How to learn how to do a manicure from scratch? 15 Incredibly Simple Tips on How to Do a Manicure at Home

Beautiful nails give self-confidence, lift your spirits, and increase the status of their owner.

But not everyone can afford to visit a salon all the time. For many, the topic of manicure at home is relevant.

To properly make a beautiful manicure, preliminary preparation is necessary.

It includes the purchase of manicure tools, disinfectants and related items that you cannot do without .

Necessary tools for manicure at home

Good, high-quality tools are the key to high-quality cuticle care, prevention of nail splitting and high speed of the procedure. For a classic edged manicure you will need the following tools:

Which manicure tools should you use and which should you not?

If you still have little experience in nail care, orange sticks will come in handy . They can move the skin near the cuticle and clean the eponychium.

nail scissors to trim cuticles This is acceptable, but the best quality manicure will be if you use tweezers . Scissors have straight blades, while tweezers have beveled blades. Therefore, it is the tweezers that cut the skin more and deeper , and after using them the manicure lasts longer.

Nail fork

Since we are talking about the cuticle area, no blade pressure is allowed. This can damage the matrix - the growth cells of the nail under the hole. As a result, the nail will grow crooked for the rest of its life.

Choosing a nail file, which one is used for what

Files vary depending on the grit. Grits measure the amount of abrasive applied to 1 square centimeter of a file:

The coarsest file is 80 grit. It is used to reduce the length of artificial nails;

From 100 to 150 – to give shape to artificial nails;

From 180 to 240 – for working with natural nails;

From 400 to 2000 – polishers.

It would be a big mistake to use the wrong saw. In stores you can see nail files without a grit mark. You shouldn't buy them. These can be rough files that will only “soak” the nail and it will crumble and flake.

there are files or clippers for this . He, like a guillotine, cuts the edge at the right angle.

The file moves in one direction . Then the edge of the nail does not become frayed. You cannot use a file on wet nails. Nails absorb a lot of water and become flexible. They follow the file and it’s impossible to make a good cut. Moreover, you can break off the edge of the nail. Therefore, use a file only on dry nails.

They also use a polisher on dry nails . This is a tool for the final stage of the manicure procedure.

Is individual entrepreneur registration required?

If you decide to open a real salon, even at home, registration is mandatory. What do we mean by the word "salon"? If you decide to hire several masters, convert your bedroom into a manicure office, the children's room into a pedicure office, and the living room into a hallway, you will definitely have to deal with paperwork.

But if you decide to just work for yourself, why waste time, effort and money on processing useless documents? There will be many more disadvantages here than advantages.

How to choose the shape of the free edge of the nail

The shape of the nail can visually lengthen the fingers , making them thinner and more graceful. But often you see nails of different lengths, asymmetrically filed or too short.

The fingers on the hand are all different, the nails are also different. The nail on the big toe is wider than the others, but longer. The little finger has the most beautiful, narrow nail. The ring finger also has a beautiful nail. But the index and middle ones are usually shorter than the others. This happens because they have a lot of work to do. They are hard workers and therefore do not have time to grow up.

Short nails should be trimmed to length. Especially if you are going to cover them with clear varnish. The free edge will show through and it will become clear that it is not the same length on all fingers.

The shape of the free edge is:

A square is sawed like this : first the length is removed, then several movements are made with a file on one side and the other to emphasize the square shape.

Soft square : made from the previous shape, slightly rounding the corners and giving the straight cut a slightly smiling line.

Oval: made from a square shape, at the corners the file is placed at an angle of 45% and the corner is sawed off. Then the resulting obtuse angles are smoothed with a file.

Almonds: First a square is made, then a file at an angle of 60% cuts off the corner on both sides. Then all the corners are smoothed out. The almond shape is only given to long nails. On short ones it looks awkward.

After shaping the nails, you need to remove the sawdust from under them. This can be done by placing the file perpendicular to the free edge of the nail and making several upward movements with the file.

How to find clients while working from home?

The first clients of a manicurist are relatives, friends and acquaintances. But for a permanent income this base is very small, so you need to use advertising of your services.

Suitable business promotion options:

1. Outdoor advertising – this includes posting advertisements, distributing leaflets and business cards.
2. Social networks – there are 2 options here. The first is the creation of a working page (possibly several in different services) with a description of the services and active promotion of the account. You can comment on posts in popular city communities, communicate in thematic public pages, etc. The second option is to purchase advertising posts in well-known groups in the city.
3. Advertising in print media - newspapers, magazines, brochures with advertisements.

