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How to Build a Gel Polish Menu for Your Salon
How to Build a Gel Polish Menu for Your Salon A well-structured gel polish menu is one of the most powerful tools in a nail salon's business. It sets expectations, communicates your expertise, makes choosing easy for clients, and creates natural upsell opportunities at every visit. Here's how to build a gel polish menu that works hard for your salon. Start with Your Core Services Every salon gel polish menu needs a clear foundation of core services. Keep it simple and easy to understand: Gel Manicure — the core service: prep, base coat, 2 coats of colour, top coat. This is your most-booked service and the benchmark around which everything else is built. Gel Removal — soak-off removal of existing gel product. This should be a separate line item on your menu, priced fairly but not as a freebie. Gel Removal + Reapplication — the most common repeat booking. Bundle removal with a fresh manicure at a slight saving versus booking separately. Gel Pedicure — gel polish on the toenails, including prep and cuticle work. Typically the second most requested gel service. Add Upgrade Options Upgrades are add-ons that enhance the core service and increase your average ticket. Present them as optional additions rather than separate services: Nail art accent — one or two nails with a simple nail art design. Quick to deliver, high perceived value. Cat eye / chrome finish — magnetic cat eye or chrome powder effect. A popular upgrade that photographs well and drives social media sharing. Glitter accent nail — one nail in a glitter shade, remaining nails in a coordinating crème. Simple, impactful, easy to deliver. Extended massage — an extended hand and arm massage with cuticle treatment before gel application. Premium feel, high client satisfaction. Nail repair — repairing broken or split nails before gel application. Price per nail. Consider a Tiered Structure A tiered menu (Good / Better / Best) makes upselling feel natural and gives clients clear choices: Classic Gel Manicure — prep, gel colour, top coat Deluxe Gel Manicure — classic plus extended cuticle treatment and hand massage Premium Gel Manicure — deluxe plus your choice of nail art or special effect finish This structure makes the upgrade decision easy for clients and means you don't have to actively sell — the menu does it for you. Colour Menu Presentation Your colour menu is as important as your service menu. How you display your Gelish colour range affects client experience and average colour selection quality: Nail tip swatches — apply each colour to a white nail tip and display on a card or ring. The most accurate representation of the actual colour. Organise by family — group colours by family (nudes, pinks, reds, purples, darks, brights) not alphabetically. Much easier for clients to browse. Highlight seasonal collections — display the latest Gelish seasonal collection separately as "new in" to drive interest in the newest shades. Limit the core display — having 30–40 beautifully displayed, current shades is more effective than 100 poorly displayed options that overwhelm clients. Seasonal Menu Updates Update your colour display and menu with each new Gelish seasonal collection. This gives clients a reason to look forward to their next appointment and positions your salon as current and fashion-forward. Highlight new arrivals in your booking confirmations and on social media to build anticipation. Shop the latest Gelish collections at Nail Outlet to keep your colour menu current — same-day UK dispatch, free shipping over £50 + VAT. Frequently Asked Questions How many gel polish shades should I offer on my salon menu?30–50 well-chosen shades across all colour families is ideal. More than this can overwhelm clients and make colour selection frustrating. Curate rather than collect. Should I offer gel toe colour for free with a pedicure?No — gel pedicure is a distinct service that requires its own preparation, products and time. Always price it separately from a regular pedicure. How often should I update my gel polish menu?Review service pricing annually. Update your colour range with each seasonal Gelish release (typically 4 times per year). Remove discontinued or very slow-moving shades periodically to keep the display current. How should I present my gel polish upgrade options to clients?Present upgrades at the colour selection stage, not at check-in. When a client is choosing their colour, that's the natural moment to mention — "would you like a glitter accent nail to go with that, or we could do a cat eye effect?"
Learn moreHow to Price Gel Polish Manicures in Your Salon
How to Price Gel Polish Manicures in Your Salon Pricing gel polish services correctly is one of the most important business decisions a nail technician or salon owner makes. Price too low and you undervalue your skill and won't cover your costs. Price too high and you risk losing clients to cheaper competitors. Here's a practical guide to pricing gel polish manicures profitably in the UK market. Understanding Your Costs First Before setting prices, you need to know what each service costs you to deliver. For a gel polish manicure, your direct costs include: Product cost per service — base coat, colour, top coat, cleanser, pH bond, wipes, cuticle oil. Across all products, a full gel manicure typically uses £2–4 of consumable product Equipment depreciation — your lamp, tools and workstation equipment have a useful life and a replacement cost that should factor into your pricing Time — a professional gel manicure typically takes 45–75 minutes including prep, application and finishing Overheads — rent, utilities, insurance, training and any other business costs that aren't directly tied to individual services Your wage — what do you need to earn per hour to run a sustainable business? UK Gel Manicure Price Benchmarks Gel polish manicure prices in the UK vary significantly by location and salon positioning: Budget/mobile — £18–25 for a basic gel manicure Mid-range salon — £25–40 for a gel manicure Premium/London — £40–65+ for a gel manicure These are starting benchmarks. Your specific market, location and positioning will determine where you sit within this range. A home-based nail technician in a smaller town will price differently to a premium salon in central London — and both can be profitable at their respective price points. Calculating Your Minimum Viable Price A simple calculation for minimum viable pricing: Calculate your hourly business cost (overheads ÷ working hours per month) Add your target hourly wage Multiply by service time (e.g. 1 hour) Add product cost per service Add a profit margin (typically 20–30%) This gives you the floor price below which the service is not commercially viable. Your actual price should be at or above this floor, positioned relative to your market. Additional Services to Upsell Building a tiered pricing structure around your base gel manicure increases average transaction value: Gel removal only — £8–15 Gel removal + reapplication — premium over basic gel price Gel with nail art accent — £5–10 additional Gel with cat eye or chrome — £5–10 additional Gel pedicure — typically £35–55 depending on location Gel with nail repair — £3–5 per nail When to Raise Your Prices You should review your gel polish pricing at least annually and consider raising prices when: Your appointment book is consistently full 2+ weeks in advance Product and overhead costs have increased You've completed additional training or qualifications You're working in a premium salon environment Your skill level and reputation have grown significantly Communicating price increases to existing clients professionally — with adequate notice and a clear explanation — is essential for retaining them through the transition. Keep your product costs competitive with Nail Outlet's full Gelish range — professional pricing, same-day UK dispatch and free shipping over £50 + VAT. Use our Build Your Own Box to save 60% on colour orders. Frequently Asked Questions How much should I charge for a gel manicure as a mobile nail tech?Mobile nail technicians typically charge slightly less than salon-based techs (no premises overhead) but should factor in travel time and costs. £20–35 is a typical range for mobile gel manicures in the UK depending on location. Should I charge more for gel removal?Yes — gel removal takes time and uses product. Always charge separately for removal, either as a standalone service or as part of a removal-and-reapplication package. How do I compete with cheap gel manicures in my area?Compete on quality and client experience rather than price. Clients who've had a bad cheap gel experience — lifting, poor finish, rushed application — are often willing to pay more for reliability and professionalism. Should I include tips in my gel manicure price?Gel polish alone doesn't include tips. A gel overlay on natural nails and a gel manicure with tips/extensions are different services and should be priced separately.
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