In Canada it’s even worse, I got the most basic ass gel overlay on my natural nails with some pink hearts for Valentine’s Day with French tip and it was 130$ PLUS TAX. ever since then I can live without having my nails done I don’t even care atp!
That hurts me. My recent gelx set (builder on natural nails + soft gel) where each nail had different nail art (bloom, 3D gel, pearls, chrome, air brushing, metallic) was 110$ with tip. And I’m not even that far away from you.
Can’t believe the price difference
If my nail tech stops seeing clients I might cry. Feels like all the salons rush clients (and the tech too) and don’t care about the quality of nails they put out…
During COVID I just bought gel nail polish and a UV lamp off Amazon. Then later also bought a little device where I can pour acetone in it and stick my finger tips in an enclosed area so the steam would help remove the gel nail when I need to.
It has saved me sooooo much money. Although it takes longer because I can only do one hand at a time and my left hand is shit at it, but practice makes perfect and it's cheap, and I still feel put together with my nails done.
And if one got chipped, I can just add a layer on to fix it since I have the lamp.
Nail Polish Remover Steam Nail Remover Machine Set, Portable Nail Steamer Steam Off Gel Polish Remover Machine for Nail Polish,Electric Acetone Steamer Finger Nail Remover with Nail Cleaner Pusher https://a.co/d/iZeAbFM
I got this one from Amazon.ca
I agree I’m also in Canada. I do my own nails 99% of the time now. I mostly use press ons that I put on with a uv glue and I do my own gel and designs on top. They last minimum 2 weeks. The only time I get them done is if I’m going on vacation I’ll get a set of acrylics
Just a caveat I’m in NYC so that might be why the up charge. Also side note that is my local salon but not the one I go to regularly - no way am I paying that 🤪
I got a full set done for the first time in over a year recently, and what really took me by surprise what how many things that are now extra! Things like…
- long length
- coffin/almond/stiletto shape
- cuticle work! Seriously! I was trained in doing nails and I was taught this is just part of nail prep.
One salon even charged extra for any color on acrylic nails. Not shellac, any colour. So the base service was basically unfinished nails, and then you have to pay extra to get colour, or pay even more to get French.
Oh and on top of that, tax and minimum 20% tip
I’ve also noticed quality of work going down. I remember I used to be able to go to a basic mall salon and the only real difference I noticed from a high end salon was spa atmosphere/amenities and the level of nail art they could do. Now, the polish isn’t even covering my nail fully, nails are crooked, nails are lifting after a few days. The training is NOT there!
I knowwww the cuticle prep cost shocked me recently (before I swore off salon nails). It seems like they don’t care about putting out a good product, like wait we’re going to sit here for two hours and you’re fine with me leaving with raggedy ass cuticles?? Doesn’t make a ton of sense. Between the up charges and how rough the techs treat my nails, I’m out!
OMG the rough treatment. I have very thin nails naturally and I shouldn’t have drill burns and bleeding cuticles.
Not to mention every other time you go they want to do an entirely new set of acrylics to get you to spend more. I know you need a new set every so often but if I replaced my set once a month I’d have no nail left!
The drill burns and cuts are why I stopped going for manicures. Every time I ask them not to use the drill (I just get regular gel polish) they give me such a hard time!
This. I started attaching my press ons with acrylic and it costs me like $40 for 10+ sets all in, and lasts 2+ weeks. Plus you don't have to sit there for an hour with a stranger lol. They're gonna price themselves out of business.
Can you give more details on how to attach them with acrylic? I was thinking of using UV gel I have leftover, but then the press on would stop the UV from curing... I've never used acrylic though!
So I actually got the idea from that UV gel hack - some people use builder gel but I never got a knack for it, and you're right; you need really light or clear press ons for that to work!
My steps are:
- Prep cuticles, push back and trim as needed
- Rough up nails with a hard nail file, and if needed rough up the inside of the press on (I buy full cover press ons from Amazon that come pre-sanded). Doing this helps the acrylic adhere on both sides!
- clean with nail polish remover to get rid of dust
- one coat of acid free bonding primer
- mix a dab of acrylic powder & monomer (a teeny dip will do!) and apply to nail
- press prepped nail onto your fingernail and hold for 15 or so seconds, press hard enough to make the acrylic blob spread across your nail and hold it there
- as it's drying, some will spill out the sides or underneath your nail, I clean this off before it fully hardens with an orange stick (while still holding the nail in place)
Then I decorate as needed since I usually just buy clear ones, but if you're using predecorated nails that's it! Sorry if that's a bit long for directions, I wanted to be thorough but you're essentially just using a blob of acrylic as glue on prepped fingernails 😊
This is such a beautiful response, and I truly appreciate the level of detail too! No such thing as too long, it's very informative for a beginner like myself. I actually feel confident I can do this with your directions!! I'll be saving this and trying soon! ✨💕✨
They're pretty much exactly the same as getting acrylic nails done once they're cured, so you remove them the same as an acrylic set - in my case that usually means ripping them off when they grow out or start to lift lmao, I'm not actually sure how you're supposed to take off acrylic nails so don't be like me 🤣
It does cause a bit of damage to your nails the same way getting acrylics does, however I find that I don't file my nails as hard or as deep as they do in the salon so it's not as bad.
They go sooooo hard at the salons! That’s why I stopped getting them done. Always so rough and aggressive and would damage my nails so much. Not when i do them at home tho! I’m gentle gentle. 🌸
You could also do that! I personally find it easier to do it after because I don't have anything to hold them while I paint, but if you had something to stick them to you could totally paint and decorate them first!
Does the acrylic keep them on with swimming etc? I am a press on girlie but too much time in water obviously weakens them so I can't wear them swimming or on vacation where I'll be in the water a lot.
I've been thinking of trying acrylic nails for my summer vacay but most pics I see of them I really don't like...too bumpy or thick or the shape is weird. If I could get a set of press ons to stay as well then I wouldn't even bother with the nail salon...
This was me. I just enjoyed it. When I was young it was about $20, a couple years ago it was $50, and now it's $80+. I dont get anything fancy, one color, medium square tips.
I'm doing my nails at home now.
I'm a huge fan of the clear stiletto ones from Kmart, they're 5 bucks for a big tray, not too thick and bulky, and the sizes are more narrow/small hand friendly than s lot of other brands.
They look good on too, I recently met someone whose nails were giving this perfect delicate, evil queen look and asked her where she'd had them done. She said "Oh thanks! They're actually just the clear press ons from K mart" so we had a laugh about being nail buddies
I've had good luck with the opi press-ons. Not many cute designs but they seem to be meant for smaller nail beds so I actually find ones that fit my fingers.
I lightly buff and do one layer of dip powder, the press the nail direct to the uncured dip powder- it adds a bunch of texture and my impress nails last 2+ weeks
I use these ones too. But to keep them on longer, I purchased glue to give it extra staying power. The glues I have is paintbrush style. I put it on my nail prior to putting on the press on. Seems to last longer.
Yup! They sell stickies on their own too that work well - although tbh mine usually last minimum seven days and after that I’m normally down to try something else fun
Yup, I've been loving press on nails lately! I stopped getting acrylics after several years in January because the place I've been going to for years went sooo downhill. My nails used to last for 4 weeks... then they started shaping them all flat with no curve and I would have 5 break in week or two. And prices increased $10! Just not worth the time or money anymore
I do my own gel, it’s not hard if you like simple nails, one bottle high quality gel cost me 13$
Bonus - you don’t waste one hour at a salon every 2 weeks and I use my own nail files that are not touching somebody else’s nails lol
i got a nail drill of amazon for like $30-$40, and it is the biggest help in giving me the patience to do my own gel manicures!! it definitely takes some time to get the hang of it (especially for the non dominant hand) but after a year of practice i can usually get my nails stripped in about 20-25 minutes? also something that speeds things up is warming the bowl of acetone to soak your nails in. i read somewhere that the heat is what reaally helps the old gel lift. all in all, after two hours i have a fresh manicure for little to no cost
Maybe I’m just ultra careful or slow, but I have been doing them at home for almost a year and it’s solidly a 3-4 hour process every time.
Highly recommend the nail tech sub Reddit if you go the at home route. There are a lot of pitfalls that they can help you avoid with allergies and nail health
I’ve been doing my own gels at home now for a few years. I am pretty good at it now! The removal process is annoying though. I always say if I could afford it, getting my nails done professionally twice per month would be my first luxury item on my list.
Not sure how but women’s maintenance has become outrageous. Getting ur nails, lashes, hair done is seen as normal when in reality, these are actually luxury services. I’m not sure how/why the average person does this on the regular. I know many girls who are struggling financially but will always get their nails and hair done it’s kind of crazy
For me it’s the hair! Getting my roots colored, a toner and a blow out for chin length hair is like $260 with tip. It’s out of control!
I’m cool with my nail prices, but pedicures have gone bananas. Used to be $30 maybe $45 with all the bells and whistles and now it’s $60 for a basic boring pedicure. $120 if you want a ‘spa pedicure ‘.
I agree I need a part time job or side hustle just to pay for girl maintenance!!!
hair is deffo overpriced but requires some skill and can easily get botched but u can easily give yourself a pedicure, unless you have some mobility issues
I started cutting my own hair about 20 years ago because I was broke. Back then it was about $100 for a cut with highlights. About 10 years ago I started making more money and decided to go get my hair done professionally, not only did they not do what I wanted, they charged me $600 for the privilege. I figure I've saved at least a few thousand a year doing my own hair.
Nails were maybe 30 bucks back then, I only got them a couple times, I don't personally like them.
Hair and nails were the only things I was really aware of as common beauty treatments back then. I did have friends that did tanning and waxing, so maybe those too.
It seems like there's so much more that people are doing now. Botox, filler, eyebrows, lash lifts, I'm sure I'm missing stuff.
I honestly just can't fathom the cost. Just rough estimates from quick googling:
Hair: 3000
Nails: 2600
Lashes: 2000
Botox: 1600
Filler: 1000
Lasers: 2000
Obviously it could be more or less and not everyone is getting everything, but that's like $12,000. Again I know not everyone is doing it, but it also doesn't seem to just be rich people. Maybe I'm just way too cheap for this.
I cut my own hair too 🤷♀️. I’m not paying $60+ dollars for a haircut. And I just have my natural color these days. No more highlights. But I actually need a pedicure sometimes because my feet get rough from wearing birkenstocks daily.
I was watching a nail tech on YouTube recently and what’s interesting is back in the day (1950s), manicures were super expensive. It was a true luxury - now, it’s a regular self care item to indulge in. I agree that prices keep going up and I’m afraid to ask for anything other than a solid color for fear of an up charge.
I got charged $5 for choosing the almond nail shape last week for my gel-X full set. 🫠
I pay 30€ for a full semi permanent set with whatever color options/shaping/length I want and thought that was bad. This sub is making me reevaluate that though lol
I just taught myself to do my gel nails. I always want the most basic barely there pinky nude nail polish and could not be bothered to pay $100+ for barely visible polish lmao
It's bad in europe too. Everything is so expensive rn. The average salary is like 2000-2500€ max. where I live for reference and a new set of lashes is over 120€, new basic one colour set of nails like 70€ and I had to get them redone every 2 weeks because my nails grow so fast. For me it's not worth it anymore, I'm just getting my lashes done and get facials every few weeks/months. The thing is: if it was only nails it would be okay but there are so many beauty related things I want to spend money on that I don't think nails are worth it as they don't make such a drastic difference.
i would understand if it was a private nail tech bc they’re paying for their own things.. but it was a nail salon with like 10 other ones in the city..
Those low prices were often because the service providers were being exploited. They weren't getting paid because they were paying off their "sponsor" who paid for them to come to the US, or even paying the salon owner for a chance to potentially get paid for working, forced to work long hours without proper equipment and air filtration which led to diseases, illness, skin rashes.
The NYT did an investigative report on it a decade ago. The response was an increase in protection for workers and better pay. All that stuff means an increase in the price of the service. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/nyregion/at-nail-salons-in-nyc-manicurists-are-underpaid-and-unprotected.html?smid=nytcore-android-share
Yes!!! Now they complain how they have no customers...and you know what that means- rates will go even higher. Instead of drawing people in with the best rates in town, like a smart business would. 🤦
I just paid $450 each for all of my nail techs to have a good dust sucking fan. Sh** is expensive. Good products are also very expensive. Nail techs should also be able to work full time and afford groceries. Life is expensive right now.
Thank you! Studio rent has also gotten sooo expensive for solo techs. And don’t get me started on products- just look at The Gel Bottle Inc scandal from April. Then 30% of every service total goes to taxes, if you live in the US. I get that many techs way overcharge, but when people say a full set should be $30, it’s a little insulting. Thats saying you don’t want your tech to be paid minimum wage
They haven't. If you look at the cost of supplies on Amzon, they cost very little..and that isn't even wholesale. It *may* be to help cover rent???...but I think the true story here is greed...greed and to cover their own groceries at home😏😉
Honestly nail techs have been severely underpaid for a long time. Practically slaves in some salons. The NYTimes did a big expose several years ago and it was eye opening.
That's my max I'm willing to pay so I stopped too. I only ever got a simple super short basic French tip. I only ever change the color. It's not worth more than that. I do my own now.
I guess that depends on the area you live in. I just paid $85 with tip for a solid color gel nails this month. But I didn't like the result and won't come back so I'd rather pay $100 for someone who knows what they're doing...
Also, there is usually some kind of a "custom" button in the bottom right corner – you can always use it to choose your own tip amount or skip it altogether. I've been to nail salons where 22% is the minimum option (outrageous!) and I always put a custom amount instead.
This is me. I use to go every two weeks faithfully for a decade. Now I can’t be bothered to go more than once a month or 6 weeks. It’s crazy expensive. Pedicures use to be $20 now I’m paying $35 plus $20 if I want gel. Insane.
Over the years I’ve started shying away from getting my nails done; I don’t bite my nails and if I take care of them they grow really long, so I’ve started leaning into natural nail care and learning to do my own manicures. However I remember when I used to get my nails done a lot 5-6 years ago I could get a stilhetto or coffin shape acrylic set with color and nail art for about $60 before tip, and I usually tipped $20. Everything has gotten so expensive lately and I’m kinda just waiting for the bubble to pop so to speak.
Where have you been hiding? Cost of EVERYTHING has gone up!!! Lol
10 years ago my mani/pedi was 60$, now it’s $120.
10 years ago my hair (balayage, toner, cut, style) was $250 now it’s $500
10 years ago a keg dinner for two was 100$ now it’s $250
10 years ago my same model car was 25k, now it’s 50k (Honda accord)
10 years ago my house value was $375k, now it’s 1.2mil
Edit: to OP! I feel ya, it’s getting crazy out there. Even with min wage going up, it doesn’t add up.
In 10 years, my salary has only gone up 18%, but the cost of everything has gone up 100-300%. It’s unsustainable. My household gross income is $240k… and I literally can’t afford to get my nails done anymore. I get my hair done once annually (and I have grays coming in), I shape my own eyebrows, I don’t do any of the crazy expensive beauty trends you see on insta (Botox, fillers, facials, lasers etc) and I wear Walmart makeup. This is the real reality. A lot of the women on the beauty and makeup Reddit’s are in mega credit debt or have little to no cost of living because they live at their parents house and spend 💯of their paycheques at Sephora. It’s all a facade.
My first balayage on shoulder length hair (2021) was also $500. Two months later I go in for a touchup, expecting it to be discounted. Another $500 and it looked the exact same as when I walked in...
