Revealed: Pedicures are more popular than manicures in the nail salon
By Lilly Delmage | 14 January 2025 | Business, News, Products & Treatments, Trends
Salon, spa, and fitness booking and management software, Vagaro, has released its 2025 Vantage Report, revealing insights into beauty and wellness trends.
Pedicures take the lead
With 21 million nail salon appointments booked between January and September 2024, pedicures have overtaken manicures in popularity. They accounted for 59% of searches on the Vagaro Marketplace, with half a million bookings.
Manicures weren’t far behind, with 400,000 appointments booked – accounting for 41% of searches. Manicure trends also influenced bookings, with hard gel (39%) and polygel (25%) ranking highly. The report recommends that salons stay updated on industry trends and consider running trend-led or combination packages to encourage bookings.
Capitalising on events
The data highlights that popular events, like concerts, present a significant opportunity for beauty businesses. On average, concertgoers spend $86 on nail services prior to an event. Vagaro recommends creating concert-themed packages, running special promotions and posting engaging social media content to boost bookings.
Seasonal, trend-led opportunities
The report finds that searches peak around seasons, such as the rise in ‘fall nails’ searches in September and November. Therefore, it states that nail salons should be prepared with trendy, seasonally-inspired colours and nail art options to meet these demands. This practice is already popular, with 54% of business owners offering special promotions, 45% organising themed events and 22% of businesses holding festive giveaways to ‘attract new clients and reward old ones’.
Valentine’s Day is another occasion which can be capitalised on. Last year, Valentine’s-related spending reached an estimated $25.9 billion. Experience gifts proved particularly popular, reaching 300,000 Google searches. Why not create ‘gifts for him’ and ‘gifts for her’ deals, as well as self-care packages, to encourage clients to spread the love?
Industry challenges
The data reveals that busy peaks take a toll on industry professionals, with 38% struggling with chaotic holiday schedules and 27% feeling pressure to meet sales goals. The main struggle though, according to 78% of respondents, is the rising cost of materials.
Women-led businesses
The report detects a rise in women-led businesses, particularly within the beauty and wellness sector. Nail techs claimed fourth place in a list of female-dominated self-care industries.
Vagaro also found that between 2019 and 2023, female-owned businesses outgrew the growth rate of male-owned businesses, at an impressive 94.3%. And from 2022 to 2023, women-owned beauty businesses on Vagaro grew by 37% globally. Additionally, the pandemic saw women entrepreneurs create 1.4 million jobs and generate $579.6 billion in revenue.
Artificial intelligence
The data reveals that two out of three respondents believe that AI tools would help ‘streamline their business operations’. For example, 85% report being able to send automated, personalised marketing to clients as crucial, and three out of four note the need for automated appointment reminders to reduce no-shows and cancellations.