Each method attracts a certain category of clients, but it is still recommended to give preference to social networks. This is inexpensive and effective, even if you pay attention to the work page for 30–40 minutes a day, not to mention advertising posts. Their cost ranges from 300–500 rubles per publication, after which thousands of users will learn about the master. The actual number of clients who applied will be 10–20 people, which covers advertising costs tens of times.

Trim manicure at home

Technique for classic edged manicure:

Hand washing
Step 1: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap, remove old nail polish and give them the desired shape;

Removing varnish

Step 2: Completely remove the old varnish;

Nail polish removal

Step 3: Lay out a towel and place a bowl of hot water on it. You can add a little liquid soap;

Soaking hands

Step 4: Place your left hand in a bowl of hot water (if you are left-handed, your right hand);

Step 5: Remove the little finger from the bowl, dry it with a towel and push back the cuticle with a pusher;

Pushing back the cuticle

Step 5: Use a hatchet to clean out the pterygium (eponychium);

Cleaning the pterygium

Step 6: Using tweezers, trim off the white dead skin on the rollers and cuticle area. Hold the tweezers on the rollers with the blades parallel to the nail, and perpendicular in the cuticle area. This results in a smaller cut and there is no chance of accidentally touching the roller with the back of the blades;

Cuticle removal

Step 7: Take out your ring finger and repeat steps 4 to 6;

Step 8: Take out your middle finger and repeat steps 4 to 6;

Step 9: Take out your index finger and repeat steps 4 to 6;

Step 10: Take out your thumb and repeat steps 4 to 6; Step 11: Change the cooled water and put your other hand in it;

Step 12: Repeat steps 4 to 9.

If a manicure is being done for a man or a child , the next step is polishing the nails and massaging the cuticles with oil.

Moisturizing with oil

If a girl does not want to paint her nails, then they are covered with a colorless base for natural nails. This will keep them from being dried out by detergents and washing powders . And also at the end, massage the cuticle with oil.

Unedged manicure at home

In the salon, unedged manicure is performed using a special device. It has a cutter, different attachments and speeds. You can do this manicure at home using files of different shapes and sizes. There is a file that is called “a file for European unedged manicure . It is small, square or rectangular in cross-section and often has a rounded end. It is convenient for them to move the roller in the cuticle area.

Ceramic hoof

Another tool that can be useful for removing eponychium is a ceramic hoof . It should not be confused with a silicone hoof. They are very similar in appearance, but the silicone is very soft. They cannot clean the nail from the dried skin that has stuck to the nail. It is only suitable for pushing back the roller in the cuticle area. Unedged manicure is performed without soaking, on dry skin. Special products are used to soften dry areas.

Cuticle removers

They produce two types of products: alkaline and acidic. Both of them work well to soften hardened skin areas with hyperkeratosis. You should ask the seller whether you need to wash off the purchased product and after how many minutes to do this. There are also products based on fruit oils ; they do not need to be washed off the skin. They will not dry out or cause inflammation if they are not washed off. On the contrary, they nourish and moisturize the skin. Such cuticle removers are applied between manicure procedures to prevent the growth of eponychium (pterygium). High-quality and inexpensive cuticle removers can be purchased here.

Technique for performing European unedged manicure at home:

Step 1: Wash your hands with soap;

Hand washing

Step 2: Apply cuticle remover;

Applying cuticle softener Cuticle treated with cuticle softener

Step 3: Starting with the little finger, use the rounded tip of a file or an orange stick to push away the roller;

moving away and grinding the roller

Step 4: Remove the softened thin skin from the surface of the nail;

Cuticle removal

Step 5: Process the rollers with a 180 grit file;

processing rough rollers with a file

Step 6: Wash your hands with soap; Step 7: Degrease nails with an alcohol solution;

Degreasing nails

Step 8: Apply varnish.

Varnish coating

Mandatory rules for doing business

1. Regardless of where you work, all tools and work surfaces must be sterile clean. Follow safety rules.
2. You must always work with gloves. In order not to clog the space, all nail dust should be swept away, and the surface of the tables should be thoroughly cleaned and treated with an antiseptic.
3. A manicurist must undergo regular medical examinations and have a medical certificate.
4. Buy quality materials for work. Choose gel coatings from trusted brands and manufacturers. The quality of the materials determines the result of the manicure performed and the period of its wear, and, accordingly, the client’s trust.
5. Don't forget about the client's comfort. Wherever you provide your services, the client should be satisfied. Create a pleasant atmosphere for him and greet him with a smile.
6. Adapt to the wishes of the customers; if the client does not like experiments, then you should not be unauthorized. Learn to establish contact and hear the desires of clients, your profit will depend on this.

How to paint your nails evenly and beautifully

There is no difficulty in painting your nails easily and quickly and doing it exactly at home, without using a brush on the roller.

