Manicuring and Pedicuring Fundamentals
The standard manicure
Consult and record allergies, medications, and skin conditions; wash your hands and the client's; shape the free edge; soften the cuticle; clean under the free edge; massage; then base coat, two thin color coats, and top coat. A pedicure adds a foot soak, exfoliation, callus reduction, and leg and foot massage, and requires the basin to be cleaned and disinfected between clients.
Filing and shaping
Use a fine-grit file and work from the corner toward the center in one direction. Sawing back and forth creates splits and peeling; filing deeply into the corners weakens the sidewalls and invites ingrown nails. Keep the file angled slightly under the free edge. Shapes to know: square, squoval, round, oval, pointed, and coffin.
Cuticle and skin care
The cuticle (eponychium) is living tissue that seals the nail against infection - push it back gently with a rubber-tipped pusher, but never cut living tissue. Nippers are for a hangnail or clearly dead tissue only. Buffing should be light and brief; friction creates heat and thins the plate.
Massage caution
Never massage over inflamed, broken, or swollen skin, over varicose veins, or over a contagious condition. Clients with diabetes or circulatory problems need physician clearance.
Rule of thumb: file edge to center in one direction, and if the skin is red, hot, or broken, do not massage it.