If you have ever walked out of a salon surprised by the bill, you are not alone. Irish salon pricing is opaque: most salons publish a list, but almost nobody compares them, and the gap between two salons doing the same treatment ten minutes apart can be forty per cent. This page sets out what things actually cost in 2026, using real published price lists rather than estimates.
The headline numbers
The single most useful figure to carry around: a gel manicure in Ireland now averages about €51, up from roughly €40 in 2021. That is a 28 per cent rise in five years, comfortably ahead of general inflation over the same period. Nails have risen faster than almost any other treatment, largely because the techniques have changed — BIAB and structured gel take longer to apply than a simple polish and are priced accordingly.
Two real price lists, compared
To show the spread, here are two current lists side by side: a salon in Churchtown, Dublin 14, and one in Mallow, Co. Cork. Both were published in 2026. The result is not what most people expect.
| Treatment | Dublin 14 | Mallow, Co. Cork |
|---|---|---|
| Eyebrow shape | €12 | €12 |
| Lip & chin wax | €15 | €20 |
| Underarm wax | €15 | €20 |
| Standard bikini | €18 | €22 |
| Brazilian | €35 | €42 |
| Hollywood | €35 | €47 |
| Full leg | €35 | €42 |
| Eyelash tint | €15 | €20 |
| Full body spray tan | €25 | €32 |
| Gel extensions, full set | €45 | €55 |
| Full body Swedish massage | €70 | €75 |
| Dermalogica facial (60 min) | €65 | €80 |
The country salon is dearer on almost every line. That runs against the usual assumption that Dublin is expensive and everywhere else is cheap. The likely explanation is competition rather than costs: a Dublin 14 salon has dozens of rivals within a few kilometres and prices accordingly, while a town salon serving a wide rural catchment has far less pressure to undercut. Rent is lower outside Dublin, but rent is a smaller share of a salon’s costs than most people assume — staff time is the real expense, and a therapist’s hour costs roughly the same in Mallow as in Milltown.
The practical lesson: do not assume you are getting a better deal by driving out of the city. Check the list.
What to expect by treatment
Nails
A basic file and polish sits around €18–€22. Shellac or two-week gel polish runs €25–€35. BIAB, which has largely displaced traditional overlays, is typically €40–€45. A full set of gel extensions is €45–€55, with refills €40–€45 and removal €10–€25 depending on whether the salon did the original set. Watch that last one: removal of another salon’s work is often charged at a premium because it takes longer and carries more risk of damage.
Waxing
Facial waxing is €10–€17 per area. Underarm €15–€20. Half leg €24–€27, full leg €35–€42. Intimate waxing has the widest spread of anything in the salon: a Hollywood ranges from €35 to €47 in our two sample lists alone. Combination bookings almost always save money — full leg plus Hollywood is €65–€67, against €70–€89 booked separately.
Brows and lashes
Brow tint €10–€14, brow shape €12–€17, the two together €21–€22. Lash tint €15–€20. A lash lift is a bigger commitment at around €60 but lasts six to eight weeks. Lash extensions are priced per set and vary too widely to average usefully — ask for the infill price as well as the full set price, because infills every two to three weeks are where the real cost sits.
Facials
An express 30-minute facial is around €45. A standard 60-minute prescriptive or brand facial is €60–€80. Longer anti-ageing protocols run €75–€95. Above that you move into clinic territory — microneedling, HydraFacial, peels and HIFU are priced separately and often sold in courses.
Massage
Half an hour €35–€45, a full hour Swedish €70–€75, hot stone slightly more at €75. Reflexology sits around €60 for the hour.
Tanning
Half body €20–€27, full body €25–€32. Brand matters here more than most people realise: He-Shi, Bellamianta and California Tan all behave differently on different skin, and a salon that only carries one may not suit you.
Where the money actually goes
It helps to understand why a facial costs what it does. A 60-minute treatment occupies a room and a qualified therapist for an hour, plus fifteen minutes of turnaround. Product cost on a single facial is usually under €10. The rest is wages, employer PRSI, insurance, rent, heat, laundry and the salon’s margin. When you see a facial at €35, something in that chain is being squeezed — usually the time, meaning you are getting a shorter treatment than the name suggests.
Questions worth asking before you book
- How long is the appointment? A “60-minute facial” that includes consultation and changing time may be forty minutes of hands-on work.
- Is removal included? For gel, BIAB and extensions, removal is frequently a separate charge.
- What brand do you use? Dermalogica, Guinot, Yon-Ka and pHformula all have different strengths. If you have a specific concern, the line matters more than the salon.
- Is there a course price? Laser and advanced skin treatments are almost always cheaper bought as a course, but only commit after a single session.
- Is there a patch test requirement? Tinting, lash treatments and laser usually need one 24–48 hours ahead. Not asking is a red flag.
A note on the cheapest option
Price is a poor proxy for quality in either direction. Some of the best-value treatments in the country are in small suburban salons with no marketing budget, and some of the dearest are simply well located. What price does reliably tell you is how much time you are buying. If a treatment is significantly below the ranges above, ask what has been shortened.
Prices quoted were published in 2026 and are indicative rather than binding. Always confirm with the salon directly — every listing in our directory includes a phone number or booking link.