Getting a manicure is a treat – a pampering session to keep us looking well-groomed that doesn’t cost the earth.
But this week nail salons across the UK are raising their prices in a huge collaboration across the industry.
Over 5,000 UK nail technicians have collectively raised their prices as part of “National Nail Price Increase Day.”
It currently costs between £30 and £45 for a full set of nails (gel or acrylic) in the majority of salons across Northern Ireland.
Yet nail techs say they are crippled by declining profit margins. Often self-employed, they reportedly earn just £6.99 an hour after expenses and tax. That’s almost £3 less than the new Living Wage.
Today, nail bars are one of the biggest success stories in UK retail. Across Northern Ireland there are new nail bars springing up on every High Street and demand for their services is high.
Figures from the Local Data Company (LDC) show that nail bars were the fourth fastest-growing retail category last year, with 302 new stores opening in 2023.
Their success can partly be attributed to the rise of social media. Instagram and TikTok are now home to huge online communities of nail artists, who can easily highlight their designs to local audiences using free and low-cost marketing tools.
But the competitiveness has also contributed to depleted profits, as customers search for luxury options at unsustainably low costs.
According to research by The Nail Tech Org, the company behind National Nail Price Increase Day, after overheads such as products, tools, and rent, a self-employed nail technician earns just £800 a month, compared to the Living Wage average of £1,052.
Campaign leader Amy Guy said: “I don’t think people would be happy getting their nails done, knowing the technician wasn’t making minimum wage.
“The job of a nail tech isn’t easy, costs are rising all around us, the costs of products and tools are also rising along with utility, rent and those things.
“It’s so important that as business owners we’re aware of our costs. The biggest problem in the nail tech industry for a long time has been pricing, but a lot of prices aren’t realistic for business owners.”
Each business taking part in the price hike is different, according to the NTO, as it depends on their individual business costs.
The NTO is offering a “free masterclass” online for nail technicians, which will help them to calculate their own business costs and create a new “pricing structure that supports us now and in the future”.
Amy Guy said: “If you do see nail techs increasing their prices, which could be by any amount, and that’s simply because they have now decided to calculate what their business costs are and correctly price their services.”