Getting a manicure is just about one of the best things that a woman (or man!) can receive. Not only is it an opportunity to improve your looks, but it’s also a chance to escape from the realities of the world and step into a state of relaxation. While the ultimate goal of the manicure is to improve the looks of the nails, it’s also become common practice to incorporate massage and various relaxation techniques while getting your nails done.

Most manicures done at salons are performed by technicians who are also trained in the art of massage. While they are usually not licensed therapists, they have acquired the skills to apply just the right pressure to the hands and feet that leave us in a total state of bliss. It’s also very typical of nail salons to have their clients sit in a relaxing massage chair while having their nails and feet worked on. These chairs provide a deep back massage at just the push of a button, adding the finishing touches on a perfect spa experience. (Getting a manicure is a cheaper and often more convenient experience than a massage at a full-service spa.)

Another great aspect of receiving a manicure is the “heat therapy”. Applying gentle heat to the body is known to have a calming and relaxing effect, so many nail technicians will place your hands in warming mitts to help soften the skin as well as relax the muscles in the hands. Many people also opt to receive a pedicure along with their manicure. These are also quite a relaxing experience, as the feet are placed into a warm and bubbling footbath and followed by a complete foot and leg massage.

However, as wonderful as receiving a manicure at a salon can be, the reality still exists that not everyone can afford to have these luxurious treatments – or perhaps they simply don’t have the time. While it’s hard to duplicate the total experience available at nail salons, an equally satisfying manicure can be done at home. Here are a few tips on giving a great manicure at home.

1. Have the right tools available. For example, you will need a nail file, clippers, a cuticle stick, nail scissors, and if applicable, bottles of nail polish. You may also want to have items such as cuticle softener, lotion, warming mitts, paraffin wax machine, and a footbath. (If you don’t have a footbath, a tub filled with warm water works just as great!)

2. Carefully go through your nails with a cuticle stick and scissors, gently removing any hangnails or outgrown cuticles. Then file and clip your nails to the desired length and shape.

3. If you’re going to provide a massage, do it before you paint the nails. Use your thumbs to apply gentle pressure to the palms of the hands and rub in a circular motion. Follow up massaging each individual finger while working your way outward.

4. Be sure to rinse off any massage lotion using a wet washcloth before applying polish. Coat the nails twice, followed by a clear top coat.

If you are interested in learning how to give a professional manicure, then you should enroll in classes, as this type of profession does require a license. If however you just want to learn how to give an at home manicure, then I have some great tips for you.

First, when giving a manicure, you should start by removing any existing polish. You will need cotton and fingernail polish remover. Some heavy duty salon polishes have acetone in them, and will require a heavier type of remover, most polishes, however, can be removed with a basic non- acetone remover. If you happen to have an aversion to cotton (some people do) you can use those plastic jars that contain finger nail polish remover. Most cosmetic companies have there own version of them, like Sally Hansen or Revlon for example.

Next you should soak your hands in water. You may add some oils or cleaning solution to the water, or you could simply use tap water. Allow your fingers to soak for at least five minutes. The purpose of this soaking is to allow your cuticles to soften in order to make it easier to push them back.

Once your fingers have soaked, you should dry them thoroughly before trimming and shaping your nails. Some people like to use a buffer on the nail to smooth it, before shaping. Next, while your cuticles are still soft, use an orange stick to gently press your cuticles back. This will not only give your nails a more groomed appearance, but will also allow your nails to grow longer. Also use the orange stick to clean any remaining debris from under nails.

The next step in giving a manicure is to shape the nails. You may shape your nails any way that you like. Some people prefer to round their finger nails, while others prefer a more squared off look. Whichever you choose, be careful to only use the emery board in one direction. If you go back and forth with the board, it may damage the nail. This may take a little longer, but the results will be worth your patience. Now, you should apply a moisturizer to your hands. There are tons of different moisturizers to choose from. Just pick one that works well for you.

Now you are ready to polish those digits. I would recommend at this point if you are going to polish your toes as well, do the toes first. This way it lessens the chance of you damaging your freshly polished fingers. Before using color, you should first apply a base coat to the nail. This will smooth out any imperfections and help the color bond better to the nail. Wait a few minutes for the base coat to dry, and then apply one layer of color. When applying color, less is more. You don’t want to put it on too thick. You can always come back and apply another coat later. Lastly, you may want to apply a clear coat to prevent chipping and add extra shine. Try to sit still and touch nothing for about an hour in order to keep your nails from smudging.

