Beautiful nails are a desired enhancement to feminine beauty, but many ladies may have trouble attaining them. If nature did not bless you with wonderfully strong, healthy nails, you can still enjoy the glamorous look that long and painted nails can give you. All you have to do is apply strong and durable acrylic nails over your own nails.
You can find a service for acrylic nail application at nail salons. It is an expensive option. It is not as expensive for you to apply the acrylic nails yourself. By following instructions and with practice, you can apply your acrylic nails with the same care and great results that you can get from a nail professional.
As for supplies, you will need non-acetone nail polish remover, artificial nail tips, liquid acrylic, powdered acrylic and nail oil. Your equipment needs to include a nail brush, nail files, nail filing block, acrylic nipper, small acrylic brush and a working dish for the acrylic liquid. Choose acrylic nail tips that are the same size as your own nails or you will have to file the nails down.
Give your nails a manicure. Smooth rough edges and remove dead skin. Use a non-acetone nail polish remover to remove nail polish and acrylic. Use the filing block to roughen your nail surfaces. Cut the nails to the skin portion. Do not injure yourself. You want to prevent your nail from being broken if the acrylic nail tip is broken.
Line up your acrylic nail tips so that you can reach them easily when you are ready to put a drop of glue on the tip. The glue drop should reach from the bottom of the nail to the indentation where your nail's edge will fit in. You can remove a crooked acrylic nail by immediately soaking it in water.
Use the acrylic nippers or a large nail clipper to trim the tips to your desired length. Use the nail file to remove any rough edges and to even out the lengths of your nail tips. Use the liquid acrylic in a well-ventilated area. You will paint the liquid acrylic on to your nails so that the beds will be smooth without any bumps where the edge of the acrylic nail tips rests on your nail.
You will be dipping the acrylic brush into the liquid acrylic and then into the acrylic powder that will create a ball of thickened acrylic on your brush. Paint the acrylic onto your nail so that you can create a smooth finish for your acrylic nail tips.
Have the acrylic powder container open. Prepare the acrylic brush by dipping the brush into the liquid acrylic and then wiping it on a paper towel to remove excess liquid. Then lightly dip half of the brush into the liquid acrylic and then remove the excess by wiping against the inside of the liquid acrylic bottle.
You are ready to dip the brush tip into the acrylic powder. When you do, you will create a ball of thickened acrylic. It should be damp instead of wet. Paint this thickened acrylic where the acrylic nail tip is on your nail. Work quickly to spread the acrylic onto your nail surface without flattening the acrylic. Wipe the brush on the paper towel to remove any excess acrylic.
Continue working until you have built up the surface to resemble the curve of your own nail bed. Apply a bit at the tip of the nail to create a natural look as necessary. Avoid getting acrylic on your cuticles because mould or fungus could grow under the nail at that spot.
It will take about ten minutes for your nails to dry and set. You can safely use a grit nail file on the sides of the dried and set nails and close to the cuticle bed to shape your nails. Use the filing block to smooth your nails. Remove any acrylic filings and dust by washing with soapy water and using a brush. The exposure to the harsh chemicals requires that you moisturise your nails with nail oil. As your nails grow out, you will need to paint more acrylic on to your nails every two weeks.

How to Become A Nail Technician Acrylic Nails-Manicures-Pedicures-Nail Care:
? How much would it cost ? How long would it take to become a nail technician? Where should I go to train ? Will I be a good nail technician?
All these questions I have asked myself in the past and it was only recently that I went about answering them.
I have always wanted to become a nail technician and kept promising myself to pursue this venture. Due to work and family commitments this was not possible until recently.
To my delight I can now call myself a qualified nail technician. In this article I will do my best to help anyone who wishes to work in the nail industry.
Training to Become a Nail Technician The first question we need to answer is, ?
You need to seek out the best training school for nail technicians in your area. When I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a nail technician the first place I went to was 'Google'. There are many other places to go to should you not have access to Google.
Which School or College should I Train In?
There are your local newspapers. A lot of these are free newspapers you can pick up in your local supermarket. There are also your national newspapers. Another good place for information on training is your local library. Whichever way you find the place that suits you it is important that you shop around for the best value for money. Like all industries there are good and bad out there so be sure and train with a reputable school so as your Certificates are recognised when you are ready to seek employment in the nail industry.
Which Nail Course should I enrol in?