First of all, the varnish must have a certain consistency. The new varnish applies well and dries quickly because the solvents have not yet evaporated from it. If the varnish has thickened, add 3-5 drops of varnish solvent to it.

Do not try to thin the polish with acetone or nail polish remover. These products will cause the varnish to curl.

Technique for applying varnish in bright or dark tones:

Step 1: Dip the brush into the varnish, squeeze out the excess with the back of the brush onto the bottle in a forward motion.

Step 2: Place the brush in the middle of the nail at a 45 degree angle and move towards the cuticle. Before reaching the roller, stop the brush and move towards the free edge of the nail. This entire double movement must be done without lifting the brush from the nail or stopping it.

Positioning the brush Smooth movement towards the cuticle Movement of the brush towards the free edge

Step 3: Place the brush on the nail in the cuticle area so that the brush lies in the hand perpendicular to the finger. Make a stroke with the brush along the cuticle to the side roller, round the stroke along the contour of the nail (the brush changes position - now it lies in the hand parallel to the finger) and finish it to the free edge of the nail.

Movement to the side roller

Step 4: Repeat this movement on the other side of the nail. If you run out of varnish on the brush during the process, turn it over and continue.

Moving in the other direction

Step 5: With a well-pressed brush, brush along the end of the nail, sealing it.

Result

Technique for applying varnish in nude and dense pastel colors:

Nude polish
Step 1: Dip the brush into the polish, squeeze out the excess with the back of the brush onto the bottle in a forward motion.

Step 2: Place the brush in the middle of the nail at an angle of 5 degrees and move towards the cuticle, holding it almost suspended. The brush does not put pressure on the nail, only the polish touches the nail. Before reaching the roller, stop the brush and move towards the free edge of the nail.

Step 3: Bring the brush to the cuticle area. Keep the hand parallel to the finger. Barely touching the nail, move the brush towards the side roller and down to the free edge. The brush should go along the side of the nail without touching the roller.

Step 4: Repeat this movement on the other side of the nail. If you run out of varnish on the brush during the process, turn it over and continue. Step 5: With a well-pressed brush, brush along the end of the nail, sealing it.

Coating materials

Everything about manicure for beginners is not only knowledge about the process of removing and manicure, it is information about tools and materials, without which it will be difficult to do high-quality work.

Base

There are many types of databases. Most often, craftsmen use rubber bases of medium or liquid consistency.

This is due to 3 reasons:

1. It is easiest to use a medium-thick material for leveling, since thick bases will lie smoothly for quite a long time. If the master has a well-trained hand, then he will be comfortable working with a liquid consistency.
2. The rubber base is stronger. With its help, you can straighten long nails without resorting to strengthening with hard gels.
3. The rubber base helps to achieve perfect alignment, hide unevenness and achieve a beautiful highlight.

Colored gel polish

There are a great variety of color coating options. Each master independently chooses which materials are easiest for him to work with. It is important to note that colored gel polishes differ in density (the amount of pigment in the composition) and consistency (liquid, medium thickness and thick).

The most popular and high-quality manufacturers of color materials are PNB, In'Garden (X-Gel), Lianail.

Top

There is a huge variety of tops, but they can be divided into 3 large groups:

• By effect. The top can have a matte or glossy finish. It is generally accepted that the velvet version is less durable, it gets dirty and scratched faster.
• By residual stickiness. A top with a sticky layer requires removing the dispersion layer using a special liquid or alcohol (if you have an allergy). A top without a sticky layer does not require additional manipulation.
• By consistency. Tops can also be thick, medium thick or liquid. Most often, preference is given to liquid representatives, since they are more convenient and faster to work with.

Nail designs at home

There are beautiful design options for which you don’t have to go to the salon. They can be done at home: rhinestones, glitter, gel pen painting, stickers, bouillons, varnish painting, craquelure, velvet, cat's eye.

Cat's eye - stripes Cat's eye - waves

1. Cat's eye design . For it you will need to purchase magnetic polish and a Cat's Eye nail magnet. They also produce variants “Wave”, “Stripes ” and others. But the most spectacular is “Cat's Eye”.

Cat's eye - made with gel polish

It is done on the newly applied layer of varnish. The magnet is brought to the nail so that the strip is along the nail. Hold for 1 second.

If you hold the magnet closer to the nail, there will be a clear line, further away it will be blurry.

If you bring a magnet first vertically and then horizontally, there will be a bright point.

Gel polish - made with ordinary varnish

2. Craquelure design . A new product, hard varnish, has appeared on the product market. More details can be found here. This is a special cracking varnish that is applied to the dried previous layer.

