Salonist, a cloud-based salon management software provider for beauty and wellness businesses, has published its Beauty Trends Report for 2026, a compilation of market data and service trends for the salon industry. The report was released on the company’s website on August 14, 2026.
The report draws on figures from third-party sources, including IBISWorld, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Fortune Business Insights. Salonist said each figure carries a source and a year, and that where research firms’ estimates differ, the report shows the range rather than a single number.
Market data. The report states that the US hair and nail salon market is worth about $92.5 billion in 2026, with growth of roughly 2.2% a year. It cites IBISWorld’s estimate of 1,077,381 hair salon businesses in 2026, up 1.66% on 2025, and describes the market as highly fragmented. Using US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the report lists 651,200 jobs for barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists in 2024, projected growth of 5% from 2024 to 2034, and about 48% of workers being self-employed.
Booking patterns. According to the report, between 46% and 50% of bookings are made when a salon is closed. For the United Arab Emirates, it states that about 72% of salons use a digital booking system and that more than 82% of online bookings there are made on mobile devices.
Service trends. The report identifies eight trends for 2026: artificial intelligence in booking and scheduling, personalisation, medical-grade skincare, premium men’s grooming, sustainability and halal certification, natural beauty standards, on-demand and mobile services, and specialist training. It reports that facial services grew by around 18% in the UAE over the past year.
UAE market. Citing Fortune Business Insights, the report puts the UAE beauty market at $3.49 billion, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 6.14% through 2034. It states that Dubai and Abu Dhabi account for 70% of the market.
Costs and margins. The report also lists typical US salon startup costs, ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 for a home-based or suite-rental setup to more than $200,000 for a full-service salon in a prime location. It gives a typical US net profit margin of about 8%, with well-run salons reaching between 8% and 15%.
The report is published on Salonist’s website at salonist.io/blog/salonist-beauty-trends-report.
About Salonist
Salonist is a cloud-based software provider for the beauty and wellness industry. According to the company, its platform covers scheduling, payments, marketing, inventory, staff payroll and client records, and it is used by more than 15,000 businesses worldwide.
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