Mention the words “French Manicure” around nearly any woman, and you’ll immediately see their face light up like a kid on Christmas morning. This is because many women regularly indulge themselves in this classic beauty routine, whether they go out to a salon or do it themselves at home. It has become known as a common form of manicure in the United States, as it most resembles a “natural” look for fingernails. It’s very universal in that the look is ideal for day-to-day life, weddings, proms, special events, or nights out on the town.

The history of the French Manicure is thought to go back to the mid 1970’s when a man named Jeff Pink, president of the popular manicure company Orly, attended a fashion show where he noticed several of the models were using a white pencil to whiten the tips of their fingernails. He immediately realized this could be major fashion trend and brainstormed a way to recreate the look. The result was a kit that contained two shades of polish; a light pink base and white polish to paint the tips of the fingernails. He also included adhesive strips to place at the baseline of the nail so that women could effortlessly create a stunning, perfect look when applying the white paint.

French manicures are still sold in this form today, but have varied slightly since their beginning. Today you can choose from a classic light pink shade, a nude base, or you could even choose a pearl-based shade to add a bit of glamour to this classic manicure. Several kits contain jewels or other accents to add to your newly manicured nails if you are looking to “kick it up” a notch or two. Of course these kits are meant to be applied at home, but if you’d rather head to a salon, you’ll find French Manicures to be a popular choice among salon clients.

Sometimes nail technicians at salons will use acrylic tips when providing a French Manicure. This is usually done when the actual nails are not long enough to get the stunning white tip look. The technician will place long tips on your fingernails, cut them down to your requested size, and sand them down so that tip blends with your actual nail. They will then apply an acrylic foundation that hardens your nails to make it smooth and even, then proceed with the French Manicure techniques. After painting your nails with a base shade, the technician will then add the white paint to your faux tips and finish them off with a drying spray.

For a French Manicure without acrylic tips, prices usually range from $10-$15. You can expect to pay around $30 at a salon for a French Manicure using the tips. The kits to do it yourself at home are sold at any drug or department store for around $8. If you decide to go to a salon, you can rest assured that nearly any nail salon will be trained in the French Manicure application.

There are many different types of manicure tables. Some tables are fairly basic. These tables usually have a metal frame with a laminate top. They sometimes have wheels on the bottom to make room redecorating a little easier. There are also plastic manicure tables, complete with attached chairs. I’ve even seen some plastic manicure tables made to look antiqued like faux stone. These types of tables are similar to those huge faux concrete flower pots. You’ve seen the ones that look really heavy, but then you go to pick them up and they are plastic and very lightweight.

In some fancier nail salons, I have seen the use of antique furniture as manicure tables. The furniture could have been a desk, or perhaps a dresser of some sort. Sometimes the top has been refinished with a stain. I have also seen these types of manicure tables with stone on the top, such as marble or granite.

Another type of manicure table is similar to a desk in that it has drawers for storage. These types of tables are usually made of wood or some combination of wood and laminate. I have also seen some manicure tables with a glass top. The tables with glass tops would probably be the most difficult to keep clean. Glass tables show every speck of dirt and every finger print smudge there is.

Whichever type of table you choose; you should have some sort of space for storage. While a manicure table should be visually attractive if at all possible, it’s more important that it is functional.

Prices vary greatly for manicure tables. These types of tables can be purchased locally at beauty supply shops, through catalogs, and of course through the internet. It is also a good idea to check your local paper for used manicure tables. You could save a great deal of money by purchasing a used table. Sometimes, they are so gently used that you would never know that it wasn’t brand new. The internet is also another good source for purchasing used beauty supply equipment. There are many different online suppliers. EBay could also be a good source for finding used manicure tables.

Try to buy all of your manicure tables at one time in order to save on shipping. With the rising price of gas these days, it’s possible that the shipping charges could actually be more than the price of the actual supplies. This is especially true if you are only purchasing a few tables and they happen to be located on the other side of the country.

Whatever you decide, I suggest that you do some serious shopping around before you purchase. The manicure table is the most important part of the nail salon. The manicure table will dictate the entire theme of the salon. Do you want something basic, or perhaps a little more upscale? Do you want something lightweight and easy to move or something more stationary? Whatever the answer, I wish you good luck and happy shopping.

