Purpose of a manicure

• Cosmetic- improves the appearance of the nails, cuticles and skin of the hand.
• Massage increases the blood and lymph circulation to the nails and skin bringing fresh nutrients and oxygen to the area.
• Cleaning the nails.
• Nourishment to the cuticles and skin.
• Promotes nail growth.

Let’s get started!!!

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Step 1: Things You Need:

nail cutters.
orange wood stick
nail polish remover
brush
cotton pads
massage cream
nail file
nail buff
towel
Vaseline/ cuticle cream (not shown in the picture)
conditioner (not shown in the picture)

Step 2: Step One:

wash hands thoroughly and carefully and dry them completely.be sure to use the nail brush to clean beneath the free edge and in the grooves along the sides of the nail. Nails are somewhat porous and will become softer when wet. When they are wet they become more easily damaged

Step 3: Step Two:

Trim nails to the desired length. This is always a personal decision, some people like their nails longer, while others find that shorter nails better suite their lifestyle. Some people’s nails are thinner and more flimsy than others and cannot support more than minimal amount of length before they break. Begin with the little finger on each hand and work your way inward. The goal is uniformity.

Step 4: Step Three:

file the nails to remove sharp or rough edges. Use the nail file to pare down the nail and shape it as you desire. File from side to center taking care not to saw the nail as this will split the layers of the nail. Use the whole length of the emery board. Do not file down the sides too much as this weakens the nail.

There are five basic nail shapes people use: Round, Oval, Pointed, Square and a relatively new shape: Square oval
Round: the round shape follows the curve of the fingertip and is usually shorter in length extending only slightly past the tip of the finger. Many men prefer this shape when manicuring their nails.

Oval: the oval shape is longer with a rounded end and is considered the strongest of the shapes based on the experiences of nail technicians. It can be difficult to keep even lengths with oval shaped nails, but practice and experience will pay off.

Pointed: the pointed nail is tapered to the center of the nail, although it is rarely shaped into an actual ‘point’. This shape looks best on women with long slender fingers.

Square: the square shape is one where the nail is trimmed to a specific length and the ends are filed to a straight edge. The corners are filed only enough to remove any really sharp corners to prevent accidental scratching.

Square oval: the square oval shape is relatively new, and came about because of the number of people who liked the look of the squared nail, but needed the added structural strength of the oval. It is simply square nail with the corners rounded.

Step 5: Step Four:

Apply cuticle massage cream/oil to the cuticles (I'm using vaseline), massage for 2-3 minutes and soak in lukewarm water with a little bit of conditioner/olive oil or almond oil. Once soaked, examine the cuticles. If they are growing down onto the nail plate or appear to be sticking to the nail plate you need to push them back. Apply a dab of massage oil/cream and massage it in. take your cuticle pusher or orange wood stick and wrap the tip in cotton. Gently rub the padded tip along the nail plate at the base of the nail and push the cuticle back away from the nail. Be sure to rub away any remaining dead skin residue. Gentle is the key here; the cuticle is usually very sensitive and can be painful when damaged. A light touch is usually efficient to push back any cuticle.

Examine the nail plate. If there are any ridges in the nail plate, you can use the sanding block to gently grind them down. Gentle pressure and small circular motions work best. Once surface of the nail plate looks and feels smooth.

Step 6: Step Five:

hand massages are extremely relaxing and are the one part of a manicure that is literally impossible to do without the help of a professional.

With this massage you will transform your everyday manicure into a luxury experience.

Choose a reliable massage medium to use during your procedure. Place some of this on the other hand.

To begin, move your hand along your arm all the way up to the elbow. Reverse the positioning of your hands and repeat. Finally, repeat this whole process once or twice more to make sure that the medium is fully blended into the surface of your skin x 3

Use your thumb to lightly brush the surface of the hand. As your thumb moves toward the base of the wrist, increase the pressure of this movement x 3

Massage your arm in circular motion using your thumb x 3

Massage each finger individually. Give the finger a gentle twist in both directions and then quick pull to finish. Repeat this process on each of the fingers.

Now let’s turn to the other side of the hand, use your thumb to apply pressure throughout your palm. The base of your thumb is an important area to devote some attention to. Massage your palm using circular motions.

Keep your elbow on to a table, and interlock your other hand. Rotate your hand to massage your wrist joints. Then move alternately in both directions and end by pulling your hand gently.

In order to give the whole process a gentle finish. Move your hand slowly around the hand and arm and finish by moving your hands all the way down the arm to the fingers where you should gently let go.

Finally switch to the other arm and begin the process anew (trim, file, soak, remove excess cuticle, massage)

Step 7: Step Six:

let’s talk buffing! Begin buffing the nail plate with long, quick strokes. The act of buffing mean that the nail tends to heat up in this process, so try to keep your number of strokes in succession to three to four. You’ll start to see the results after a few repetitions and you can continue until you reach the desired level of shine.

Step 8: Step Seven:

prepare nails for enamel- clean under free edge with orange stick: tidy filing, squeak nails using cotton wool and varnish remover- wipe over nail plate to remove traces of oil.

Step 9: Step Eight:

Apply nail enamel

Applying nail polish seems like a simple way to finish the nails after manicuring, but the following procedure is recommended to get the best results and longest wear from your polish.

Strokes for enamel: one in the center, one either sides. Try to keep to maximum three strokes if possible for enamel application.

Base coat: starting with the little finger and working your way in to the thumbs. The purpose of the base coat is to fill in any uneven spots in the surface of the nail and to prevent the nail from being stained by any color that is later applied.

Colored polish: apply working from little finger inward. Allow the first coat to dry completely and then apply a second coat to ensure even coverage. Use an orange wood stick covered with cotton dipped in nail polish remover to correct any mistakes.

Topcoat: once the colored polish is completely dry apply a coat of clear top coat to the nails. The purpose of the top coat is to seal the color and protect it against chipping and scuffs.