How Much To Tip At The Nail Salon, According To Etiquette

What to know before heading to your manicure appointment.

These days, there’s much more to getting your nails done than just picking out the perfect color. You can choose from an array of different manicure types depending on how long you want it to last and which style you prefer, and you can customize your manicure to create a professional look that is hard to achieve when doing it yourself, even if you’re heeding these common at-home manicure mistakes. Additionally, there’s nail salon etiquette to follow, including the matter of tipping.

Here’s how much to tip a nail technician, things to consider when tipping, and other manners-minded nail salon guidelines.

Getty Images/seksan Mongkhonkhamsao

Whenever you step into the nail salon, you’re making an unspoken agreement to act respectfully, and that includes tipping for services provided. Unequivocally, you can assume that the price on the nail salon menu does not include tip unless otherwise noted, and so you should show up to your appointment prepared to add a tip at the end to the stated cost of service.

Much like at restaurants and hair salons, the industry standard for tipping at the nail salon ranges around 15 to 20 percent, and it is generally recommended that if you’ve received extra services or specialty designs, a minimum of 20 percent is appreciated. Moreover, if someone goes above and beyond, you can show appreciation with a tip that reflects that. Costs of nail services vary, but 15 to 20 percent is a good rule of thumb.

While there is no rule that says you need to tip in cash, it is often appreciated by nail technicians. If you are a regular and return to the same manicurist each time, it can be a nicety to extend the offer and plan ahead to tip in cash.

If for some reason you are unhappy with your results, proceed with politeness. Communication is key at the nail salon, so make sure you are forthcoming about what type of manicure you want, which color, which shape, and other options before beginning. Additionally, if you notice something is not correct or to your liking during the appointment, it is much better to communicate about it immediately rather than waiting until afterwards. This gives the technician a chance to tweak or fix any issues during the appointment. Etiquette would dictate that tipping is always customary for a completed service, so it’s best to try to reach a solution that works for all parties before considering not to tip.

It also goes without saying to always arrive on time for your appointment, and you should refrain from speaking on the phone while at the nail salon to be considerate of everyone else around you.

With each season, there’s a pretty new nail color just waiting to grace your fingers, and now you’re ready to make that appointment.