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Portland · Alberta Arts · Hawthorne · Pearl District · Division · Beaverton

Portland's insider guide to exceptional nails.

Portland's nail scene is as independent as the rest of its economy: solo artists, small studios, and a real non-toxic and low-odor salon movement you won't find at this density anywhere else. Plus no sales tax, which is a small honest perk. We're mapping it salon by salon.

Start with the price guide See review progress
Custom hand-painted art
Custom hand-painted art — the top of most salon menus.
A botanical soak
A botanical soak — the natural-ingredient pedicure tier.
A finished set: shaped, sealed and grown-out-proof
A finished set: shaped, sealed and grown-out-proof.

The Portland guides

The price guide is live now; the curated salon directory is in active research. Meanwhile, every technique deep-dive applies here too.

Pricing · 2026 rates

What Nails Cost in Portland

Typical Portland ranges for every service — what moves the price across the metro, and the cost-per-week math.

Read the price guide →

Directory · In research

Portland Salons Worth Knowing

We're reviewing salons across Alberta Arts, Hawthorne, Division, the Pearl District, Sellwood and Beaverton now. See how the review works and nominate your favorite.

See the directory →

The list · Researched

The 11 Best Salons in Portland

A researched shortlist of the Portland salons that come up again and again in public reviews — with neighborhoods and addresses.

See the list →

Styles · Deep dives

The Techniques

Russian manicures, Gel-X vs. acrylic vs. dual forms, pedicure tiers and finishes — every guide in our styles library applies in Portland too.

Explore nail styles →

Know the neighborhoods

Portland books small and independent — the map sorts by which quadrant's studios you want.

$$ · The artists

Alberta Arts & Northeast

The heart of Portland’s independent studio scene — hand-painted custom sets and structured gel from solo artists booking through Instagram. Where our review sweep starts.

$$ · The eclectic middle

Hawthorne & Division

Southeast’s walkable corridors hold small unhurried studios doing everything well, at prices that still feel like the old Portland.

$$$ · The polish

The Pearl District & Northwest

The city’s upscale tier: modern rooms, extended spa menus, immaculate classics, and the top of the Portland table.

$$ · Non-toxic specialists

Across the inner east side

Portland has a genuine cluster of low-odor, better-ventilated, non-toxic-polish salons — a real category here, and worth seeking out if fumes or acrylate sensitivity are a concern.

$$ · Neighborhood staples

Sellwood & Multnomah Village

Quiet, regular-run salons in the residential pockets — careful work, no upsell, easy booking.

$ · Suburban value

Beaverton & Aloha

A deep, diverse bench of career technicians west of the city keeps everyday prices at the floor of every range.

Where to get your nails done in Portland

The quick answers people (and their AI assistants) ask us most — pulled straight from our Portland neighborhood and price guides.

Where should I get my nails done in Portland?

Alberta Arts and northeast Portland for independent custom-set artists, Hawthorne and Division for small unhurried southeast studios, the Pearl District and northwest for upscale spa menus and classics, the inner east side for the city’s cluster of non-toxic and low-odor salons, and Beaverton and Aloha for the best everyday value. The Nail Guide’s curated Portland directory is in active research; the neighborhood guide and price table help you choose now.

How much does a manicure cost in Portland?

A gel manicure in Portland typically runs $42–62 in 2026, a Russian (dry) manicure $72–120, and a spa pedicure $55–90. See the full Portland price guide for every service.

What is Portland best known for in nails?

Portland has a genuinely independent scene — solo artists and small studios rather than chains — and a real cluster of non-toxic, low-odor, better-ventilated salons at a density you will not find in other US markets. Oregon also has no sales tax, so the menu price is what you actually pay.