UMARA

What UMARA does

UMARA is a privately held nail salon chain founded in 2009 in Mendoza, Argentina, operating more than 30 salon locations across six Argentine provinces — Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Corrientes, Mendoza, San Juan, and Tucumán — and in Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region and Quinta Región. The company self-positions as the #1 nail salon chain in Argentina and runs a hybrid franchise and corporate-owned model with three distinct salon formats: Experience Store kiosks in shopping malls (12m², from USD 15,000), Salon Full (40m², from USD 36,000), and Salon Small in Chile. Its primary customer base is individual female consumers seeking manicure, pedicure, nail extensions, eyelash, brow, and hair-removal services, with franchise investors as a secondary business-to-business segment.

The business generates revenue across four streams: (1) in-salon service fees for treatments including Manicure Classic, Manicure Premium with paraffin bath, U·PRO Esmaltado Permanente (semi-permanent gel polish lasting up to 20 days), sculpted nails in gel, acrylic, or gel-acrylic, nail art, foot spa, eyelash extensions, brow shaping and lamination, and waxing; (2) product sales of the in-house UMARA cosmetics line — Esmaltes (over 20 shades), Cremas, Labiales, Fragancias, and Body Scrub — and the professional U·PRO Gel Nail Color system (Base Coat, Gel Color, Top Coat) with 80+ named colors, distributed through salons and the umaranails.com e-commerce platform; (3) franchise fees, royalties, and centralized product sales to franchisees; and (4) virtual gift cards redeemable across all locations. Chilean e-commerce transactions are processed via Mercado Pago, with bundled U·PRO Gel Color combos priced in CLP (9-color at 134,910 CLP; 15-color at 224,850 CLP).

Operationally, UMARA relies on the Wonoma platform for online appointment booking via iOS and Android mobile apps and a web portal, with recurring promotional campaigns such as OFF DAYS (20% off services) and Beauty Week driving traffic. The company is extending its ecosystem through the U·PRO Beauty Studio Academy for technician training and is pursuing U.S. franchise expansion with a planned South Beach Miami entry. Headcount is reported at 251-500 employees, and there are no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, M&A activity, or public listing indicators in the source data, indicating a founder/owner-operated model that has scaled through franchise economics rather than external capital.

Name

UMARA

Legal name

UMARA

Website

https://umaranails.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

UMARA is a private Argentine nail salon chain founded in 2009, operating 30+ salons across Argentina and Chile via franchise and corporate locations. It provides manicure, pedicure, and beauty services to female consumers and sells its proprietary U·PRO gel nail products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nail Salon Services

NAICS

Nail Salons (812113), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Basic Manicures & Pedicures (HSALACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nail Salon Products (Polish, Gel, Acrylic, Supplies) (CRABALAE), Nail Art & Custom Designs (HSALACAE), Nail Color & Nail Art (Polish, Gel, Dip, Press-ons, Nail Art Color) (CRABACAD)

Keywords

• Nail salon services
• Gel nail polish
• Manicure and pedicure
• Beauty salon franchise
• Cosmetic products retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Guaymallen

HQ country

Argentina

HQ region

Latin America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Salon Services: Revenue from manicure, pedicure, nail art, eyelash extensions, brow services, and hair removal services rendered at UMARA salon locations. Services include Manicure Classic, Manicure Premium (with paraffin bath), U·PRO Permanent Nail Polish, Sculpted Nails (Gel/Acrylic/Gel Acrylic), Kapping, Nail Art, Foot Spa, Eyelashes, Brows, and Waxing.
2. Product Sales (E-commerce and Salons): Sale of UMARA and U·PRO branded cosmetic products including gel polishes, manicure creams, lipsticks, fragrances, body mists, and accessories through salon locations and the umaranails.com e-commerce platform.
3. Franchise Fees and Royalties: UMARA generates revenue from franchisee investments (Experience Store from USD 15,000, Salon Full from USD 36,000, Salon Small in Chile) and likely ongoing royalties for brand usage, proprietary products, centralized purchasing, training, and support services.
4. Gift Cards: Virtual gift cards valid for redemption across all UMARA locations in Argentina for services and products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UMARA operates a chain of 30+ nail salons across Argentina and Chile providing manicure, pedicure, nail art, eyelash extensions, brow services, and hair removal services. The company also develops and sells its own cosmetic product lines, including the U·PRO gel nail color system and UMARA-branded nail polishes, creams, lipsticks, fragrances, and body scrubs, distributed through salon locations, an e-commerce storefront, and a franchise model with mobile-app-based appointment booking.