Substrates made of gold, white, and black varnish look good. Crack polish dries quickly. It can be thinned like regular varnish.

If you apply it in a thick layer, it will crack into large pieces. If in a thin layer - into small ones. You can combine it: make one side of the nail with large fragments, and the other with small ones.

Craquelure - large, medium, small.

3. Velvet design. The varnish for this effect is called “Satin”. After drying, it becomes matte, hiding all the unevenness of the nail.

If you apply a top coat on it, it becomes shiny, like regular varnish. You can make two nails shiny and leave the rest matte. This design looks good in dark or bright colors. On pastel colors it is almost invisible.

4. Leopard design. On a dried substrate (for example, coffee-au-lait color), uneven spots are applied with a brush with a slightly darker (beige) varnish and, without waiting for them to dry, a black dot is added to each spot. Using an orange stick, each dot is given the appearance of a comma.

Leopard design

This design is classic. It can be performed not only in natural tones, but also in avant-garde ones. A turquoise backing with blue spots and black commas looks good.

5. Zebra design.

Zebra design

Black lines are applied to a dry white substrate with a thin brush. There are varnishes for design, they have just such brushes.

The lines are drawn diagonally on the nail. The first line is drawn simple. The second, parallel to it, with a thickening coming from the middle of the line. It looks like a very narrow triangle. The third line is drawn simple along the previous one. The fourth is drawn with a thickening on the other side. The fifth is simple.

You can draw with a regular black gel pen. When the drawing is dry, simply seal it with topcoat. One zebra nail looks good, the rest are white.

Nails with rhinestones and bouillons

6. Design with stickers, bouillons and rhinestones . It is used on special occasions (weddings, graduations) and requires a beautiful dress.

Decorate two nails, tightly covering them with rhinestones of different sizes . Swarovski rhinestones are suitable; they can be purchased in a set. The largest stone is placed in the center, closer to the cuticle. Near it on both sides there are smaller stones.

The smallest stones are placed on the edge of the nail. The space between large stones can be filled with golden broths . On the remaining nails, place one small stone in the center near the cuticle.

Pencil for rhinestones

Place the stones on the wet varnish . The stone is taken by simply bringing an orange stick moistened with water or a special pencil for rhinestones to it and it sticks to it (there are special pencils for attaching rhinestones on sale). It is placed on fresh varnish, corrected, trimmed, it sticks to the varnish and releases the stick.

Sterilizing instruments at home

In nail salons, instruments are sterilized in a dry-heat oven.

Manicure tools

At home, you can use the oven for these purposes. Place metal tools in a specially designated bowl, turn on the oven at 250 degrees and heat for 15 minutes.

If during the procedure a wound was caused and blood came out, before sterilization the instrument is soaked in a chlorhexidine solution or wiped three times with 70% alcohol (if special pharmaceuticals , it is better to carry out treatment with them, according to the instructions).

Files and orange sticks can also be soaked in a disinfectant solution . But if there was no blood while working with them, it is enough to wipe them.

Below you can watch a detailed video about sterilizing manicure instruments; some information will be useful to you at home.

What pharmaceutical products may be useful?

In addition to chlorhexidine, you can buy hawthorn tincture 70% in the pharmacy. This alcohol solution can be used as a disinfectant.

The professional line of pharmaceutical products for sterilization is very diverse. Disinfectants are divided into two types: for hands and for metal tools. The pharmacist at the pharmacy will always tell you what products are available. You may also need BF-6 glue . This is a medical glue for treating wounds. It is convenient for cuts, disinfects and seals the wound instead of a band-aid.

It’s good to have on hand the remedy for warts “Mountain Celandine” , a brown herbal balm. If a wart is discovered during the manicure procedure, you can immediately cauterize it with this balm.

Profitability

The return on investment time should be determined at the business planning stage. How quickly you can return the money you spent and start earning money depends on several factors:

1. Professionalism and list of services provided. The more carefully and confidently you do your work, the better.
2. The effectiveness of an advertising company. By spending several thousand rubles on advertising when starting a business, you can significantly speed up the process of its payback.
3. Quality of materials. Using cheap varnishes, you are unlikely to get a large client base, and the design services will be of low quality.
4. Constant development. Learn new work techniques, hold promotions and bonuses for regular customers.

With the right advertising strategy, within six months of opening a nail business, you will have a large customer base. The average earnings of a manicurist at home are about 1000 USD. per month. We subtract the monthly costs for consumables and get an amount of 500-600 USD. With such earnings, you will be able to recoup the costs within the first months of doing business.

The nail business is one of the most promising areas in the service sector. It does not require large investments and is characterized by a quick payback. In addition, by starting a manicure business at home, you can save on renting a premises.