When I decided to become a nail technician I approached NSI in Swords, Co Dublin, Ireland. I liked what they had to offer so I enrolled in two of their courses.
I decided on a Manicure @ Pedicure course. I felt it was important to learn not only how to do Acrylic or false nails but to also learn about nail health care and nail anatomy.
What is a Manicure A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands performed at home or in a nail salon by a Nail Technician. A manicure consists of filing, shaping of the free edge, treatments, massage of the hand and the application of polish.
There are also manicure services that are specialties for the hands and feet. For the hands, the soaking of a softening substance and the application of a lotion is a common specialty. When applied to the toenails and feet, this treatment is referred to as a pedicure.
Other nail treatments may include the application of artificial nail tips, acrylics, or artificial nail gels. Some manicures can include the painting of pictures or designs on the nails or applying small decals or imitation jewels, known as Nail Art.
In many areas Nail Technicians are licensed and follow regulation. Since skin is manipulated and is sometimes trimmed, there is a certain risk of spreading infection when tools are used across many people and therefore, sanitation is a serious issue.
French Manicures and Nail Art Manicures began 5,000 years ago. French manicures are manicures designed to resemble natural nails, and are characterized by lack of base colour, or natural pink base nails with white tips. The tips of the nails are painted white while the rest of the nails are polished in a pink or a suitable nude shade. French manicures may have originated in 18th-century Paris and were popular in the 1920s and 1930s.
Natural nails are made up of protein keratin. The nail plate requires a certain amount of flexibility and moisture to encourage healthy growth. Using 'hardening' treatments and harsh chemicals on natural nails will make the nail plate brittle and more prone to breakages. The use of nail moisturizers and clear polish proteins is essential for perfect growth.
A professional Nail Technician or Manicurist will use a written, verbal, and observational consultation to determine the condition of a client's natural nails.
A manicure treatment should take from about thirty minutes to one hour.
Nail Anatomy Nail Anatomy is very important and a good place to start on your road to becoming a nail technician. While on my manicure and pedicure course I learned all about the anatomy of a nail. There are 13 points to nail anatomy.
The Matrix Mantle Nail Bed Nail Grooves Free Edge Smile Line Nail Plate Nail Walls Lunula Cuticle Hyponychium Peronychium Eponychium Contra-Indications to Manicures or Pedicures It is important also to learn of any Contra-Indications to Manicures or Pedicures.
These can vary from a Bacterial infection to a Viral Infection or Fungal infection.
Nail Shapes You will also learn of the different nail shapes.
You have Straight sided with a slightly Oval tip Oval Square Oval Almond Round Square Square with rounded corners Pointed Sanitation-Disinfection-Sterilization Sanitation Disinfection and Sterilization are also important things to learn if you wish to become a good nail technician.
I know all this sounds very boring and you would love to just get started on doing your clients nails whether that is Manicure, Pedicure, Acrylic nails or Gel nails. Personally I decided on the acrylic nails. I will be publishing an article on Acrylic nails in the near future but until then it is important that you learn all you can about the Natural Nail. It is as important to have knowledge of the nail itself and the best way to maintain healthy nails while using artificial nails.
A Well Balanced Diet for Healthy Nails This also includes a well balanced diet which is the secret for achieving healthy nails. Foods that are particularly good for fingernail health include:
Protein which is found in chicken wings-soy bean product- and also eggs:
Vitamins from Grapefruit-Strawberries-Kiwi fruit and Oranges:
Minerals found in Seaweed-Seafood (sardines @oysters) -Liver and Tuna:
Water: It is also important to drink plenty of water to hydrate the skin, ideally try to drink 2 Litres per day. This will make sure the cuticle does not become dry and flaky.
Natural Nail Growth You will also learn of the growth of your natural nail.
Normal growth rate is 0.5 to 1.2mm per week.
There are certain conditions that could either slow down or speed up your natural nail growth.
Manicures and Pedicures If you wish to become a good nail technician you need to do as much theory study as practical. It is important to know how to prepare your client for manicure and the consultation with the client is also an important first step to manicure. You need to learn how to decide if there are any Contra indications before preforming any manicure or pedicure. You will need to get to know your equipment needed for manicure and also your products that you will be working with.
The preparation of the client for manicure- Consultation before manicure- Contra indications to manicure- Equipment needed for manicure- Products- Implements:
You will need a fair amount of equipment and I have to say they are not cheap. If you are lucky to find a good training school for nail technicians you may find that the equipment/implements and products may be included in the price of the course itself.
With NSI I received a starter pack for the manicure and pedicures.
I also received the NSI Starter Pack for Acrylic Nails which I will go into in more detail in my next article on HubPages.
Equipment needed for Manicures and Pedicures manicure trolley- emery board- orange sticks- hand cream or oil- base coat- colour nail polish- top coat- nail polish remover- hoof stick- cuticle nippers- nail scissors- cuticle remover- cuticle oil or cream- cotton wool and tissues:
Your Professional Appearance PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE; Personal hygiene Uniform - professional/clean Hair - clean and tied back Nails and hands - clean and neat Make up - Fresh look (not too much) Perfume - heavy perfume too strong Shoes - flat no heels Jewelry - just wedding band and small stud earrings Store and Handle your products Correctly Your Products:
All products must be handled and stored correctly, follow these basic rules:
Technician and client must not eat or drink at the manicure workstation Thoroughly wash hands after manicure before handling food or drink Keep dust to a minimum and have extraction unit fitted if possible Work in a well ventilated room Waste products should be put into a bin liner then placed in a metal bin with a lid Store all products in a cool place and keep lids on at all times Keep products in a cool place and keep lids on at all times Keep products out of the reach of children and pets Do not remove labels from products Do not smoke, light candles or burners when using products Follow correct hygiene rules for equipment Chemicals should be disposed of correctly Hand and arm Massage Sequence Full effleurage covering the whole of the hand and forearm. Repeat six times.
Thumb kneading to the anterior forearm in 3 sections covering the whole arm. Repeat six times.
Kneading around the carpals. Repeat six times.
Kneading in between the metacarpals.
Turn over the arm/hand and repeat steps 1 to 3.
Thumb kneading to the palm of the hand.
Cross frictions to the palm.
Passive movements with wrist supported. Link the client's fingers and rotate the wrist three times to the left and three times to the right.
Gently flex and extend the wrist.
Kneading to the phalanges with finger pulls.
Complete this 6 times - effleurage to the whole hand and forearm.
Remove massage medium with damp wool.
Tone the area.
Some manicure routines may include use of hot towels for removal of excess product.
Squeak the nails - use nail enamel remover to remove any excess oil from the nail plate.
Types of Massage Movements Types of massage movements:
EFFLEURAGE: -- These movements always begin and end the massage sequence. They are soothing, relaxing and stroking movements, performed in upward movements.
PETRISSAGE: -- These are finger and palmer kneading movements, which are both relaxing and soothing to muscles. Slight pressure is applied with each movement, assisting the return of blood and lymph to the heart.
ROTATIONS: -- These are circular movements, applied to joints to aid joint mobility.
CONTRA INDICATIONS TO MASSAGE Nail diseases Recent surgery or scar tissue Extremely hairy arms as the massage may be uncomfortable Recent sunburn to the arms Over stretched, very thin skin MASSAGE MEDIUMS:
Cream -- Used for dry or dehydrated skin types OIL -- Dry or dehydrated skin types Your Manicure-Pedicure Sequence Manicure -Pedicure Sequence Wash your hands Examine the client's hands and nails Explain the purpose of a manicure to the client Wipe the client's hands with surgical spirits Apply nail polish remover Push back nail walls with orange stick and polish remover Cut and file nails Buff the nails Apply cuticle cream and massage in Soak hand Repeat step 5 - 9 on opposite hand Dry hands Apply cuticle remover Push back cuticles Allow nails to soak for short period, brush cuticles with nail brush Repeat step 12 -15 on opposite hand Treat cuticles with cuticle knife and nippers proceed with massage - 10 minutes Remove greasy residue from nails Apply base coat Apply 2 layers of colour Apply top coat Apply quick dry Start your Training Today I hope this article has been of some help to you on your road to becoming a Nail Technician. There is a lot to learn should you wish to become a good nail technician so your theory work, such as nail anatomy, natural nail growth and your contra indications are important if you wish to maintain your client's nails for the long term.
I will be publishing an article next on my training for Acrylic Nails. I decided not to include it in this as it is important to know how to do a good manicure/pedicure on your client before you proceed with any type of artificial nails as long term use of these can be harmful to the natural nail if not applied and maintained properly by a professional nail technician.