Product overview

UMARA is a nail salon chain and beauty brand operating primarily in Argentina and Chile, positioning itself as the #1 Nail Salons brand. The business operates on a platform-plus-products model: the core offering is the chain of full-service nail salons providing manicure, pedicure, nail extensions (Uñas Esculpidas), eyelash extensions (Pestañas), eyebrow services (Cejas), hair removal (Depilación), and spa treatments. Alongside services, UMARA sells proprietary beauty products including the U·PRO Gel Nail Color sub-brand (semi-permanent gel polishes for salon use with UV/LED lamps), UMARA classic nail polishes (Esmaltes), hand/foot creams (Cremas), lipsticks (Labiales), fragrances and body mists (Fragancias), and Body Scrub. The company also offers a mobile app for appointment booking and operates a franchise program with Experience Store and Full Salon formats. A training academy called U·PRO Beauty Studio is under development. The business combines service retail with consumer goods e-commerce through both salon locations and online stores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• U·PRO: Professional gel nail color line created by UMARA for UV LED cabins, offering permanent nail polish with extended wear of up to 20 days.

Products and services

• UMARA Nail Salon Services Full-service nail salon chain offering manicure, pedicure, nail extensions, eyelash extensions, eyebrow services, and hair removal at company-owned and franchised salon locations across Argentina and Chile.
• Manicure Classic Complete manicure service including nail trimming, filing, cuticle care, hand hydration and massage with UMARA cream, and classic nail polish application with treatment base and top coat. For individual female consumers seeking professional nail care.
• Manicure Premium Full manicure service similar to Manicure Classic but enhanced with a paraffin wax treatment for deeper hand moisturizing. For individual consumers seeking premium nail care.
• U·PRO Esmaltado Permanente Semi-permanent gel nail polish service using U·PRO Gel Nail Color products, including complete manicure preparation and gel color application that lasts up to 20 days. Available in standard, Premium, and degrade styles. For individual consumers seeking long-lasting nail polish.
• Uñas Esculpidas (Gel/Acrílico/Gel Acrílico) Nail extension service using gel, acrylic, or gel-acrylic combinations applied over natural nails, combined with full manicure service. For individual consumers seeking nail length extensions.
• Kapping Acrylic overlay applied over the natural nail length for nail strengthening and protection without extensions. For individual consumers seeking reinforced natural nails.
• Nail Art Decorative nail designs available in traditional (classic polish) or semi-permanent (gel) formats. For individual consumers seeking custom decorative nail finishes.
• Spa de Pies Complete pedicure service including foot soak for callus treatment, nail care, cuticle treatment, exfoliation, and classic polish application. For individual consumers seeking full foot care.
• Pestañas (Pelo x Pelo) Individual eyelash extension application service offering various styles including wavy, tinted, and one-by-one placement. For individual consumers seeking eyelash enhancement.
• Cejas Services Eyebrow services including shaping with henna dye, threading, waxing, and lamination with shaping. For individual consumers seeking eyebrow grooming.
• Depilación Hair removal services using Spanish system or roll-on waxing methods. For individual consumers seeking hair removal treatments.
• U·PRO Gel Nail Color Professional-grade semi-permanent gel nail polish created by UMARA for use in UV LED nail lamps, designed for salon manicure services. Offers up to 20 days of wear with high shine, high coverage, and durability. Includes Base Coat, Gel Color, and Top Coat components.
• U·PRO Gel Color Combos Bundled packages of U·PRO gel nail polishes with base and top coats at discounted prices, including 4-gel, 5-gel, 7-gel, 9-gel, and 15-gel color sets. Available via the Chile e-commerce store.
• Set French Nails U·PRO French manicure style gel nail kit for achieving classic French tip designs using the U·PRO gel system.
• UMARA Esmaltes (Nail Polishes) Classic nail polish line under the UMARA brand, available in various finishes including cremoso (creamy), mate (matte), and perlado (pearlescent) in over 20 shades.
• UMARA Cremas (Hand and Foot Creams) Hand and foot care creams with various fragrances for moisturizing and hydrating treatments, used in salon manicure and pedicure services and sold for at-home use.
• UMARA Labiales (Lipsticks) Lip color products available in matte, pearlescent, and creamy finishes in over 20 color options.
• UMARA Fragancias (Fragrances) Perfume and body mist products including the Peach Rose body mist with fruity, sweet, and lightly woody fragrance profile.
• Body Scrub UMARA Body exfoliating cream with apricot kernel particles for skin smoothing and care routines.
• UMARA Gift Cards Virtual gift cards redeemable via email for UMARA services and products at all salon locations in Argentina. Available in customizable amounts.
• UMARA Mobile App (Wonoma-powered) Smartphone application for iOS and Android, powered by the Wonoma booking platform, enabling customers to book appointments, check prices, and access special promotions at UMARA salons. Available on the App Store and Google Play.
• U·PRO Beauty Studio Academy Professional training academy providing courses on U·PRO products and techniques to franchisees and independent nail technicians.
• UMARA Franchise Program Franchise opportunity for opening UMARA nail salon locations, with two main formats: Experience Store (12m2 kiosks from USD 15,000) and Full Salon (40m2 from USD 36,000). Includes training, centralized purchasing, proprietary products, and ongoing operational support.