Why would you need a warmer in order to give a manicure? Well, that’s a very good question. The warmer isn’t really for the manicure, and it’s not really used in an everyday basic manicure. A manicure warmer is saved for the purpose of giving a very special type of manicure. This special type of manicure is a spa manicure. A spa manicure, is a little pricier than its basic counterpart, but it is worth the splurge every once in a while.

The manicure warmer is actually used to warm wax used to give a spa manicure. The warmer will heat and melt a paraffin wax. The wax is then smothered onto the hands of the lucky recipient. The wax acts as a moisturizer. It replaces essential oils and moisture that we loose through every day life, especially through hand washing. The wax will help to smooth rough hands and temporarily reduce fine lines leaving hands looking younger and softer. With regular spa manicures hands will continue to look younger, due to the softening of the skin.

Once the wax has been applied the client is left to relax and wait for the wax to harden. The wax doesn’t actually harden into a complete solid form. It’s not like the wax will be as hard as a crayon or a candle. It’s also a very thin layer of wax, so it will come off with a gentle rubbing motion. Once the wax has been heated and applied the manicure warmer is no longer needed. There are many different types of manicure warmers. Some warmers come with disposable cups that allow for ease of clean up, while others have to be emptied and cleaned daily. For anyone who has ever had to clean up dried candle wax, you know that this can be an unpleasant task to say the least.

Some manicure warmers also can be used for other beauty shop purposes. For example, some salons may use their manicure warmer to warm the wax used for waxing procedures, like leg and eyebrow waxing. These waxes are usually stickier and heated to a higher temperature than the wax used for a spa manicure or pedicure.

These manicure warmers can be used to give spa pedicures as well as manicures. Why should hands have all of the fun? A spa pedicure can be a great treat for dry and rough or cracked feet. I know that I treated myself to a spa pedicure after I ran the marathon, and it was just what the doctor should have ordered. My feet felt rested, refreshed and most importantly moisturized. It is important for distance runners to take good care of their feet. I have seen some pretty ugly toes after marathon training. I wouldn’t say that I get regular pedicures, but the few that I have gotten have helped to keep my toes looking good.

So that being said, I am thankful for the invention of manicure warmers. Without them, we wouldn’t have the greatest hand pampering known as the spa manicure.

For a basic manicure you need some basic supplies like, an emery board or nail file, tweezers, an orange stick, nail polish remover, and last but not least the nail polish itself.

These all seem simple and basic enough, but if you are giving a spa manicure, the whole simplicity thing is out the window.

A spa manicure is not entirely different from a regular manicure in that you will still receive all of the basic cleaning, massaging, shaping and painting, but you will also receive a paraffin wax in addition to the basics. It’s awesome. A spa manicure really is the total luxury in pampering. Because of the wax, you will need a couple more products than are necessary to give a basic manicure. The products are a little pricier, but most clients will be willing to pay the difference in order to experience this extra pampering. If they are not willing to pay the difference every time they get a manicure, it’s guaranteed that this can be used as an enticing bonus for special occasions.

The wax must be melted in order to apply to the client’s hands. The most commonly used heater is the Amber manicure heater. It comes with refill cups for ease of cleaning and additional cups may be purchased separately. There is no need to clean the sticky mess, simply throw the plastic cup away and wipe the surface clean. We all know what a mess wax can make when it dries and hardens.

Once the wax is heated and melted the clients hand is dipped into the wax and then it is spread evenly onto the entire hand. Then a plastic cover is inserted over the hand. This protects the terry cloth mitts that are then put on top of the plastic cover. The next step for you and the client is to wait. Sometimes this quiet relaxation and waiting is the best part of the spa manicure. Once the wax has hardened, it is time to continue with the manicure.

At this point continue with the manicure as you ordinarily would. You can skip the first step of soaking the hands since the wax will have already softened the cuticles. The nails may also be a little softer due to the intense moisture that the wax provides. They should strengthen once they are polished. The wax will leave the hands feeling soft and smooth for days.

Incidentally, you can you the Amber manicure heater to heat wax for a spa pedicure as well. Amber also makes special booties that go on top of the client’s feet during the spa pedicure. They have thought of everything. These little extras like the booties and the disposable wax cups really help to make clean up a lot easier.

Sometimes our feet get so rough and dry that the wax is really the best way to make them smooth again, so a spa pedicure can be just the medicine. I think that you will be pleased with the results.

