A rough estimate of what the average woman spends on nail care during one single year comes in at upwards of $1,300.
That is assuming all she has done is a manicure and an easy one-color polishing job. If the woman frequently has more complex nail color jobs, that figure could be much higher.
Another contributing factor is how often she has her nails professionally done. Some women like to feel pampered and have them done more often.
Let’s look at the different ways a woman can have her nails done and how that impacts the overall cost.
Table of Contents
Simple Manicures Only
In these instances, the woman doesn’t want them polished at all. She just wants them to look neat and healthy. It is not necessary to even have a coat of clear polish.
This person wants her nails to be perfectly shaped and fully clean.
On top of that, she only gets this done perhaps once every other month or so.
This lady has tried doing it herself, but always winds up with unevenly shaped nails or sometimes they come out too short.
If you take all that into consideration, this particular woman spends quite a bit less money and time on her nails than many others.
Manicure Plus a Simple Polish
This is the next least expensive option. It does not require much work on the part of the professional nail tech.
If you want your nails to look nice but not fancy, this option is fine. Depending on your occupation, this nail care option can be your best choice.
What is meant by this? This describes the action of having your nails manicured, then receiving a simple polishing job with one color.
This is as opposed to having multiple nail colors on one nail or having different colors on specific nails.
If you want to save money at the salon, but still look nice, this is your best option.
You will save even more money if you do this yourself. Pick a day when it is nice and quiet in your home, and you have the day off from work.
Buy a great new color of nail polish and nail care tools if needed. Then take the whole day to pamper yourself. Your nails will look splendid.
Fancy polish jobs
This is the choice of many women who frequent nail salons on a regular basis. It will cost a bit more money but is deemed worth the extra bucks.
What do fancy nail jobs consist of?
Perhaps you want a unique color that is hard to come by. You want two or three coats of it, plus one or two coats of clear polish.
This is so your nails will appear radiant. You will be the envy of the office if you choose this option.
Do you like to change your nail color often? Then the person in the salon will first have to remove your existing color.
This will be followed by the steps mentioned above. Expect these procedures to cost more money and time. Is it worth more? That choice is yours to make.
Super-decorative polish jobs
Do you like to be adventurous when it comes to your nails? Instead of having one color applied, maybe you would like something special such as a two-toned polishing job.
Perhaps you want one primary color with a contrasting color stripe down the middle. This can be done, but it will cost you.
Another option is to get very bold-colored nail polish. Even if you have all the nails painted with that color, sometimes it is difficult to come by.
Therefore, the salons that have it charge a pretty penny for it.
Some women want some fingers to have one color of nail polish, while their other fingers have a different color that compliments the first one.
These are all styles that a lot of younger women really enjoy having nowadays.
Having fingernail stickers applied
There are now many forms of nail art being used by women of all ages and backgrounds.
Some are more ornate in style, while others are simple, like a flower or a butterfly.
Women that are into nail art typically want to change it frequently. This means they will spend far more hard-earned dollars on nail care during a calendar year than women who couldn’t care less about their nails.
They consider this to be their reward for working hard at their respective jobs.
Not only will nail art cost you more money, but also much more time. Care has to be taken by the artist to avoid bubbles in the design.
Additionally, they need to be applied in a way that makes it harder for them to be chipped off accidentally. All this extra care takes time.
Nail stamping explained
Yet another relatively new form of nail art is known as stamping. This is where, after the primary nail polish color is applied, a physical stamper is used to apply a design.
With this step, an engravement is stamped onto the fingernail. Then another color of nail polish is used to fill in the grooves.
This process can take a while, so don’t be in a hurry when you arrive for your appointment.
You can also expect to pay a hefty fee for it. The results are gorgeous, however, and worth the effort.
If you have a job that put your fingernails at high risk of breaking, you might not want to have this done. Instead, save it for when you are on vacation.
If you are getting married and going on a honeymoon afterward, this is the perfect time to have your nails stamped.
Fingernail enhancements
There are gals who try everything under the sun and cannot get their nails to grow naturally. That is when they turn to faux fingernail enhancements.
These days, faux nails appear very real and can be decorated nicely. Unless someone physically examines their nails, nobody ever has to know the truth.
It is possible to apply faux nails yourself. However, for the best results, it is better to have a professional do it.
They know how to make them look natural and extremely beautiful. The price you will pay to acquire faux nails depends upon the salon you go to.
Another thing that will contribute to the overall cost of faux fingernails is if they often break. Then they need to be replaced soon, otherwise, you will look very silly.
You will also pay extra to have them polished. If you want them to appear real, it is worth the money to have the faux nails polished.
Where to go for nail care
Years ago it was rare to be able to find someone to provide nail care services. Today, that has changed.
A woman has the option of going to a beauty parlor that provides an array of services, including nail care. She can also choose a salon that focuses solely on nail care.
An additional possibility is to find a private beauty expert who is proficient in nail care services.
His or her schedule may be more flexible and appeal to very busy women. Sometimes these providers will come to you.
If you truly want to save a lot of money on nail care services, take a class or two and learn how to do it yourself.
With some practice on your part, the results can be every bit as magical as if you go to a high-end salon. The total annual cost of nail care is literally in your hands.