Quantifiable outcome

• U·PRO gel nail polish provides up to 20 days of perfect esmaltado

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WonomacoreTechnology or IntegrationWonoma provides the proprietary appointment booking platform powering UMARA's mobile app (iOS/Android) and web-based booking system (wonoma.com/mobile/umara). The platform enables online scheduling, price consultation, and promotional offers integration.
• Franchise InvestorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent investors operate UMARA-branded franchise salons (Experience Store, Salon Full, Salon Small formats) under license, paying franchise fees and purchasing proprietary UMARA/U·PRO products for operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ulta Beauty: Largest US beauty specialty retailer selling cosmetics, nail, and salon-grade products. Sets the retail benchmark UMARA's e-commerce (umaranails.com) and Miami franchise ambition would compete with.
• OPI Products: Global professional gel and lacquer nail polish brand owned by Wella. Competes head-on with U·PRO at the professional product layer and shapes the standard UMARA's technicians are benchmarked against.
• CND (Creative Nail Design): Established professional nail brand (Shellac, Vinylux) under Revlon. Competes with U·PRO on professional gel systems and on the salon training / academy dimension UMARA is building with U·PRO Beauty Studio.
• Sally Beauty Holdings: Specialty retailer of professional beauty supplies including nail polish, gel systems, and salon products. Comparable as a distribution channel and competitor for UMARA's e-commerce product sales, particularly in the US/Miami expansion.
• L'Oréal: Global beauty conglomerate with a strong professional products division and consumer nail/cosmetics portfolio. Comparable as the dominant scale player UMARA would compete with if U·PRO or UMARA cosmetics were to expand regionally.
• Revlon: Multi-brand beauty conglomerate owning CND and consumer nail polish lines. Comparable as the broader incumbent in the cosmetics/nail category that UMARA's UMARA-branded product lines (Esmaltes, Labiales) compete against at retail.

Emerging players

• Bio Sculpture: Professional gel and acrylic nail system brand with salon training and distribution. Comparable as a competing professional product ecosystem to U·PRO, particularly relevant as UMARA develops its U·PRO Beauty Studio academy.

Direct peers

• The Nail Bar: US-based nail salon franchise chain focused on express, standardized manicure/pedicure services. Comparable as a franchise-led, service-format peer for UMARA's Experience Store and Salon Full expansion model.
• Mini Mani Mocha: Argentina-headquartered nail salon franchise chain with a similar product-plus-service model and multi-country LatAm presence. Closest direct competitor in UMARA's home market, also combining gel polish systems with franchised salon locations.
• Esmaltería: Specialty nail salon chain operating across Mexico and other LatAm markets with a standardized gel polish service menu and franchise-led expansion. Directly comparable chain-format and service offering to UMARA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UmaraNails
• Instagraminstagram.com/umara_arg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umaranails

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UMARA