Getting a manicure these days seems to be common practice for a lot of people. Some men do receive regular manicures; however, it seems that is type of pampering is usually dominated by women. I went to the nail salon this morning and was amazed at how many women were there. There were mother daughter duos in the nail salon. There were people like myself that were at the salon because of being in a wedding party. There were also women that were just there for a little much needed pampering.

I am not one of those lucky women that have the money or let’s face it the time to get regular salon manicures. I am thrilled with the way that my nails look now, but I know that in just a few hours the polish will start to chip. Unfortunately, I am just not that graceful. Because of my lack of funds, I have mastered some tips to do my own at home manicures.

The first step to doing an at home manicure, is to put the kids to bed. Well, not really, but it helps to get the polish on evenly if I am left alone to fully attend to my nails, without having to wipe a runny nose, or change a diaper wile filing my nails. All joking aside though, I use one of those one minute manicure products to scrub my hands. My favorite product is by Beauty Control. It’s a great exfoliate, but it also has essential oils in it. The oils keep my hands feeling smooth and silky for hours, even after repeated hand washing. Also the oils really help to moisturize not only my hands, but also my cuticles. This eliminates that time consuming step of having to soak your hands in a bowl of water. Really, who has time for that? Incidentally, while your cuticles are soft you should push them back. If you have time you can use either an orange stick or a cuticle pusher. If I am in a hurry, I will just use my finger nail. It’s not perfect, but it will do in a pinch.

Sometimes, that’s the extent of my at home manicure. If, however, I am lucky and have a little more time on my hands, I will proceed with shaping my nails. Shaping can be tricky. I have read that you should stroke the emery board in the same direction, rather than back and forth. This supposedly prevents damage to the nail. However, yesterday, I had to file my nails while driving down the highway on my way to a rehearsal dinner. I didn’t care too much about going in one direction. At least not with the emery board anyway. Also, I noticed that when I got a salon manicure, she didn’t bother to follow that piece of advice either.

The last and most important step in an at home manicure, is of course the polish. I have also read that you should try to put the polish on in thin even coats. Three brush strokes is supposedly the best method, one stroke for each side, and one stroke right down the middle of the nail. Realistically, the best tip I can give you is to get a good polish.

People have been getting manicures for hundreds of years. The word is derived from the Latin word for hand and the Latin word for care, which basically means that a manicure is caring for ones hands. That sounds simple enough right?

Back in the early days of manicures only the very wealthy and pampered celebrities bothered getting a manicure. The process was expensive and time consuming. And it was basically a waste of time for the common laborer. Why bother to get your hands manicured it you were going to be picking cotton the next day?

Well today things are very different. Lots of people get manicures. Men and women included. If they don’t get regular manicures, then they certainly get them for special occasions like weddings, prom, special dates, etc.

There are also many different types of manicures. There is the spa manicure in which your hands are dipped in hot wax and the wax is allowed to harden. There is a basic manicure, a French manicure, and an at home manicure. Not only do the manicures themselves have different types, but the places that perform manicures may differ greatly as well.

Some fancy salons may charge as much as forty dollars for a basic manicure. Cruise ships and resorts are notorious for have exorbitant rates for manicures. Then on the other end of the spectrum, there are inexpensive nail salons that can cost as little as eight or ten dollars. This is surprising to me because the manicure procedure is basically the same at just about every place that I have ever had a manicure (trust me it’s a lot of different places).

Basically, the procedure is this. I come into the salon, sometimes I’m offered a glass of wine, (this usually doesn’t happen at the ten dollar place) then I soak my hands in some sort of concoction. I am told that it is a nail cleanser, but for all I know it could be dish washing liquid. Then after my fingers have pruned, they start poking and prodding my cuticles. This is my least favorite part of a manicure. Can’t they just put the polish on already? Anyway, next they cut my nails evenly and shape them. Lastly the polish is applied. Then I am ushered to another table. Sometimes, they will put me in a spot that has a drier for me to put my hands under. Other times I am left alone to let me nails dry naturally.

Basically it’s the same thing regardless if I am paying thirty dollars or eight dollars. I do have to say however, that a spa manicure is worth the splurge every once in a while. The wax really is refreshing and it rejuvenates my rough and tired hands. The spa manicure procedure really does leave my hands feeling smooth for a few days after I get one. But then in a week, my hands are rough and cracked again. Maybe that is their way of telling me it’s time for another manicure.

