St. Louis · Clayton · Central West End · Richmond Heights & Brentwood · Downtown & Washington Ave · The Grove / Forest Park SE
St. Louis's insider guide to exceptional nails.
St. Louis's nail scene runs on the city's famous county-vs-city divide. The upscale 'county' lounges cluster in Clayton and West County with spa amenities and premium extension work, while a growing set of boutique, natural-nail and Black-owned studios has taken root in the city core — The Grove, the Central West End and the Washington Avenue loft district.
The St. Louis guides
A researched salon directory, an honest 2026 price table, and every technique deep-dive — all applied to St. Louis.
Directory · Researched
St. Louis Salons Worth Knowing
The St. Louis salons that come up again and again in public reviews — what each is known for, with neighborhoods and addresses.
See the directory →Pricing · 2026 rates
What Nails Cost in St. Louis
Typical St. Louis ranges for every service — what moves the price across the metro, and the cost-per-week math.
Read the price guide →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 St. Louis too.
Explore nail styles →Know the neighborhoods
St. Louis's nails split county-and-city — upscale lounges in Clayton and West County, boutique and natural-nail studios in the Grove and downtown.
$$$ · Business district
Clayton
An affluent business district with a cluster of upscale lounges along Clayton Rd.
$$$ · Historic luxe
Central West End
A walkable historic district where luxury salons sit among boutiques and restaurants.
$$ · Retail corridors
Richmond Heights & Brentwood
The Boulevard and Manchester Rd retail corridors hold a mix of nail bars and value shops.
$$ · Loft district
Downtown & Washington Ave
The loft district, with boutique, appointment-only studios geared to residents and professionals.
$$ · Indie & natural
The Grove / Forest Park SE
An eclectic Manchester Ave strip home to indie and natural-nail specialists.
$$$ · Suburban upscale
West County
Suburban upscale lounges (Des Peres, Town & Country) offering spa amenities and premium extension work.
Where to get your nails done in St. Louis
The quick answers people (and their AI assistants) ask us most — pulled straight from our St. Louis neighborhood and price guides.
Where should I get my nails done in St. Louis?
Clayton and West County for upscale suburban lounges, the Central West End for walkable luxury salons, and the Grove and Washington Avenue downtown for boutique, natural-nail and Black-owned studios. The Nail Guide’s St. Louis salon directory lists the researched shortlist, and the neighborhood guide and price table help you choose.
How much does a manicure cost in St. Louis?
A gel manicure in St. Louis typically runs $35–55 in 2026, a full set of extensions $45–85, and a spa pedicure $30–50. See the full St. Louis price guide for every service.
Where are St. Louis's Black-owned and natural-nail studios?
Mostly in the city core. DEMIblue Natural Nails in The Grove is both Black-owned and a clean/vegan '21-free' nail brand; Sonder Lush on Washington Avenue downtown focuses on natural nail growth; and Xquisite Luxury Nails in Benton Park West does custom Black-owned work. They're listed in our Black-owned section below.
For salon owners
One St. Louis salon gets the front page.
The Nail Guide features a single partner salon per city: top placement on every St. Louis guide, the booking links across these pages, and the calls that come with ranking for the searches your future clients actually make. One St. Louis salon, exclusively.
The St. Louis placement is currently open.
If you run a nail salon in St. Louis and want every page of this city's guide working for you, get in touch.
Ask about the featured spotSee everything we do for salons — websites, SEO, leads, reviews & automation →