Manicure Basics
What is a 'manicure'?
A manicure involves trimming the nails, shaping the nails, pushing back the cuticle, or removing any type of hang nail you might have. A great hand massage is always everybody's favorite. Getting a manicure is a feel good thing, it's about relaxing and enjoying the service.
What does a manicure do?
When you have beautiful nails, you're feeling confident. If you're a nailbiter, you are not going to show your hands. You're going to tend to sit on them more and not show them, and it will definitely help your nails grow, by pushing the skin that comes off the nail plate. It allows it to breathe and grow quicker.
What products do I need for a manicure?
Acetone is too dry and can crack the nails, so use an orangewood pusher, which is a very soft grip fingernail file. You will need lotion, cuticle remover, cuticle oil and a base coat, which acts as a primer, and a top coat to seal.
What is a 'nail file'?
A nail file is something that you're going to use to shape your nails. The nail file should be very smooth, so that you can go around your corners and shape without it fraying or being too strong, where you could even slice the tips of your fingers.
What are 'nail clippers'?
Nail clippers are stainless steel implements, which are used to take down any kind of length that you wish to take off of your nails. Some of them are straight across, some of them have a curve for your natural nail, and some of them look like a cuticle clipper.
What is a 'nail buffer'?
A nail buffer is a three-sided square shape file - a course side, a medium side and a soft side. The course side is used to take out any type of ridges that you have in the nail, the medium side takes off the oils in the nail, and the soft side gives you a super, high shine to the nail bed.
What is a 'nail brush'?
A nail brush, clearly, has a little handle with bristles on the end of it. I like to use a nail brush during my manicures. When I am completely finished or before I start, I will hand them a nail brush to put antibacterial soap on, to go wash off their nail beds, their hands, dry off, then they will come back to me, and I finish off a manicure. A lot of people like to use alcohol or acetone to take off the natural oils, as it dries it out. I will take the nail brush with soap and water, brush them off, take a towel, and wipe off.
What is a 'cuticle nipper'?
A nipper is an implement that is made out of stainless steel, that is mainly used in manicures to trim back any type of hang nail that you might have. Use only the cuticle clipper to take any obvious hang nail that might be on the nail bed.
What is a 'cuticle stick'?
A cuticle stick, also called an orangewood stick, is made out of wood. It is flat on one side and then straight across, and can be used for different things. The orangewood stick is less abrasive than a metal implement for pushing back the cuticles. You can also take the orangewood stick and wrap it in cotton, to wipe off any polish you might have gotten around the skin area, or to clean underneath the free edge of the nail.
What are 'cuticle softeners'?
Cuticle softeners are applied after soaking your hands for a while. It helps in getting rid of the skin that grows on top of the nail plate. You need cuticle softeners rather than simply using an implement to push back, because it is a dry hard skin and cuticle area. You need these to soften up the cuticle, to allow it to be pushed back a little easier.
What is 'paraffin wax'?
Paraffin wax was previously only used in salons, but is now being used in many homes. Paraffin wax, once it's melted, and you dip your hands into it, is going to reapply all that moisture that we're missing in everyday life by using our hands. Also, for many people who have arthritis, the heat from the paraffin wax helps circulate blood flow. Paraffin wax can be used for vanity, applying moisture, or heat to help blood circulation towards people who do have arthritis.
What is a 'french manicure'?
A French manicure is essentially a sheer pink polish, or a nude polish, or no polish, on the base of the finger nail. Where the free edge is, we add either a stark white or an off-white, just a very clean, natural classic look.
What is a 'spa manicure'?
A spa manicure is exfoliating using sugar scrubs - having a mask applied to your hands, and having paraffin applied and brushed on your hand. The difference between a regular manicure and a spa manicure is that you are adding a lot more steps with the spa treatment, involving the sugar scrubs, the paraffin, the hand mask, and sometimes even applying hot gloves after.
What are the main types of artificial nails?
The main types of artificial nails are either gels, which is a gel that you apply over the natural nail, then go into a light to bake it and set it, or there's silk-wrap nails, which is a very thin silk material applied with a glue. A lot of people get the silk-wraps because they have natural nails, and they might have broken or have a little crack, so by applying a silk-wrap, they will save them. There's also paper-wraps which are less abrasive on the nail, for people that have natural nails that might have a little crack. Also, there are acrylic nails, where you can do a pink and white powder, and apply. You can do sculpted acrylic, which is a form that goes under the nail with no glue, which is less abrasive.
