LOS ANGELES — A place of refuge for a small bit of glam in a hum-drum world is under attack.
Eve Gurbazar, owner of Eve’s Space nail salon in downtown Los Angeles, was painting her regular client’s toes a sparkly blue. She charged the same price that her client had seen one year ago.
“The economy is not doing well, so I wouldn’t want to put anything on my client’s shoulder,” she said. “I’m carrying it on my shoulder.”
President Trump’s aggressive tariffs and a state law, AB5, have brought real-world pressures to nail salons and manicurists, which inevitably means the risk of consumers paying more.
“I used to make $10,” said Gurbazar. “It’s $8 now.”
At the same time, elements in the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which President Trump signed on July 4, introduce tax benefits for service-based professionals who earn tips and work overtime. The bill’s 900 pages also include an expansion of a tax credit for employers in the beauty and personal care space.
In 2018, during his first administration, President Trump imposed Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, titled “Relief from Unfair Trade Practices.” This meant goods from China, among other nations, would face heavy tariffs. These tariffs remain in place to this day.
A significant amount of American consumer goods, such as nail supplies, are either imported from China or made with materials imported from China. According to the United States Trade Representative, imports from China in 2022 totaled $536.8 billion. This means somebody has to pay: companies or consumers.
In 2024, the United States Trade Representative announced an increase in Section 301 tariffs on imports from China, significantly affecting medical and hygiene products.
Disposable textile facemasks, also previously tariffed at 7.5%, face a similar fate. In January 2025, the rate was brought to 25%.
Nail techs often wear face masks to prevent inhalation of potentially toxic fumes and microscopic plastic particles generated during nail drilling.
California state law also requires Gurbazar and nail technicians like her to wear gloves when working with chemicals.
Under Section 301, rubber medical gloves were first tariffed at 7.5%. That was raised to 50% January 2025. Last month, it increased to 100%.
Mary Vorona, owner of OK Nail Bar in Culver City, is struggling with increasing prices for disposable gloves.
“It used to be one box, I could afford for $6,” Vorona said. “Right now, I’m paying $10.”
And it doesn’t stop there. Even the nail supply shops she has always relied on have let her down. Her supply shop, Sweetie Nail Supply, sent her messages stating that prices were rising by 10-15% to cover FDA, brokerage, and tariff costs. They “put everything on the buyer.”
“Everybody was really afraid of how much the price was going to go up,” Vorona said.
Jenny Truong, founder of Làmay Nail Spa in Downtown Los Angeles, said she began noticing nail supplies becoming more expensive in early 2023.
“Even basic items like a disposable mani-pedi kit, acetone, masks and gloves have gone up noticeably, sometimes by 20 to 30%,” Truong said.
Like many other salon owners, Truong often buys supplies overseas. “Anything imported,” she said, “especially from Korea, Japan, Vietnam or China, has become more expensive due to shipping and customs fees.”
Meantime, California’s AB5, which went into effect in 2020, redefined how workers are classified – as either employees or independent contractors. At a lash or hair salon, staff can choose to work as an independent contractor. AB5 says manicurists must be classified as employees.
Employees get benefits – minimum wage, overtime and breaks for meals and rest. But independent contractors can earn significantly more.
Renee Phillips, of Clarksville, Tennessee, is the owner of Nashville Nails in Hollywood. Her shop opened just seven weeks ago, yet it is already feeling the pressures of AB5.
“Nobody would work for $20 an hour,” Phillips said, “because as an independent contractor, they can make ten times that.”
Her son and business manager, Brian Hall, agrees.
“There are a lot of salons that are not able to find anyone to hire,” he said, “California’s the only state that’s doing that, and they specifically went after the nail salon industry.”
There are other issues specific to nail techs that AB5 contributes to beyond salary.
“Not everybody wants to be W2, because most of the nail technicians want to have a pretty flexible schedule,” said Vorona. “I noticed a lot of people who were interested are single mothers, or they have a child to care for. And as a mother, you have to be flexible.”
Cherelle Hartley, a licensed esthetician and owner of The Nail and Body Shop, also feels the burden of AB5, as her employees prefer independent contracting.
“It does put a lot on the business owner because even though they say they’re not independent contractors, they actually are,” Hartley said. “Most nail techs work independently, regardless, so their schedules are always going to kind of reflect being an independent contractor.”
To make matters worse for salon owners, studies suggest declining attendance. According to Business Insider, 68% of Gen Z salon-goers and 69% of millennials now report going less often or never.
A 2025 Civic Science survey asked consumers why they might choose at-home DIY beauty treatments over salon services. The most popular reason, reported by 50% of respondents, was financial concerns.
Gurbazar said of her salon, “I feel threatened every day.”