A brief survey conducted by Business FM among manicure specialists revealed that not all professionals can expect such high earnings; remuneration largely depends on the market segment, region, and other variables.
Salaries for manicure masters have surged by 50% over the past six months. According to data from the `Avito Rabota` service, the average salary for these specialists leads the growth, reaching up to 130,000 rubles.
Business FM interviewed salon owners and masters, who stated that salary levels are inconsistent, varying by salon category, service type, and the volume of work performed by the master.
Evgeny Pyatyshin, owner of Gulo men`s beauty salon, agrees with Avito`s observations.
“There`s a growing shortage of masters, which naturally drives up their salary expectations. Secondly, wages are genuinely increasing because more people are visiting salons. There was a slight downturn previously, but from my perspective, and judging by my own earnings, the situation is improving. I own and work at a nail studio, and our bookings are rising. My team`s salaries are growing, I`d say probably by 30-40%, possibly even approaching 50%.”
“Over what period?”
“Over the past six months.”
In contrast, Igor Stoyanov, President and founder of the `Persona` image laboratory chain, believes the 130,000 ruble salary reported in the study is above market rates. According to him, a salon-employed master typically earns around 60,000-80,000 rubles. Compensation is commission-based, with the master receiving approximately 40% of the service cost and the salon retaining 60%, which is nearly standard for the market.
“These are figures that have impressed the audience; I`ve seen several bloggers express surprise. In `Persona,` our beauty parks, and the salons I founded and manage, salaries increase by 10% annually, depending on our price adjustments. Therefore, the 130,000 ruble figure likely pertains only to the `grey market` or home-based specialists. Frankly, I would verify this information. A manicure specialist works a minimum of 20 shifts. Dividing 130,000 rubles by 20 results in a daily rate of approximately 6,300 rubles. Dividing 6,300 rubles by eight clients, assuming an eight-hour workday, means a master earns 900-1,000 rubles per service. A salon in Moscow charges around 2,500-3,000 rubles for manicure and pedicure. The master receives 1,000, and the salon gets 2,000 – this arithmetic confirms the typical salon work model. A skilled master usually earns 40-50% or opens their own nail studio in a co-working space.”
President and founder of `Persona` image laboratory chain
Ekaterina Yarovaya, a manicure master from Krasnodar, corroborates Avito`s data. Working as a self-employed professional, she earns 150,000 rubles per month after operational expenses, despite rising costs for consumables and rent. Ekaterina notes an increase in client flow over the past six months.
“This information is reliable because demand for manicures has increased. It hasn`t cost 1,000 rubles for a long time; it was around 1,800 rubles, and now it`s approximately 2,300-2,500 rubles. Rent has increased by about 3,000 rubles over six months due to rising utility payments. However, the increase in cabinet rent is still less than the client flow, so salaries are indeed growing. This is based on an average eight-hour workday. I work a 4/2 schedule, which is very comfortable for both clients and me. Typically, I take about four clients a day to ensure my comfort and avoid excessive fatigue.”
Manicure Master from Krasnodar
According to Avito Rabota`s study, the barber profession holds second place in salary growth, reaching 133,300 rubles, a 26% increase over six months. In third place, with a 22% increase, are cosmetologists-aestheticians, whose average salary is 84,700 rubles.
According to data from the `Gorod Rabot` portal, the average salary for a manicure master in Russia is about 74,000 rubles. For clients, the cost of a manicure has increased by 10% to 30% over the year, depending on the segment and region.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth