Manicuring and Pedicuring
The manicure sequence
Sanitize your hands and the client's; inspect the hands and nails; remove old polish; file and shape; soak; push back the eponychium gently; clean under the free edge; exfoliate and massage; apply base coat, polish, and top coat. Shapes include square, squoval, oval, round, and pointed; the shape should follow the client's natural sidewalls.
The pedicure sequence
Inspect both feet, including between the toes; use a liner in the basin; circulate fresh water and disinfect the basin per label after each client; trim toenails straight across and slightly rounded at the corners; reduce callus with a paddle or file; massage; polish.
Traps
- Do not cut living tissue. Pushing back the eponychium is fine; nipping healthy cuticle opens a portal for infection. Nippers are for a loose hangnail, not for carving the nail fold.
- Do not over-soak. Long soaking softens the plate and swells the folds.
- Sharp metal implements must not be dug into the sidewalls; that is how ingrown nails and infections start.
- Massage is contraindicated over inflamed, swollen, or broken skin, and should be modified or skipped for clients with diabetes, varicose veins, or circulatory problems - follow your training and refer when unsure.
- Polish should not touch the cuticle or sidewalls; it lifts and traps moisture.
Worked example
A client wants her cuticles trimmed deeply. You explain that the living tissue is a barrier against infection, push back the eponychium instead, and use nippers only on a loose piece of dead skin.
Rule of thumb
File in one direction to the center, and stop at the first sign of pain or bleeding.