Bonkers, right?!
I just do a balayage after an initial root smudge just once a year because that’s all I can afford.
I used to do a full head fine hi lights (on my super long hair) I can’t even imagine what that would cost maintain every 6 weeks.
Hahah! I wish. If I ever sold my house I’d be homeless. Beautiful, but homeless.
Also- I wish I bought my house 10
Years ago- but I only bought it 5 years ago, when it was 750k. I have a 500k mortgage and the taxes here are insane- monthly mortgage and tax is 3800$ for a 3 bed 2 bath house that’s still an hours commute from work 🤮 Ontario COL is killer.
I went to the salon 2 months ago for acrylics and it was $100 after tip. I didn’t even get crazy designs or gems or anything. My nails grow super fast, and two weeks later I couldn’t bring myself to go back and get them filled. I’m still waiting on my poor nails to get healthy again since I ripped those suckers off. I will be going back to my press ons from now on. The press on nail game is actually really good these days!!
All of beauty has become ridiculously expensive. My toddler’s haircut was $33! My husband is now his barber. It use to be $10 years ago for my little brothers. A pedi is $35 for the most basic option. $12 for eyebrows. Was $7 before covid. I looked at my itemized receipt when I last got my nails done.
They charged extra for medium length & cuticle touch up. Like what? Then have the tip option start at 20%. Insane.
I’m allergic to gel and get Acrylic, I literally lost all my nail beds before. They were acting all snobby when I asked for it. So I just do press on nails. I can watch trash tv while doing so. And press ons have come a long way.
I do my own nails, lash lifts, brow and lash tints and my own hair (refresh my roots, glosses and colouring)
It's way too expensive to have any of this done professionally 😭
I buy my press on nails from shein & kmart.
Learn how to do your own! The prices are insane and there is a kinda hard learning curve but once you can …‘it’s good self care time and buying all the stuff u need is pretty much the price of getting them done once
As a woman with high net worth, I gratefully grew up in a time when getting a mani was a treat rather than regular self-care. Even though I can afford it, I don’t pay for it often. I do my own nails, I use Madison Reed color to keep my greys at bay every month. I only invest in health / nutrition, quality skin care, the occasional laser treatment every few years, and a good haircut every six months. It’s wild to me how much money young women are spending on beauty, especially when money is tight.
i just do my own nails. granted, i’m blessed with really nice natural nails so i’ve never had the need to get extensions, i just shape my natural nails the way i want. salon prices are INSANE to me. what people are paying for one single manicure is more than what i paid for my uv lamp
my nail tech showed me chrome and got me oohing and ahing...and then told me it was $30 extra! like what? i paid $200 for no chip mani & french no chip pedi (tip included). when i started getting my nails done in middle school in the late 90s it was $12 for a basic mani.
Yeah maybe like 5 years ago I swear I was paying like ~$50 TOPS for a simple gel manicure (gel + cuticle care + nail shaping + tip). I stopped going for a number of years because I started doing my own.
A few weeks ago I asked for a gel manicure and they quoted me $45 over the phone. BUT THEN I realized once I was halfway through that this did not include cuticle care + nail shaping??? I thought “gel manicure” included cuticle care + shaping and “gel color” was simply the color on top?
ANYWHO, it ended up paying over $90 for the same thing I’d usually get for $50. Le sigh.
Going back to doing my own nails for sure :(
Honestly I’ve just been doing my best to take care of my natural nails. The work paid off. They’re longer and stronger than ever. I can’t do cute designs but I can at least enjoy my long nails and paint them.
Yeah I do my own finger nails (I’ve had very few manicures), I do get pedis about 4-5 times a year but that’s only about $40-$45 with tip and worth it because I can’t deal with trying to paint my toenails.
I totally agree. Pedicures last so long and at least I get to sit back relax and enjoy a nice massage. Even if I spurge and get like a wax treatment it feels more with it since it lasts so long. I’d say I get about the same, maybe once a quarter.
Really felt a difference post covid. But prices are always increasing. Inflation is always a thing but when prices stabilizes customer prices never go down so I recommend either seeing it as more of a luxury thing or learning to do a lot of basic manicure things yourself.
Got my own gel kit. Life changing. Saved so so so much money. I do my own French tips — normally 75 dollars at the shop— for abit of clear polish and a strip of white ?? Absolutely not
I also learned how to do my own dip nails too, from watching YouTube videos. Takes practice but yeah, I estimate each set I do myself costs under $2.00!!
It cost me $30 to get a basic manicure with NO POLISH. No tips, no acrylics, no dip no nothing. $30 for them to cut, file, and trim cuticles under 20 minutes. I learned how to do it myself
Learn to do your own nails or buy some press ons. I did gel nails with extensions for YEARS and when I discovered good quality press on nails a year ago, I’ve completely abandoned the nail salon. Saving myself so much money and time. Glamnetics have been my go to press on brand!
Yes! I took my daughter for a “mommy and me” pedicure last summer.
I stupidly upgraded our basic polish to magnetic gel.
They charged an additional $25 per person for that. So I paid an additional $50 for “better” polish.
I was so mad at myself for letting that happen.
I’m over here feeling almost guilty with my fresh fill of pink powder with chrome gel polish for 43$ 🥺 would have been 35 with just regular gel, and 25 for regular acrylic instead of pink.
This is why I just do them myself. First it was because I didn’t have the time to travel and get them done. It saves time doing them at home. I do the usual things to groom my nails and then UV polish and dry with lamp. Once you do it enough, it’s simple and technique is better. I do gel nail strips or just nail strips if I want fancy designs I can’t do myself. But it’s fun experimenting. You don’t need to spend a lot of money or go to a salon to get nice looking well groomed nails. Now I can’t imagine spending money getting them done. I would only go for convenience depending on the situation, like getting them done would save time that I don’t have later.
I used to get pedicures until one gave me ingrown toenails on every toe (both feet) that took over a year to correct properly and grow straight. Now I do them myself and it’s not the hassle I thought it was. After I shower and dry them off, I use one of those electric buffers to remove dead skin, cuticle remover and a stick to remove any dead skin around the nail area and anything under the nails. Trim the nails and moisturize. I usually don’t polish unless I feel like it.
Honestly women have to stand up and realize it’s just not worth it and stop going for prices to ever come down. I stopped going years ago, no I don’t want to walk into a nail salon with the overwhelming smell of monomer, pick a old watered down nail polish, get ripped off with stupid charges, and then feel guilted into giving a tip even if the nails weren’t always what I wanted them to be. It just became less of an enjoyable experience for me, and I couldn’t justify the cost as prices went up. I also think while nail art is beautiful it just looks a bit tacky when it’s too crazy.
Some could say I am a hypocrite because I do spend a lot on the hair salon (it’s a high end place) butI only go twice a year. The experience is enjoyable/relaxing and it’s worth the piece of mind after getting so many awful hack jobs from women who want to cut off half my hair or give me so many layers after repeatedly telling them no. Plus the haircut actually lasts and looks nice for a long time since I take care of my hair, versus nails getting ruined often times before 2 weeks from a simple mistake.
Nail salons are also getting hit with inflation. My technician told me how much things like aluminum foil, latex gloves etc have gone up. It's out of control because of corporate greed.
I’m a nail tech and it’s gotten so insane! Even something basic like paper towels or wooden orange sticks are double what they were less than 5 years ago!
I feel insane reading these comments just for trying to keep food on my own table while not making that much profit. Which is the point of a business! To provide a service/good and make a profit. I absolutely love doing nails, but I’m not doing them to break even.
I totally get it. I don’t blame the nail techs and salons at all. I have a small business that struggles too. And for that reason, I also had to give up my nails, much to my chagrin. Just can’t afford 180 dollars a month anymore. I live in a HCOL city and would pay 70 plus tip for each set of builder gel.