There are many tools needed to give a manicure. Whether doing an at home manicure or actually being a manicurist, the supplies can be as endless as you want them to be. If you are to be an actual manicurist, the first thing you need is some training and a license. Thankfully, this type of skill does require licensing. It is a huge relief to know that the girl scraping that razor blade over my foot is actually certified and licensed for doing so.

I am amazed at how many people actually get regular manicures and pedicures. It can be a treat, I must admit. However, unfortunately it is one of those things that rarely make it onto my calendar.

When going to the nail salon, I noticed, how many supplies were actually necessary. They had several pedicure stations. These were nice leather massage chairs. They had tiny little Jacuzzi tubs in the bottom of each chair. These were for feet soaking, and felt great. The manicurist had a little stool at the end of the pedicure station. In between each of the pedicure chairs was a little storage bin. These bins held everything from polish to razor blades. The manicurist needed cotton and some sort of acetone to take off my old polish. She needed scissors and clippers for trimming my fingernails and toenails. She also had a huge variety of buffers and shapers, scrubbers and boards. All of these tools seemed confusing to me, but I think that she used every tool in that bin on my feet. After a thorough cleaning and shaping, she applied lotion to my legs and massaged my feet. It felt great and was much needed.

Now it was time for the polish. The salon had those little foam things that they stick in between your toes to keep them separated while painting. They also had these cute little disposable flip flops for me to wear home. This way my toes could dry and I wouldn’t have to worry about smudging the polish when I put my shoes on. After my toes were polished, I was taken to another station entirely for the manicure.

At this station there was this funny little dryer thing for me to rest my feet on. This was also supposed to help in the drying process and prevent smudging. At the nail station there were even more tools than at the pedicures station. The process was basically the same. First I had to soak my hands. The purpose of this is to soften the cuticles to make it easier to trim them. If was kind of awkward though. Every time I put one hand in, she would take the other hand and either trim or shape my nail. Then she would put that hand back in the water and take my other hand. Half the time, I had no idea what to do with what hand and my arms were overlapping each other all over the place. Anyway, I was surprised at just exactly how many supplies and tools were used during the manicure process.

Why go through all of the trouble of getting a manicure you may ask. Well manicures are one of women’s many secret weapons. One of my friends says that she gets manicures because they are cheaper than therapy. A manicure can be a nice quick pick me up when I am feeling blue. They also instantly make me feel prettier (or at least a little fancier). There are pictures everywhere of women with perfectly manicured fingers.

You can’t open a magazine or turn on the television without seeing a set of perfectly manicured digits these days. Maybe it’s the ease of which we can now get manicures. There are nail salons popping up everywhere. They are so competitive that some salons offer a first time free manicure, while others have half price days.

You see pictures of different types of manicures in magazines and catalogs. Lately, I have seen a lot of different images put on the tops of people’s nails and toenails. The last time I got a pedicure, the manicurist asked me if I wanted a picture of a flower on my big toe for a special occasion. I thought about it for a minute before answering no. I guess it would have been cool to have a picture of a butterfly or a flower on my toe, but in the end I decided that this must be her way of getting me to spend more money. After all, I’m not the trendiest person in the world and I’m not exactly a teenager either, so I would have probably looked ridiculous with a picture on my nail or toenail. That being said, I think that pictures or images have their place in the manicure world. I’ve seen a lot of other people with these images, and it looks great on them.

Every time I open a magazine I see a picture or an ad for a new type of polish. Some polishes promise to be chip proof, while others advertise long lasting shine. I even saw a picture of a dog with its nails polished. I though it was pretty cute, as a dog lover myself. The product they were advertising was called dog pawlish. Get it? Like, polish for the paws. Anyway, I thought it was really cute and would have bought some, but my dog is a boy. Dogs aside, manicures are important to all women at some point and time in their lives, even if they won’t admit it.

One time when every woman considers a manicure to be of the utmost importance is when she first receives an engagement ring. I remember getting more manicures that first month, of being an engaged woman, than I did in the past year. It’s always fun to have freshly painted nails when you are going to be heavily photographed. Manicure and pedicure parties are becoming a staple of all bridal parties. Even if you aren’t the bride everyone wants to compare rings with the other married women, so it’s a good idea to have those digits polished.