The Meticulous Manicurist Nail Tutorials
Youtube video tutorials on nail care
Step-by-step, how-to videos/class/training for beauty school students to pass the cosmetology TEST/EXAM for Cosmetology LICENSE.
Youtube video channel with playlists on nail applications & processes
Nail Art templates from maniology
Nail art templates for practice
The Meticulous Manicurist Nail Tutorials
Nail care tutorial videos on youtube
An Educational Website for Nail Technicians and Interested Consumers
Nail Plate – This is the actual nail that sits atop of your fingers and toes, and is the part that gets filed and painted.
Nail Bed – this is where the nail plate is attached to the skin directly under it. It is the pink part seen through the nail.
The Matrix – This is the ‘brain’ and growth centre of the nail. It lies at the base of the nail plate underneath the skin.
Lunula – this is the white half-moon shape that is seen at the base of the nail.
Free Edge – This is the part of the nail that grows out past the skin, and is the part that is cut and filed down.
Hyponychium – This is where the nail plate meets the skin at the tip of the finger, just underneath the free edge.
Perionychium – This is where the nail plate meets the skin at the sides of the nail.
Eponychium – is where the nail plate meets the skin at the base of the nail, below the Lunular. The eponychium plays a crucial role in protecting the nail bed, nail and matrix below it. It prevents bacteria and foreign objects from penetrating.
Cuticle – This is the clear, thin layer that sheds from the eponychium and attaches to the nail plate. As the nail plate grows, the cuticle grows out with it.
Step by Step Procedure
1. Check the temperature of the pedicure bath for safety. Put on clean gloves, place clients feet in bath and make sure they are comfortable with temperature. Allow feet to soak for 5 to 10 minutes to soften and clean feet before beginning pedicure.
2. Lift clients foot you will be working with first from the bath. Wrap a towel around the foot to dry it thoroughly. make sure you dry between the toes.
3. first, remove polish from little toes and move across foot toward the big toe. make sure all polish is removed.
4. Carefully clip the toenails of the first foot straight across and even with the ends of the toes.
5. Carefully file the nails of the first foot with an appropriate single-use and prepped abrasive file. file them straight across, rounding them slightly at the corners. Smooth rough edges with fine side of an abrasive file.
6. After filing, buff the nails to remove any unevenness. Next apply cuticle remover and callus softener to heavy calluses and then wrap foot in a towel and lay it aside. Remove other foot from bath and complete steps 1-6.
7. Remove first foot from towel wrap; use a wooden pusher to gently remove any loose, dead tissue. Next, use a foot file to smooth and reduce thicker areas of calluses. Proceed to exfoliate the foot with a scrub to remove dry or scaly skin. Use extra pressure on the heels and other areas where calluses build up.
8. Place the first foot in the foot bath and rinse off the cuticle remover and callus softener completely. Lift foot above the water and brush nails with nail brush. remove foot and dry thoroughly.
9. Repeat steps 7 & 8 for other foot.
10. Unwrap the first foot. Use a single-use, cotton-tipped wooden pusher or product dispenser to reapply cuticle remover to first foot. Begin with the little toe and work toward the big toe.
11. Use a clean, lint free wipe to remove excess cuticle remover. Then carefully remove the cuticle tissue from the nail plate using the wooden or metal pusher, taking care not to break the seal between the nail plate and eponychium. Use a nipper to carefully remove any loose tags of dead skin, but don't cut, rip, or tear living skin; cutting cuticles may lead to serious infection.
12. Next, if necessary, use the curette to gently push the soft tissue folds away from the walls of the lateral nail plate, and gently remove extra build-up of debris between the nail plate and surrounding tissue.
13. Dip the client's first foot into the foot bath and brush the toenails with nylon brush to remove bits of debris. dry the foot thoroughly and wrap in towel. Perform steps 10-13 on the other foot and then wrap in towel and set aside.
14. Apply lotion, cream, or oil to the first foot for skin conditioning and massage. Use a firm touch to avoid tickling you client's feet.
15. Perform a foot massage on the first foot. Then rewrap the foot and place it on the towel.
16. Follow steps to Massage the second food.
17. Remove traces of lotion, cream, or oil from the nails of both feet with polish remover.
18. Ask client to put on sandals or provide single use pedicure slippers. Apply a nail dehydrator. Then apply base coat to the nails on both feet, then two coats of color, and finally a topcoat.
19. Complete and finished look.
Wraps & Nail tips Terminology
Nail tips: Plastic, pre-molded nails shaped from a tough polymer made from abs plastic
overlay: a layer of any kind of nail enhancement product that is applied over the natural nail or nail and tip application for added strength
tip cutter: implement similar to a nail clipper, designed especially for use on nail tips
nail dehydrator: a substance used to remove surface moisture and tiny amounts of oil left on natural nail plate
position stop: the point where the free edge of the natural nail meets the tip
Nail tip adhesive: the bonding agent used to secure the nail tip to the natural nail
Nail Wrap: a method of securing a layer of fabric or paper on or around the nail tip to ensure its strength and durability
nail wrap resin: used to coat and secure fabric wraps to the natural nail and nail tip
cyanoacrylate: a specialized acrylic monomer that has excellent adhesion to the natural nail plate and polymerizes in seconds
Fabric wrap: nail wrap made of silk, linen, or fiberglass
Silk wrap: made from thin, natural material with a tight weave that becomes transparentwhen wrap resin is applied
Linen wrap: made from a closely woven, heavy material
Fiberglass wrap: made from a very thin, synthetic mesh with a loose weave
Paper wraps: temporary nail wraps made of very thin paper
Wrap resin accelerator: also known as activator; acts as the dryer that speeds up the hardening process of the wrap resin or adhesive overlay