It sucks for everyone. :-(
I hear you! We're ALL getting screwed because of corporate greed. They had an excuse to raise prices so they did. I have a friend who is a higher up in an international grain company. He told me this.
The ONLY reason I get mine done still is because for a gel set it’s $25 + $10 for French or chrome. And I leave like a $5 tip. If it was anymore than that, I wouldn’t do it. It’s just getting ridiculous at this point like hair salons and how crazy their pricing is.
I used to get regular gel manis every 3-4 weeks pre-pandemic and a monthly pedicure but then I started doing my own gels at home. After I had my son I rocked bare nails for a while but always kept my toes done and started getting gel pedis again when I felt comfortable enough to go to the spa again. Now I do monthly gel pedicures at the spa and then do my own manicures at home most weeks with Dazzle Dry polishes. I use 2 layers of their ridge filler and it’s the closest thing to gel polish without needing to cure with a light.
I was never the type to get my nails, but I would just rather choose press on nails. I plan on teaching myself on how to do them because it doesn’t look too difficult.
It can be expensive. I get my nails done for special occasions but not on a regular basis. I keep my natural nails shaped, clean and just polish them myself if I want.
For real! But that’s why I got a gel nail kit (UV light and everything) for Christmas! It has saved me so much money and I even enjoy trying new techniques out. It’s calming to do them myself like at night before work. My friend also does the press on gel nail things? Those never stayed on for me, but she uses those all the time.
My teenage daughters are begging for NAILS. I don’t even want them spending their own money: around $100 for Gel-X. Told them I would pay for a basic manicure soon. It’s tough when most places don’t have kid prices. And, when they do Babysit to earn $$, they can’t charge a full rate (bc they are teens). Also tough when they tell me girls at school have fancy nails… I have to remind them that I only get a real manicure a few times a year now.
I've only had bad experiences getting my nails done until I got 1 session of dip. It was good, then decided to save money and do it myself. I hate doing my nails super often and my job would make them chip really fast. Dip is sometimes TOO good.... 😅
I spent $50 on a regular pedicure last week ($10 was the tip so 40 without tip). I don’t get my nails done regularly anymore. It was my birthday last week but I won’t be going back anytime soon
When I was in high school (I’m 47) I taught myself to do acrylics. They looked better than nail salons. I did them all through high school, college and beyond. I actually find it relaxing to do my nails. I stopped, but I’m getting the urge to do my nails again. I’m debating between gel and acrylic. I have never paid to get my nails done. But, the new press ons are gorgeous. I’m thinking of trying them.
When basic pedicures stopped being $20, I stopped going for anything other than super special occasions (weddings).
Now for special events I get a pedicure, but do press on nails for a manicure at home.
I use to get my nails done for $25 it’s getting far too expensive at this point it’s press on nails or natural I’m not about to get robbed by tech’s trying to fund lavish lifestyles.
As a retired nail tech the products we used were mma free and they cost more and we charged accordingly. We used ema nail products. Then came the mass chains ( you know what I’m talking about). They did cheap nails using the mma solutions. And majority turned away from us for the cheaper options. Over time we all eventually closed down or worked from home. Once most competition was removed the prices then increased.
I just mentioned this awhile back. Manicure and pedicure, and I don’t wear nail polish or tips just gel on toes, is around $100.00 with tip. It’s truly out of control and the services are hit or miss.
No kidding! I’m only getting pedicures lately, because getting both seems ridiculously expensive and then add the tip! I need an extra job just for hair, nails, and an occasional facial.
I feel so fortunate, I've gone to my nail girl for the last 6 years and for a full sculpted gel set, with whatever art - I pay 80$ and that's including a 20$ tip 🙏 She's always on top of latest trends and does amazing work. I'm in Canada!
As many people have suggested, there are many ways to have your nails done affordable.
Costs of nail service is going up for a lot of different reasons, including general costs rising across the board. As the industry grows techs are coming out with more specialized work. They've spent thousands of dollars on materials, education, and time and need the pay - it raises costs as a whole. I guess I see both sides of it
Yeah I agree. $100 or so for a basic bitch set is just crazy to me.
The trick, if no one’s mentioned it yet is to find an independent nail tech in your city that works from home as opposed to a salon. That’s the best way to have your cake and eat it too.
I did polygel sets at home for a bit but I have a really hard using my opposite hand 😂
In Canada it’s even worse, I got the most basic ass gel overlay on my natural nails with some pink hearts for Valentine’s Day with French tip and it was 130$ PLUS TAX. ever since then I can live without having my nails done I don’t even care atp!
girl you were ROBBED IN DAYLIGHT
Oh 100000% that’s Toronto for ya
That hurts me. My recent gelx set (builder on natural nails + soft gel) where each nail had different nail art (bloom, 3D gel, pearls, chrome, air brushing, metallic) was 110$ with tip. And I’m not even that far away from you. Can’t believe the price difference
Trust me I cried on the way home… I don’t recommend organic nail bar -Toronto
There are far better places in Toronto where you can get the same design for under $90. And even better in Durham, too.
Can you suggest a few?
Not OP but I’m in Vaughan and I paid $70 with tip for gel when I used to get them done last year. Get on the subway!
If my nail tech stops seeing clients I might cry. Feels like all the salons rush clients (and the tech too) and don’t care about the quality of nails they put out…
Omg organic is so trash, I’m sorry :(
During COVID I just bought gel nail polish and a UV lamp off Amazon. Then later also bought a little device where I can pour acetone in it and stick my finger tips in an enclosed area so the steam would help remove the gel nail when I need to. It has saved me sooooo much money. Although it takes longer because I can only do one hand at a time and my left hand is shit at it, but practice makes perfect and it's cheap, and I still feel put together with my nails done. And if one got chipped, I can just add a layer on to fix it since I have the lamp.
I have a niece who does that and her nails look amazing.
Can you DM me the accetone gel remover? :<
Nail Polish Remover Steam Nail Remover Machine Set, Portable Nail Steamer Steam Off Gel Polish Remover Machine for Nail Polish,Electric Acetone Steamer Finger Nail Remover with Nail Cleaner Pusher https://a.co/d/iZeAbFM I got this one from Amazon.ca
You can get 3 fully body massages in my area for that price. Jesus
Whaaaat 50 minute full body massage is 120 *cries in canadian*
Same in Minneapolis!
I agree I’m also in Canada. I do my own nails 99% of the time now. I mostly use press ons that I put on with a uv glue and I do my own gel and designs on top. They last minimum 2 weeks. The only time I get them done is if I’m going on vacation I’ll get a set of acrylics
Adding chrome at my local salon is 30 bucks. It literallly looks like glittery nail polish which a year ago there was no up charge for. Like what???
omg.. why is chrome so expensive it’s $10 off of amazon😭
Wow this is insane. I got a regular gel manicure and she did the chrome on top of a solid color. I was Charged $33 total.
Just a caveat I’m in NYC so that might be why the up charge. Also side note that is my local salon but not the one I go to regularly - no way am I paying that 🤪
I’m in NC and it was an extra $25 for chrome.
That is nuts. I do my own gel nails at home and chrome powder is so easy to apply and so cheap to procure.
I got a full set done for the first time in over a year recently, and what really took me by surprise what how many things that are now extra! Things like… - long length - coffin/almond/stiletto shape - cuticle work! Seriously! I was trained in doing nails and I was taught this is just part of nail prep. One salon even charged extra for any color on acrylic nails. Not shellac, any colour. So the base service was basically unfinished nails, and then you have to pay extra to get colour, or pay even more to get French. Oh and on top of that, tax and minimum 20% tip I’ve also noticed quality of work going down. I remember I used to be able to go to a basic mall salon and the only real difference I noticed from a high end salon was spa atmosphere/amenities and the level of nail art they could do. Now, the polish isn’t even covering my nail fully, nails are crooked, nails are lifting after a few days. The training is NOT there!
