Ninety-six percent (96%) of US females say they regularly polish their nails either at a salon or at home, according to 4,000+ US beauty-buying females surveyed in The Benchmarking Company’s May 2025 online nail polish study. That percentage is consistent across age generations (with the exception of Baby Boomers with 91% saying the same), making nail polish one of the most important categories of beauty product consumption for the US consumer and the industry. Ten percent (10%) of respondents say they only have their nails done in a salon, 43% only do their nails themselves at home, but 47% say they do a combination of nail services and DIY.
This study reveals the US female consumer’s nail care practices, products, shades, finishes, and brands used at home and in-salon, and what’s trending on her brightly colored nail horizon.
Her Salon Basics
For salon-goers, her manicure schedule is slightly more frequent than her pedicure schedule, as toenail polish tends to last longer than fingernail polish. Forty-three percent (43%) get a salon manicure twice-a-month to monthly; compared to 36% getting pedicures at the same rate. The price she pays tends to be the same for both services, with 53% paying between $25 to $50 each time for a pedicure, and 51% paying that same price each time for her manicure.
When choosing a salon, cleanliness is key, with 85% saying it’s a primary attribute she seeks when looking for the perfect salon experience. Precision and efficacy are very important (75%), followed by a great reputation (70%), long-lasting results (65%), friendliness of technicians (65%), affordability (61%), and comfort (60%).
What She Looks for in Choosing a Salon %
It is clean/sanitary 85%
Nail result is precise/they do a great job 75%
Great reputation/highly recommended 70%
Results last a long time 65%
Friendly nail technicians 65%
Affordable 61%
Comfortable atmosphere 60%
Close to my home or work 56%
They take walk-ins 40%
Fast/quick service 30%
Nail products are “clean” or less toxic than traditional polishes 28%
Luxurious atmosphere 22%
Salon is on-trend and can deliver the latest nail looks 22%
To make her appointments, 44% call and schedule ahead of time; 23% just walk in; and 33% do either on occasion. More than two-thirds (68%) of salon-goers select the nail polish colors available at the salon, with 29% sometimes taking their own polish with them for use by the technicians, and 4% always taking their own polish.
Gel manicures top her list of services she receives when getting her nails done at the salon (55%), followed by basic pedicures with nail polish (53%), gel pedicures (43%), basic manicures with nail polish (39%), acrylic nails (30%), and a French manicure (28%).
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