Should you wish to pursue a career in the nail industry you will need many products. Amazon sells some great items from your powder, liquid, instruments and even books on nail anatomy and nail care. You can also buy coloured acrylic powder to mix and make your own unique colour. The Black Acrylic Powder is my favourite and mixes well with the white to make a lovely shade of Grey.

It is used to dot and draw circles. It is a necessary tool for designing polka dots. There are various sizes of RBI tools. It is recommended that novices start with the RBI tools of medium size at one end and small size at the other end, so as to facilitate the conversion of sizes at will. You can buy stippling tools at the beauty shop. In addition, you can also use the small black hairpin to make one. Break the card straight and dot it with the round head end. After use, wash and dry the card to prevent rust.
Very important manicure design tools, long and thin brush heads attached to nail polish, can be used to hook or add patterns. It is suggested that novices start with two colors. You can buy the hook pen separately, but not all brush heads can match the nail polish. The newly purchased manicure brush is the safest from the water based nail polish. Finally, thoroughly clean and dry the brush head with acetone, soapy water and paper towel.
A very practical gadget for manicure. It is particularly useful when constructing lines and geometries. You just need to cut the transparent textbook into a straight line or any shape you want, then stick it on your fingernail, and tear off the tape after applying nail polish, you can get the desired line segments or geometric shapes.
If you want to do Art Manicure, you must have a set of painted manicure brushes, including five basic shape brush heads: Fan Brush, flat brush, flat bevel brush, fine brush (used to draw details) and line brush. The most practical and economical way is to buy a suit containing the above five brush heads. Or start with one of the most commonly used nail brushes and buy a professional painting brush set until you are skilled.
Five, three Nail Polish
Three kinds of nail polish are necessary for exquisite nail enhancement: high quality color nail polish, bottom oil for color protection and repair, and bright oil for increasing luster. In time of rush, quick drying and bright oil will save time, but if time is enough, transparent nail polish is more suitable for complex and exquisite manicure. Nail polish is best to choose a large brand with guaranteed quality, hold the color better, and apply it on the nail surface more smoothly.

As the saying goes, "workers must sharpen their tools before they do a good job.". If you want to have a beautiful manicure, you must first understand the necessary tools for manicure and use them correctly to create a more beautiful and eye-catching manicure.Basic nail enhancement toolsNail clippers: completely trim all types of nails


Nail clippers can be divided into different sizes, with flat heads and oblique angles on the front. Do not cut your nails too deep during use, which will affect the beauty of your nails.Finger skin forceps: used to cut off excess nail skinFinger leather pliers have scissors and pliers. After cutting off the dead skin and thorns just pushed, the fingers can look beautiful and neat. Be careful not to pull and cut directly.
Nail file: used to trim the leading edge of natural nailsNail files are divided into steel files and color files. The cut manicure shall be polished with a nail file in the order of front and rear ends until it is neat. Attention must be paid to the fine grinding of both sides of the nail and the roundness of the front end.Sand stick: used to push the skin of fingers
It is used to remove bumps and make the nails smooth, so that the polished nails are smoother and smoother, and the nail polish is smoother.Tweezers: used to hold nail pieces, diamonds or nail skins for trimming.Tweezers are used to remove excess nail skin to make the overall nail shape cleaner and cleaner.
Nail professional toolsPillow: used to support the manicurist's arm to facilitate the manicurist's operationHumidifier: used to care for dry and broken hands and make them moist and delicate


Glass bowl: soak nails to soften skinPhototherapy machine: dry and fix the nail shapeNail Essentials
Softening cream: it usually contains glycerol group, which can remove the aged cuticle and keep the skin moist. It is used to massage and care for broken hands.Nail skin softener: used to soften nail skinBleach: contains hydrogen peroxide or citric acid to remove stains on crystal nails.
Nail polish thinner: used for diluting viscous nail polish instead of using nail polish.Base oil: transparent or milky white. It can enhance the adhesion of nail shape before nail polish.Nail polish: all kinds of nail polish are chosen according to their needs.
Nail Essence: it can make natural nails stronger.Bright oil: used to protect nail polish and keep luster. The more viscous the bright oil is, the longer the drying time is, the higher the luster is.How to create a beautiful nail style, professional nail tools are essential. After the introduction of Xiaobian, do you have a general understanding of these nail enhancement tools? It is very important to use nail tools correctly!