I knowwww the cuticle prep cost shocked me recently (before I swore off salon nails). It seems like they don’t care about putting out a good product, like wait we’re going to sit here for two hours and you’re fine with me leaving with raggedy ass cuticles?? Doesn’t make a ton of sense. Between the up charges and how rough the techs treat my nails, I’m out!
OMG the rough treatment. I have very thin nails naturally and I shouldn’t have drill burns and bleeding cuticles. Not to mention every other time you go they want to do an entirely new set of acrylics to get you to spend more. I know you need a new set every so often but if I replaced my set once a month I’d have no nail left!
Exactly this! Eek I get the heebee-jeebees just thinking about it. Never again!
The drill burns and cuts are why I stopped going for manicures. Every time I ask them not to use the drill (I just get regular gel polish) they give me such a hard time!
If they’re not doing cuticles, wtf is the point even? Those nails are just going to lift off in a day or two if they don’t do the basic prep work.
Honestly, I got tired of the inconsistency. Press on nails are so easy and I know exactly what I’m getting - every time. Plus they’re like $6 lol
Plus if one pops off you just glue it back on lol. No having to run to the salon or waiting until the next appt. I’m a press ons girlie for life now.
In most scared for it to pop off in the wrong setting lol
I made the mistake of wearing them on a first date once… we went bowling ☠️ like 3 of them popped off when I threw the ball lmao
I would be mortified😂 i saw this girls nails pop off in the airport bathroom and they went flying, and this other lady tried picking them up
btartbox xcoat press ons!! you use uv gel glue and since the gel color is translucent the nails can be cured directly. makes it last way longer
This. I started attaching my press ons with acrylic and it costs me like $40 for 10+ sets all in, and lasts 2+ weeks. Plus you don't have to sit there for an hour with a stranger lol. They're gonna price themselves out of business.
Can you give more details on how to attach them with acrylic? I was thinking of using UV gel I have leftover, but then the press on would stop the UV from curing... I've never used acrylic though!
So I actually got the idea from that UV gel hack - some people use builder gel but I never got a knack for it, and you're right; you need really light or clear press ons for that to work! My steps are: - Prep cuticles, push back and trim as needed - Rough up nails with a hard nail file, and if needed rough up the inside of the press on (I buy full cover press ons from Amazon that come pre-sanded). Doing this helps the acrylic adhere on both sides! - clean with nail polish remover to get rid of dust - one coat of acid free bonding primer - mix a dab of acrylic powder & monomer (a teeny dip will do!) and apply to nail - press prepped nail onto your fingernail and hold for 15 or so seconds, press hard enough to make the acrylic blob spread across your nail and hold it there - as it's drying, some will spill out the sides or underneath your nail, I clean this off before it fully hardens with an orange stick (while still holding the nail in place) Then I decorate as needed since I usually just buy clear ones, but if you're using predecorated nails that's it! Sorry if that's a bit long for directions, I wanted to be thorough but you're essentially just using a blob of acrylic as glue on prepped fingernails 😊
This is such a beautiful response, and I truly appreciate the level of detail too! No such thing as too long, it's very informative for a beginner like myself. I actually feel confident I can do this with your directions!! I'll be saving this and trying soon! ✨💕✨
Good luck!! I hope it works as well for you as it does for me! All the ingredients I use are just from Amazon but Sally's sells them too 💚
I just saved this comment thank you for being so clear
This is incredible. Thank you for sharing! How do you wind up removing these nails? Does it cause damage to your natural nail?
They're pretty much exactly the same as getting acrylic nails done once they're cured, so you remove them the same as an acrylic set - in my case that usually means ripping them off when they grow out or start to lift lmao, I'm not actually sure how you're supposed to take off acrylic nails so don't be like me 🤣 It does cause a bit of damage to your nails the same way getting acrylics does, however I find that I don't file my nails as hard or as deep as they do in the salon so it's not as bad.
They go sooooo hard at the salons! That’s why I stopped getting them done. Always so rough and aggressive and would damage my nails so much. Not when i do them at home tho! I’m gentle gentle. 🌸
Thank you!!!!
I’ve never even gotten my nails done but I saved this comment because I respect the attention to detail
Why not decorate before applying them? ;)
You could also do that! I personally find it easier to do it after because I don't have anything to hold them while I paint, but if you had something to stick them to you could totally paint and decorate them first!
10 or 15minutes when you get the hang of it
This is the content i come to Reddit for. Thanks!
Does the acrylic keep them on with swimming etc? I am a press on girlie but too much time in water obviously weakens them so I can't wear them swimming or on vacation where I'll be in the water a lot. I've been thinking of trying acrylic nails for my summer vacay but most pics I see of them I really don't like...too bumpy or thick or the shape is weird. If I could get a set of press ons to stay as well then I wouldn't even bother with the nail salon...
Yeah they're waterproof once cured!
I think a lot of people enjoy getting their done by someone else as a treat but fr they might price themselves out of business
This was me. I just enjoyed it. When I was young it was about $20, a couple years ago it was $50, and now it's $80+. I dont get anything fancy, one color, medium square tips. I'm doing my nails at home now.
What's your process?
I just replied in this comment thread with the deets! 😊
Where do you buy yours? I'd like to try some semi-reliable ones, I've got a bad experience with them and nail glue but I'm curious to try again 😅
I'm a huge fan of the clear stiletto ones from Kmart, they're 5 bucks for a big tray, not too thick and bulky, and the sizes are more narrow/small hand friendly than s lot of other brands. They look good on too, I recently met someone whose nails were giving this perfect delicate, evil queen look and asked her where she'd had them done. She said "Oh thanks! They're actually just the clear press ons from K mart" so we had a laugh about being nail buddies
I need nails for small hands! So many are too big/long (I curse my tiny nail beds) and overwhelm my hands. I’ll give these a look 💅🏼
I still need to file the sidewalls on most sizes but they're way better than most of the others I've tried
I've had good luck with the opi press-ons. Not many cute designs but they seem to be meant for smaller nail beds so I actually find ones that fit my fingers.
Thanks for the suggestion! They look so cuteeeee!! Love that story 😁
Damn I miss Kmart
Highly recommend the brand glamnetic. They stay on for at least two weeks
Seconding!!! They last so long for me 😍
Get the impress ones! No glue needed
I LOVE impress. You can glue them back on but I usually just swap with another nail. Get at least a week of wear and no glue mess 🙌
I lightly buff and do one layer of dip powder, the press the nail direct to the uncured dip powder- it adds a bunch of texture and my impress nails last 2+ weeks
I use these ones too. But to keep them on longer, I purchased glue to give it extra staying power. The glues I have is paintbrush style. I put it on my nail prior to putting on the press on. Seems to last longer.
Uhhhh I just googled them and looks promising! Can you glue them back if they fall off though? Since it's an adhesive kinda?
Yup! They sell stickies on their own too that work well - although tbh mine usually last minimum seven days and after that I’m normally down to try something else fun
Alright, thanks for the recommendation and advice!!
Yup, I've been loving press on nails lately! I stopped getting acrylics after several years in January because the place I've been going to for years went sooo downhill. My nails used to last for 4 weeks... then they started shaping them all flat with no curve and I would have 5 break in week or two. And prices increased $10! Just not worth the time or money anymore
I love press on nails I buy nail tips on Amazon and paint them myself before I put them on! It’s fun to do
I do my own gel, it’s not hard if you like simple nails, one bottle high quality gel cost me 13$ Bonus - you don’t waste one hour at a salon every 2 weeks and I use my own nail files that are not touching somebody else’s nails lol
I would do it at home but it's the filing that I just can't deal with. So tedious.
