas catering to both locals and international visitors at prices that often shock Westerners. Hair extensions, like the ones Freya wears, are strands or wefts of real or synthetic hair that are bonded, clipped, or sewn into natural hair to add length or volume, and they typically require stylists with extra experience and care during washing and styling. The global hair care services market is a multi-billion dollar industry, and price disparities between countries are largely driven by differences in labor costs, rent, and the overall cost of living rather than differences in skill or quality.
If you’ve ever been surprised by what you’ve paid for a hair treatment abroad or at home, share your experience in the comments.
