When did the nail salon boom begin?

We pay more for three main factors - quality (longevity), speed, and appearance. Normal at-home nail polish starts chipping within a couple days, so you either need to spend a lot of time re-doing them, or go around with tacky looking chipped nails. They also require extra care when drying and take long to dry, any smudging and they will need to be re-done from scratch and may also damage whatever they come into contact with. Right hand will almost always look like trash. Overall a huge hassle and rarely worth it, but a nice cheap option. Low quality, slow, very cheap, risk of damaging furniture. At-home gel nails last a little longer, but start chipping by the end of the week. They take a bit longer than normal polish, but require special polish and specific equipment to do at home. Right hand will almost always look like trash. Minimal risk of smudging, which is a huge bonus. Great middle ground imo. Medium quality, slow, medium expensive. Salon gel nails often use high quality products which last significantly longer. It's also quicker to have an expert do this for you, instead of doing it yourself, so is very convenient. Can include cuter designs as someone else is doing it for you. Is also a relaxing experience. High quality, fast, slightly more expensive. Salon acrylic nails are the most expensive. Artificial nails are created and bound to your real nails. They last incredibly long (\~1 month), can be any length you want (no need to grow your actual nails long!), often include cute designs, and are the nicest looking. Can't typically do these from home due to the skill level involved. Almost always guaranteed to get you complements. Is also a relaxing experience. Great for the occasional treat or a special occasion. Highest quality, fast, expensive. If you're still struggling to see the difference, think about the difference between fake trainers and real trainers. They look the same (just like your mum's red nails), but one pair will start wearing down quickly and look like shite, will be less comfortable, and ultimately need replacing quickly. It's roughly the same for nails.