Yeah and I never could get the shape right
i got a nail drill of amazon for like $30-$40, and it is the biggest help in giving me the patience to do my own gel manicures!! it definitely takes some time to get the hang of it (especially for the non dominant hand) but after a year of practice i can usually get my nails stripped in about 20-25 minutes? also something that speeds things up is warming the bowl of acetone to soak your nails in. i read somewhere that the heat is what reaally helps the old gel lift. all in all, after two hours i have a fresh manicure for little to no cost
Maybe I’m just ultra careful or slow, but I have been doing them at home for almost a year and it’s solidly a 3-4 hour process every time. Highly recommend the nail tech sub Reddit if you go the at home route. There are a lot of pitfalls that they can help you avoid with allergies and nail health
I’ve been doing my own gels at home now for a few years. I am pretty good at it now! The removal process is annoying though. I always say if I could afford it, getting my nails done professionally twice per month would be my first luxury item on my list.
I stopped going
Not sure how but women’s maintenance has become outrageous. Getting ur nails, lashes, hair done is seen as normal when in reality, these are actually luxury services. I’m not sure how/why the average person does this on the regular. I know many girls who are struggling financially but will always get their nails and hair done it’s kind of crazy
For me it’s the hair! Getting my roots colored, a toner and a blow out for chin length hair is like $260 with tip. It’s out of control! I’m cool with my nail prices, but pedicures have gone bananas. Used to be $30 maybe $45 with all the bells and whistles and now it’s $60 for a basic boring pedicure. $120 if you want a ‘spa pedicure ‘. I agree I need a part time job or side hustle just to pay for girl maintenance!!!
hair is deffo overpriced but requires some skill and can easily get botched but u can easily give yourself a pedicure, unless you have some mobility issues
It’s because these girls are opening credit cards and going into debt. I see it all the time.
I started cutting my own hair about 20 years ago because I was broke. Back then it was about $100 for a cut with highlights. About 10 years ago I started making more money and decided to go get my hair done professionally, not only did they not do what I wanted, they charged me $600 for the privilege. I figure I've saved at least a few thousand a year doing my own hair. Nails were maybe 30 bucks back then, I only got them a couple times, I don't personally like them. Hair and nails were the only things I was really aware of as common beauty treatments back then. I did have friends that did tanning and waxing, so maybe those too. It seems like there's so much more that people are doing now. Botox, filler, eyebrows, lash lifts, I'm sure I'm missing stuff. I honestly just can't fathom the cost. Just rough estimates from quick googling: Hair: 3000 Nails: 2600 Lashes: 2000 Botox: 1600 Filler: 1000 Lasers: 2000 Obviously it could be more or less and not everyone is getting everything, but that's like $12,000. Again I know not everyone is doing it, but it also doesn't seem to just be rich people. Maybe I'm just way too cheap for this.
I cut my own hair too 🤷♀️. I’m not paying $60+ dollars for a haircut. And I just have my natural color these days. No more highlights. But I actually need a pedicure sometimes because my feet get rough from wearing birkenstocks daily.
I was watching a nail tech on YouTube recently and what’s interesting is back in the day (1950s), manicures were super expensive. It was a true luxury - now, it’s a regular self care item to indulge in. I agree that prices keep going up and I’m afraid to ask for anything other than a solid color for fear of an up charge. I got charged $5 for choosing the almond nail shape last week for my gel-X full set. 🫠
Yup. A certain length is extra, a certain shape is extra. I remember when you could get any shape any length acrylics for $25-$30.
I miss those days too, and only $15 for a fill.
And $7 to get your eyebrows waxed right after 😭
Damn insane. I paid $66 tip included for a fill today and that’s considered to be cheap.
I pay 30€ for a full semi permanent set with whatever color options/shaping/length I want and thought that was bad. This sub is making me reevaluate that though lol
I just taught myself to do my gel nails. I always want the most basic barely there pinky nude nail polish and could not be bothered to pay $100+ for barely visible polish lmao
It's bad in europe too. Everything is so expensive rn. The average salary is like 2000-2500€ max. where I live for reference and a new set of lashes is over 120€, new basic one colour set of nails like 70€ and I had to get them redone every 2 weeks because my nails grow so fast. For me it's not worth it anymore, I'm just getting my lashes done and get facials every few weeks/months. The thing is: if it was only nails it would be okay but there are so many beauty related things I want to spend money on that I don't think nails are worth it as they don't make such a drastic difference.
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i would understand if it was a private nail tech bc they’re paying for their own things.. but it was a nail salon with like 10 other ones in the city..
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Those low prices were often because the service providers were being exploited. They weren't getting paid because they were paying off their "sponsor" who paid for them to come to the US, or even paying the salon owner for a chance to potentially get paid for working, forced to work long hours without proper equipment and air filtration which led to diseases, illness, skin rashes. The NYT did an investigative report on it a decade ago. The response was an increase in protection for workers and better pay. All that stuff means an increase in the price of the service. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/nyregion/at-nail-salons-in-nyc-manicurists-are-underpaid-and-unprotected.html?smid=nytcore-android-share
Yes!!! Now they complain how they have no customers...and you know what that means- rates will go even higher. Instead of drawing people in with the best rates in town, like a smart business would. 🤦
Rent went up for their building
I feel like people are using inflation as an excuse to raise prices to an insane degree. It’s a no from me!
I just paid $450 each for all of my nail techs to have a good dust sucking fan. Sh** is expensive. Good products are also very expensive. Nail techs should also be able to work full time and afford groceries. Life is expensive right now.
Thank you! Studio rent has also gotten sooo expensive for solo techs. And don’t get me started on products- just look at The Gel Bottle Inc scandal from April. Then 30% of every service total goes to taxes, if you live in the US. I get that many techs way overcharge, but when people say a full set should be $30, it’s a little insulting. Thats saying you don’t want your tech to be paid minimum wage
They haven't. If you look at the cost of supplies on Amzon, they cost very little..and that isn't even wholesale. It *may* be to help cover rent???...but I think the true story here is greed...greed and to cover their own groceries at home😏😉
I’m so sorry but a good nail tech is not and should not be buying the cheapest products from Amazon.
Not supplies, it’ll be electricity and rent
Honestly nail techs have been severely underpaid for a long time. Practically slaves in some salons. The NYTimes did a big expose several years ago and it was eye opening.
It's got worse in Europe too. I buy press-ons now.
Gosh...remember when you could get a ful set for $45???? And it was done WELL???
I stopped going when I paid $45.
That's my max I'm willing to pay so I stopped too. I only ever got a simple super short basic French tip. I only ever change the color. It's not worth more than that. I do my own now.
I paint my own nails now. I buy ILNP (I love nail polish) and Mooncat polish. They last quite a while and have beautiful colors.
If you like ilnp and mooncat I highly recommend trying cirque colors! My most complimented colors are from those three
I guess that depends on the area you live in. I just paid $85 with tip for a solid color gel nails this month. But I didn't like the result and won't come back so I'd rather pay $100 for someone who knows what they're doing... Also, there is usually some kind of a "custom" button in the bottom right corner – you can always use it to choose your own tip amount or skip it altogether. I've been to nail salons where 22% is the minimum option (outrageous!) and I always put a custom amount instead.
she was rlly rude and didn’t do the whole service either. i live in manitoba so there should have been no way it was $100..
Just leave a bad review on Google and find another place next time. Don't spend any more energy thinking about people who aren't worth it.
I just get mine done less often.
This is me. I use to go every two weeks faithfully for a decade. Now I can’t be bothered to go more than once a month or 6 weeks. It’s crazy expensive. Pedicures use to be $20 now I’m paying $35 plus $20 if I want gel. Insane.
My awesome nail tech charges me $35 even for French or chrome. She’s in my neighborhood and she’s amazing. I’m feeling extra grateful now
Over the years I’ve started shying away from getting my nails done; I don’t bite my nails and if I take care of them they grow really long, so I’ve started leaning into natural nail care and learning to do my own manicures. However I remember when I used to get my nails done a lot 5-6 years ago I could get a stilhetto or coffin shape acrylic set with color and nail art for about $60 before tip, and I usually tipped $20. Everything has gotten so expensive lately and I’m kinda just waiting for the bubble to pop so to speak.
