Starter Kit for a Manicure Master

A manicurist is a very popular profession. Many people have learned it at least for themselves, but very often it later becomes a source of income. Despite its apparent simplicity, it’s quite a serious profession that requires constant investment to stay up to date. So, where should you start — what should you buy first? Of course, the variety of colors and nail design decorations comes with time, but there is a minimum list of essential items without which a manicurist’s work is impossible.

Let’s take a look at the basic set for a manicure and gel polish application, following the steps of the master’s workflow to make it easier and ensure nothing is overlooked.

The manicure procedure begins with putting the nails in order. To do this, you need to remove the cuticle, prepare the nail plate, and give it the desired shape. The choice of tools depends on whether you’re doing a hardware manicure or a manual one. For a hardware manicure, you’ll need special equipment and various types of drill bits.

Tools for a manual manicure:

• manicure scissors;
• cuticle scissors;
• nippers;
• cuticle pusher;
• orange wood sticks for cuticles;
• nail files for shaping and buffing the nail plate;
• polishing buffer;
• dust removal brush.

This is the minimum set without which it’s simply impossible to perform a good manual manicure.

During a manual manicure, the first step is to tidy up the cuticle so that it doesn’t interfere with the adhesion of the coating to the nail plate. Most often, it is pushed back and trimmed. However, many technicians today prefer to use only orange wood sticks, gently pushing the cuticle back without cutting it.

Shaping the nails is a topic of its own; there’s no need to dwell on it in detail since everything depends on the client’s preferences. For this, you’ll need files of different shapes and levels of grit. The range of materials is wide — ceramic, glass, metal, plastic. You just need to get used to them and find what works best for you.

It’s important to remember that the hardness of a nail file is determined by its grit size: the lower the grit number, the coarser and harder the file, and vice versa.

For example, the softest files, with a grit rating of 1000 and above, are used for polishing the nail surface and adding shine, while the hardest files, with a grit of up to 200, are suitable only for artificial nails (gel, acrylic).

Ideally, your kit should include a 200–400 grit file for shaping natural nails and a softer one (800–1200 grit) for buffing and polishing the nail plate. If necessary, you can also get an even softer file for brittle or thin nails.

Of course, let’s not forget about the buffer. It is essential both when polishing the nail plate before the first procedure and when removing the coating. Keep in mind that filing produces a lot of dust, and to remove it, there are special fairly stiff brushes. They help eliminate most of the nail dust, preventing tiny particles from getting under the coating.

Materials for the coating procedure

When the manicure is complete, you can proceed to applying the gel polish. The procedure should begin with degreasing the nail plate. If this step is skipped, the coating may start to peel off, especially if the client’s nails are naturally oily. To degrease the nails, you can use a primer, bonder, dehydrator (prep), or at least alcohol. Degreasing ensures stronger adhesion between the coating and the nail surface.

Now the nail is completely ready for the actual coating. The following components are required for a gel polish application:

• base coat for gel polish;
• colored gel polish;
• top coat for gel polish.

This trio is inseparable in this technique. For example, the top coat ensures longer wear of the manicure without chipping or peeling.

The colors of gel polishes can vary depending on clients’ preferences. To start, you’ll need a basic set: a combination of shades for a French manicure, red, black, and several nude tones. Naturally, when spring arrives, shades of green, turquoise, blue, and pink become more popular.

A manicurist must stay up to date with trends if they want to keep and grow their client base. For example, matte manicures have been very popular for quite some time and have already become something ordinary. Therefore, not having a matte top coat for gel polish in your collection would be simply unreasonable.

After applying all three elements, it’s necessary to remove the sticky layer using a special cleanser.

The most important tool for a nail technician is the gel curing lamp. You can use either a UV lamp or a LED lamp. The latter is more expensive but of higher quality — curing takes no more than 30 seconds. UV lamps are a more affordable option. Most nail technicians use lamps with a power of 36 W, which is quite sufficient for client work. There are also lower-power models, but they are suitable mostly for home use, for yourself or friends — nothing more.

Auxiliary materials

No matter how you look at it, a manicurist can’t do without the small, inexpensive, and almost invisible things. This includes lint-free wipes and cotton pads. They are needed both for removing the sticky layer and for taking off the coating.

A very important point — disinfection products! This requires special attention. All tools must be absolutely sterile, otherwise there is a risk of infecting clients with various diseases. A manicurist cannot know the health status of their clients — and often even clients themselves are unaware of certain conditions they may have. In such cases, taking risks is not noble at all, but rather extremely dangerous — both for the client and for the master. Ideally, you should have a dry-heat sterilizer or an autoclave for instrument sterilization. For disinfection, use surface disinfectants, such as Bacillol AF or its equivalents.

Don’t forget about your appearance as well. Nail filing dust gets everywhere — including on your clothes. Wear special work attire: at least an apron, cape, or something you can remove after work so you don’t continue breathing in the dust.

All your tools can be stored however it’s most convenient for you, but keep in mind that you’ll often need to grab something quickly. For convenience, you can purchase a special stand to keep all your instruments within easy reach. And to be able to show clients the variety of your polish colors and how they look on nails, you’ll need a color display palette.

Manicurists use various additional products in their work, mainly aimed at creating a relaxing atmosphere. These include cuticle oils, tonics, and hand creams. A beautiful little jar, from which you gently apply the product around the nail, will bring the client not only benefit but also an extra touch of aesthetic pleasure.

Listing all the essentials results in quite an impressive list. A beginner nail technician needs at least the following:

• a manicure kit (manual or electric);
• a degreasing agent;
• coating materials;
• a cleanser for removing the sticky layer;
• a UV or LED lamp;
• disinfectants;
• disposable materials: wipes and cotton pads;
• work clothing;
• oils, creams, tonics;
• tool stands;
• a palette for showcasing your work.

So, even this “minimum” turned out to be quite an extensive list. The financial entry threshold for this profession isn’t the lowest, but it’s absolutely achievable. Moreover, if you establish yourself as a high-level professional, your investment will pay off very soon.

May your financial efforts not be in vain, and may your endeavors lead to success!

Anna BUNYAK