How To Build List Of Nail Salon Services in 2024

Deciding on your list of nail salon services is an essential step when setting up a new nail salon, and the services nail salons offer have a big impact on their staff and client base.

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1. What Are the Essential Nail Salon Services?
2. What Are Additional Nail Salon Services?
3. List Of Nail Salon Services Example
4. Conclusion

What Are the Essential Nail Salon Services?

With so many options available, you may be wondering “What type of nail services are most requested in a salon?” That’s a great question, and a great place to start thinking about what you’ll want to include in your nail salon service list.

Basic Manicures

While there are many different manicure types and styles, even a basic manicure should be a luxurious self care experience (and a chance for nail technicians to bond with their clients).

A regular manicure involves an assessment of nail health, examining a client’s skin and cuticles. Then, a nail technician will apply lotion, perform a hand massage, trim the cuticles, apply cuticle oil and shape clients nails.

This is usually followed by regular nail polish or more specialized services like nail tips or extensions. A standard manicure usually lasts from 7-10 days and won’t damage your natural nails.

Some variations on a basic manicure include:

• French Manicures
• Reverse French Manicure (a french manicure that highlights the half-moon on the lower nails)
• Shellac Manicures (a shellac manicure uses a special polish long-lasting that’s half gel and cures under UV light in just a few minutes)

Pedicures

The ultimate pampering experience, a pedicure is a similar process to treat clients’ feet. And it’s a truly relaxing experience.

Technicians begin by soaking the feet in warm water, then perform therapeutic massage, scrub away dead skin cells, push back the cuticles, and trim and polish the nails.

Often this is combined with a matching manicure, which brings us to…

We recommend you to check out our post on nail salon price list.

Manicure and Pedicure Combos

This is among the top nail salon essentials, and it’s probably one of the most popular. Of course, this means a longer appointment time than manicures alone, but it’s a valuable opportunity to spend time with clients and can lead to a lot of upselling and extras.

Pro tip: Mani/Pedi combos make great gifts and salons often sell a lot of gift cards around the holidays.

Nail Tips

Probably the simplest fake nails, these are plastic nail extensions that can be glued on and polished over during a manicure. They can be used to strengthen existing nails or add length, and they’re not damaging to the nail beds.

Acrylic Overlays

An acrylic manicure uses a combination of a liquid monomer and acrylic powder to build up a hard layer over a client’s own nails. You can apply either gel polish or a standard base coat overtop, and the whole process takes over an hour.

These typically last up to three weeks, and clients will usually return to the salon for professional removal, to have the new nail growth filled in, or a complete change.

Gel Manicure

Similar to acrylic nails, a gel manicure includes a substance that’s applied over existing nails, then cured under UV light to form a hard protective layer. Until it gets hard, gel is easy to shape and has a fainter odor than acrylic powder. It can take about 45 minutes to apply and is very shiny.

Often, this will be combined with a gel polish and can last up to three weeks or more.

Dip Powder Manicure

Somewhere in between a shellac manicure and acrylic nails, dip powder manicures involve a base coat of polish, after which the nail is dipped into pigmented powder and sealed with a top coat. These are longer-lasting than a basic manicure and gentle on the nails.

Polish Changes

Exactly what it sounds like, many clients will come in for this basic service. In this shorter version of a manicure, a technician removes old nail polish, cleans up the nail shape and cuticle, then applies a fresh coat of nail polish or shellac.

Nail Wraps

These are a type of overlay (often made of silk, paper or synthetic materials) and are one of the popular types of manicures for short nails. This helps to strengthen the nail or add texture, and polish can be applied on top.

Do not miss our post on how to open a nail salon.

Some popular add ons that you often see on a nail salon services list are:

Paraffin Treatment

An extremely moisturizing treatment, a paraffin manicure involves dipping client’s hands in warm wax, then sealing them in plastic gloves for about 30 minutes. Afterwards, the wax is peeled off to reveal soft skin that lasts for up to two weeks. This can also be performed as a pedicure.

Hot Oil Treatment

A hot oil manicure (or pedicure) is similar, but involves soaking clients’ hands or feet in warm oil with essential oils added. The scent and properties of each oil can be tailored to a client’s preferences or needs.