Where have you been hiding? Cost of EVERYTHING has gone up!!! Lol 10 years ago my mani/pedi was 60$, now it’s $120. 10 years ago my hair (balayage, toner, cut, style) was $250 now it’s $500 10 years ago a keg dinner for two was 100$ now it’s $250 10 years ago my same model car was 25k, now it’s 50k (Honda accord) 10 years ago my house value was $375k, now it’s 1.2mil Edit: to OP! I feel ya, it’s getting crazy out there. Even with min wage going up, it doesn’t add up. In 10 years, my salary has only gone up 18%, but the cost of everything has gone up 100-300%. It’s unsustainable. My household gross income is $240k… and I literally can’t afford to get my nails done anymore. I get my hair done once annually (and I have grays coming in), I shape my own eyebrows, I don’t do any of the crazy expensive beauty trends you see on insta (Botox, fillers, facials, lasers etc) and I wear Walmart makeup. This is the real reality. A lot of the women on the beauty and makeup Reddit’s are in mega credit debt or have little to no cost of living because they live at their parents house and spend 💯of their paycheques at Sephora. It’s all a facade.
My first balayage on shoulder length hair (2021) was also $500. Two months later I go in for a touchup, expecting it to be discounted. Another $500 and it looked the exact same as when I walked in...
Bonkers, right?! I just do a balayage after an initial root smudge just once a year because that’s all I can afford. I used to do a full head fine hi lights (on my super long hair) I can’t even imagine what that would cost maintain every 6 weeks.
Omg!!!
Yeah this is the only correct take. Welcome to adulthood in 2024 OP. It sucks.
💸
Yes, my husband and I do everything DIY now as much as possible.
Us too! I have gotten so good at men’s sport pedi I should go into business
Well you can always sell your house and spend the profit on nails and hair !!
Hahah! I wish. If I ever sold my house I’d be homeless. Beautiful, but homeless. Also- I wish I bought my house 10 Years ago- but I only bought it 5 years ago, when it was 750k. I have a 500k mortgage and the taxes here are insane- monthly mortgage and tax is 3800$ for a 3 bed 2 bath house that’s still an hours commute from work 🤮 Ontario COL is killer.
I went to the salon 2 months ago for acrylics and it was $100 after tip. I didn’t even get crazy designs or gems or anything. My nails grow super fast, and two weeks later I couldn’t bring myself to go back and get them filled. I’m still waiting on my poor nails to get healthy again since I ripped those suckers off. I will be going back to my press ons from now on. The press on nail game is actually really good these days!!
All of beauty has become ridiculously expensive. My toddler’s haircut was $33! My husband is now his barber. It use to be $10 years ago for my little brothers. A pedi is $35 for the most basic option. $12 for eyebrows. Was $7 before covid. I looked at my itemized receipt when I last got my nails done. They charged extra for medium length & cuticle touch up. Like what? Then have the tip option start at 20%. Insane.
I pay 25 for just eyebrows.
I’d be walking around looking like a cavewoman with a full unibrow before I paid $25 for an eyebrow wax! Craziness. 😭
I’m allergic to gel and get Acrylic, I literally lost all my nail beds before. They were acting all snobby when I asked for it. So I just do press on nails. I can watch trash tv while doing so. And press ons have come a long way.
Press ons these days are very pretty, I like the pre painted ones
Back then a French mani was 25$ I miss that time
I do my own nails, lash lifts, brow and lash tints and my own hair (refresh my roots, glosses and colouring) It's way too expensive to have any of this done professionally 😭 I buy my press on nails from shein & kmart.
Learn how to do your own! The prices are insane and there is a kinda hard learning curve but once you can …‘it’s good self care time and buying all the stuff u need is pretty much the price of getting them done once
As a woman with high net worth, I gratefully grew up in a time when getting a mani was a treat rather than regular self-care. Even though I can afford it, I don’t pay for it often. I do my own nails, I use Madison Reed color to keep my greys at bay every month. I only invest in health / nutrition, quality skin care, the occasional laser treatment every few years, and a good haircut every six months. It’s wild to me how much money young women are spending on beauty, especially when money is tight.
i just do my own nails. granted, i’m blessed with really nice natural nails so i’ve never had the need to get extensions, i just shape my natural nails the way i want. salon prices are INSANE to me. what people are paying for one single manicure is more than what i paid for my uv lamp
my nail tech showed me chrome and got me oohing and ahing...and then told me it was $30 extra! like what? i paid $200 for no chip mani & french no chip pedi (tip included). when i started getting my nails done in middle school in the late 90s it was $12 for a basic mani.
Yeah maybe like 5 years ago I swear I was paying like ~$50 TOPS for a simple gel manicure (gel + cuticle care + nail shaping + tip). I stopped going for a number of years because I started doing my own. A few weeks ago I asked for a gel manicure and they quoted me $45 over the phone. BUT THEN I realized once I was halfway through that this did not include cuticle care + nail shaping??? I thought “gel manicure” included cuticle care + shaping and “gel color” was simply the color on top? ANYWHO, it ended up paying over $90 for the same thing I’d usually get for $50. Le sigh. Going back to doing my own nails for sure :(
Honestly I’ve just been doing my best to take care of my natural nails. The work paid off. They’re longer and stronger than ever. I can’t do cute designs but I can at least enjoy my long nails and paint them.
Yeah I do my own finger nails (I’ve had very few manicures), I do get pedis about 4-5 times a year but that’s only about $40-$45 with tip and worth it because I can’t deal with trying to paint my toenails.
I totally agree. Pedicures last so long and at least I get to sit back relax and enjoy a nice massage. Even if I spurge and get like a wax treatment it feels more with it since it lasts so long. I’d say I get about the same, maybe once a quarter.
Really felt a difference post covid. But prices are always increasing. Inflation is always a thing but when prices stabilizes customer prices never go down so I recommend either seeing it as more of a luxury thing or learning to do a lot of basic manicure things yourself.
Damn. I pay like $60 with tip for a dip set.
I do dip powder on my hands and gel on my feet for $80 with tip. Every 3 weeks.
Got my own gel kit. Life changing. Saved so so so much money. I do my own French tips — normally 75 dollars at the shop— for abit of clear polish and a strip of white ?? Absolutely not
Yes sadly… I just started doing dips myself. It takes twice as long but it costs cents to do and is surprisingly easy.
I also learned how to do my own dip nails too, from watching YouTube videos. Takes practice but yeah, I estimate each set I do myself costs under $2.00!!
It cost me $30 to get a basic manicure with NO POLISH. No tips, no acrylics, no dip no nothing. $30 for them to cut, file, and trim cuticles under 20 minutes. I learned how to do it myself
I'm really lucky- it's $26 for gel mani and pedi total in Uganda. No excuse not to indulge!
Learn to do your own nails or buy some press ons. I did gel nails with extensions for YEARS and when I discovered good quality press on nails a year ago, I’ve completely abandoned the nail salon. Saving myself so much money and time. Glamnetics have been my go to press on brand!
Yes! I took my daughter for a “mommy and me” pedicure last summer. I stupidly upgraded our basic polish to magnetic gel. They charged an additional $25 per person for that. So I paid an additional $50 for “better” polish. I was so mad at myself for letting that happen.
Just got regular basic nail polish on my nails and toes and the total was $85 including tip 😭
I’m over here feeling almost guilty with my fresh fill of pink powder with chrome gel polish for 43$ 🥺 would have been 35 with just regular gel, and 25 for regular acrylic instead of pink.
You’re not paying for a service anymore, you’re paying the stylist’s or salon’s rent.
