How much does it cost to get nails done? Technically, you can get your nails painted for the price of a single bottle of polish if you do it at home. However, if you want the full salon experience, complete with intricate art crafted by expert nail technicians, you'll need to put aside a little more cash.
Location & Salon Quality Do Matter
Salons in the more expensive part of town will charge more because their clientele can afford it. There's also the cost of living to consider, as a salon in a high-cost area will need to spend more on materials and payroll, necessitating higher prices.
Highly rated salons also tend to cost more. Their staff typically have extensive experience and training from prestigious schools, allowing them to create ornate nail sets.
Service Types & Materials Required
Of course, there's plenty of cost variance within a single salon. Salons offer a range of services, allowing customers to choose nails that align with their budgets. The two biggest factors affecting price are the details of the services and the offered materials.
Services
Nail salons typically offer services for hands and feet. They further divide manicures and pedicures into tiers of service:
Standard services typically include preparing for polish by removing old product, shaping the nail and applying new polish. Deluxe services involve a little more pampering, including exfoliation, soaking and lotion application before the nail job.
Special services vary by salon, as they depend on state regulations and the technicians' capabilities. One popular special service is the paraffin treatment, which hydrates the skin through hot wax application.
Materials
While salons offer traditional nail polish manicures, their technicians also work with more demanding materials:
These materials require skill to apply and may take longer than traditional nail polish. As a result, they're often more expensive.
Gel nail polish is popular for its durability and high shine. Unlike traditional polish formulas, it doesn't dry with exposure to air. Instead, you must cure it under an ultraviolet lamp.
When clients get nail art, technicians usually cure the gel polish in layers, allowing them to easily wipe away mistakes and produce high-quality art. Gel sets can cost anywhere from $15 to $65, depending on whether you get touch-ups or a complete set.
Dip nails are faster than gel manicures and don't require curing. The dip powder is resin-based, making it quite durable, and it comes in a wide range of colors. Dip manicures typically cost between $35 and $50.
Finally, acrylics are extremely popular for their durability, length-building and capacity for intricate art. Acrylic powder is also resin-based and requires nail monomer to become a soft solid that technicians can shape. Due to the labor-intensiveness of an acrylic manicure, a full set can cost up to $120, depending on the length and whether you request art.
A professional manicure can get expensive, but technicians must undergo hundreds of hours of training and meet state licensing requirements to offer their services. If the salon is a little too costly, you can try your hand at professional-quality products with nails sets from online or your local beauty supply store.