What Are Additional Nail Salon Services?

In addition to the many different manicure options we’ve looked at, most salons will offer at least a few “extras” depending on their client’s needs.

Nail Art

Nail art might include jewels, custom designs or the latest Instagram-worthy trends and 3-D designs. This takes both patience and talent on the part of a technician, but it can be a unique way to make a name for your salon.

Do not miss our post on nail salon names.

Nail Events and Special Occasions

These can include different kinds of manicures for wedding parties, birthdays with large groups or even special event packages that your nails salon offers as part of its main menu. Catering to large groups (or even specializing in these events) can set you apart from the competition.

Natural Nail Services

A great option to offer for clients who don’t want or can’t use polish, this usually involves a cleaning and buffing of the nails, cuticle care and a hand and forearm massage. You may want to specialize in organic or environmentally-friendly products, too.

Massages

The perfect compliment to a manicure for a day of luxury, a hand, arm or foot and leg massage can also stand on its own as a service.

Many nail salons and spas offer specialties like hot stone massage or aromatherapy massages. Hot stone massage is increasingly popular, and deep tissue therapy is wonderful for soothing aching feet and hardworking hands. This is a great way to build loyal clientele, too.

Additional Spa Services: Arm Wax, Leg Wax

Along with a manicure, your technicians may want to be trained in some other beauty services, and including basic wax options like this on your service menu is a great way to help clients look their best, especially when combined with a manicure or pedicure.

List Of Nail Salon Services Example

While many salons offer different types of nail services, there are some things that you’re likely to find on every nail salon services menu.

We have prepared a template of Nail Salon Services List for you.

Manicures:

• Basic Manicure
• French Manicure
• Reverse French Manicure
• Natural Manicure
• Men’s Natural Manicure
• Japanese Beeswax Manicure
• Kids Manicure

Pedicures:

• Natural Pedicure
• Basic Pedicure with Polish
• French Pedicure
• Reverse French Pedicure
• Gel Pedicure
• Dip Powder Pedicure
• Spa Pedicure with Foot Massage
• Men’s Pedicure
• Kids Pedicure

Mani-Pedi Packages:

• Basic Mani-Pedi
• Deluxe Gel Mani-Pedi
• Shellac Mani-Pedi
• Spa Deluxe Mani-Pedi with Paraffin Treatment
• Men’s Mani-Pedi
• Mani-Pedi for Natural Nails
• Kids Mani-Pedi Package

Group and Wedding Event Mani-Pedi Packages

Polish Changes:

• Nail Polish Change
• Toe Polish Change
• Shellac Polish Change
• Gel Polish Change
• Nail Polish Removal
• Dip Powder Removal

Nail Extensions:

• Acrylic Nails
• Acrylic Nail Removal
• Gel Nails
• Gel Tips
• Dip Powder Manicure
• Nail Wraps

Repairs and Refills:

• Dip Powder Refill
• Acrylic Fill-ins
• Gel Nail Refill
• Nail Repairs (Per Nail)

Moisturizing Treatments:

• Paraffin Treatment
• Hot Oil Treatment
• Hot Oil or Paraffin Treatment with Massage

Some additional services at nail salon locations near you might include:

Nail Art:

• Full Set of Nail Art
• Nail Art Per Finger
• Bling Nails
• SNS Nails

Clear Gel Top Coat

Natural Nail Services:

• Eco-friendly Natural Manicure
• Nail Buff and Shaping

Massages:

• Hot Stone
• Aromatherapy

Spa Services:

• Arm Waxing with Manicure
• Leg Waxing with Pedicure

We recommend you to check out our post on nail salon supplies.

Conclusion

When deciding on the services you want to offer, pay close attention to your nail salon’s clients (as well as what the competition in your area provides). This will give you valuable clues about the needs in your area and where there might be room to expand in the future.

You can always add more items to your list of nail salon services- ask your team, get input from clients and don’t be afraid to get creative.

Citations

What is meant by services?
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002224296603000407

Services marketing
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BqyaBQAAQBA

Design for services
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/97