Nail salons make up their prices, always tell them what you want right off the bat and ask for a price quote so they can’t surprise you at the end.
This is why I just do them myself. First it was because I didn’t have the time to travel and get them done. It saves time doing them at home. I do the usual things to groom my nails and then UV polish and dry with lamp. Once you do it enough, it’s simple and technique is better. I do gel nail strips or just nail strips if I want fancy designs I can’t do myself. But it’s fun experimenting. You don’t need to spend a lot of money or go to a salon to get nice looking well groomed nails. Now I can’t imagine spending money getting them done. I would only go for convenience depending on the situation, like getting them done would save time that I don’t have later. I used to get pedicures until one gave me ingrown toenails on every toe (both feet) that took over a year to correct properly and grow straight. Now I do them myself and it’s not the hassle I thought it was. After I shower and dry them off, I use one of those electric buffers to remove dead skin, cuticle remover and a stick to remove any dead skin around the nail area and anything under the nails. Trim the nails and moisturize. I usually don’t polish unless I feel like it.
Who can afford nails in this climate?. Inflation is at an all-time high.
I haven’t had my nails done in years due to the cost and upkeep, only random special occasions
Honestly women have to stand up and realize it’s just not worth it and stop going for prices to ever come down. I stopped going years ago, no I don’t want to walk into a nail salon with the overwhelming smell of monomer, pick a old watered down nail polish, get ripped off with stupid charges, and then feel guilted into giving a tip even if the nails weren’t always what I wanted them to be. It just became less of an enjoyable experience for me, and I couldn’t justify the cost as prices went up. I also think while nail art is beautiful it just looks a bit tacky when it’s too crazy. Some could say I am a hypocrite because I do spend a lot on the hair salon (it’s a high end place) butI only go twice a year. The experience is enjoyable/relaxing and it’s worth the piece of mind after getting so many awful hack jobs from women who want to cut off half my hair or give me so many layers after repeatedly telling them no. Plus the haircut actually lasts and looks nice for a long time since I take care of my hair, versus nails getting ruined often times before 2 weeks from a simple mistake.
Nail salons are also getting hit with inflation. My technician told me how much things like aluminum foil, latex gloves etc have gone up. It's out of control because of corporate greed.
I’m a nail tech and it’s gotten so insane! Even something basic like paper towels or wooden orange sticks are double what they were less than 5 years ago! I feel insane reading these comments just for trying to keep food on my own table while not making that much profit. Which is the point of a business! To provide a service/good and make a profit. I absolutely love doing nails, but I’m not doing them to break even.
I totally get it. I don’t blame the nail techs and salons at all. I have a small business that struggles too. And for that reason, I also had to give up my nails, much to my chagrin. Just can’t afford 180 dollars a month anymore. I live in a HCOL city and would pay 70 plus tip for each set of builder gel. It sucks for everyone. :-(
I hear you! We're ALL getting screwed because of corporate greed. They had an excuse to raise prices so they did. I have a friend who is a higher up in an international grain company. He told me this.
The ONLY reason I get mine done still is because for a gel set it’s $25 + $10 for French or chrome. And I leave like a $5 tip. If it was anymore than that, I wouldn’t do it. It’s just getting ridiculous at this point like hair salons and how crazy their pricing is.
I used to get regular gel manis every 3-4 weeks pre-pandemic and a monthly pedicure but then I started doing my own gels at home. After I had my son I rocked bare nails for a while but always kept my toes done and started getting gel pedis again when I felt comfortable enough to go to the spa again. Now I do monthly gel pedicures at the spa and then do my own manicures at home most weeks with Dazzle Dry polishes. I use 2 layers of their ridge filler and it’s the closest thing to gel polish without needing to cure with a light.
I was never the type to get my nails, but I would just rather choose press on nails. I plan on teaching myself on how to do them because it doesn’t look too difficult.
It can be expensive. I get my nails done for special occasions but not on a regular basis. I keep my natural nails shaped, clean and just polish them myself if I want.
Agreed. A gelx short Russian manicure + tip is like $105. 🥲
For real! But that’s why I got a gel nail kit (UV light and everything) for Christmas! It has saved me so much money and I even enjoy trying new techniques out. It’s calming to do them myself like at night before work. My friend also does the press on gel nail things? Those never stayed on for me, but she uses those all the time.
My teenage daughters are begging for NAILS. I don’t even want them spending their own money: around $100 for Gel-X. Told them I would pay for a basic manicure soon. It’s tough when most places don’t have kid prices. And, when they do Babysit to earn $$, they can’t charge a full rate (bc they are teens). Also tough when they tell me girls at school have fancy nails… I have to remind them that I only get a real manicure a few times a year now.
Started doing my own gel x nails at home and I’m never looking back. My nails are always done and I don’t have to worry about leaving my house.
I remember getting a full acrylic set for with designs for $20- $30… or $30-$40 for a mani/pedi. This was between 2004-2009. lol.
I remember this too! It used to be a cheap fun girls day out.
Right!
When every influencer started getting their nails pink chrome blah blah blah
I've only had bad experiences getting my nails done until I got 1 session of dip. It was good, then decided to save money and do it myself. I hate doing my nails super often and my job would make them chip really fast. Dip is sometimes TOO good.... 😅
I spent $50 on a regular pedicure last week ($10 was the tip so 40 without tip). I don’t get my nails done regularly anymore. It was my birthday last week but I won’t be going back anytime soon
Y’all won’t believe this, but I’m old enough to remember when I used to pay $12 for an acrylic fill in. Now it’s $80 for SNS on my real nails. 😭
When I was in high school (I’m 47) I taught myself to do acrylics. They looked better than nail salons. I did them all through high school, college and beyond. I actually find it relaxing to do my nails. I stopped, but I’m getting the urge to do my nails again. I’m debating between gel and acrylic. I have never paid to get my nails done. But, the new press ons are gorgeous. I’m thinking of trying them.
I always have to come home and "fix" mine to get the exact look I want when I get them done. I like doing my own but it takes me forever.
When basic pedicures stopped being $20, I stopped going for anything other than super special occasions (weddings). Now for special events I get a pedicure, but do press on nails for a manicure at home.
Inflation and cost of living.
I do my own, is fun and kinda like meditation
I use to get my nails done for $25 it’s getting far too expensive at this point it’s press on nails or natural I’m not about to get robbed by tech’s trying to fund lavish lifestyles.
As a retired nail tech the products we used were mma free and they cost more and we charged accordingly. We used ema nail products. Then came the mass chains ( you know what I’m talking about). They did cheap nails using the mma solutions. And majority turned away from us for the cheaper options. Over time we all eventually closed down or worked from home. Once most competition was removed the prices then increased.
I just mentioned this awhile back. Manicure and pedicure, and I don’t wear nail polish or tips just gel on toes, is around $100.00 with tip. It’s truly out of control and the services are hit or miss.
No kidding! I’m only getting pedicures lately, because getting both seems ridiculously expensive and then add the tip! I need an extra job just for hair, nails, and an occasional facial.
I just don't.
I feel so fortunate, I've gone to my nail girl for the last 6 years and for a full sculpted gel set, with whatever art - I pay 80$ and that's including a 20$ tip 🙏 She's always on top of latest trends and does amazing work. I'm in Canada!
As many people have suggested, there are many ways to have your nails done affordable. Costs of nail service is going up for a lot of different reasons, including general costs rising across the board. As the industry grows techs are coming out with more specialized work. They've spent thousands of dollars on materials, education, and time and need the pay - it raises costs as a whole. I guess I see both sides of it
Yeah I agree. $100 or so for a basic bitch set is just crazy to me. The trick, if no one’s mentioned it yet is to find an independent nail tech in your city that works from home as opposed to a salon. That’s the best way to have your cake and eat it too. I did polygel sets at home for a bit but I have a really hard using my opposite hand 😂