NATURAL NAIL PREPARATION 

• Sanitise – Keep a distance of approximately 20cm between the spray nozzle and skin, allowing the spray to mist and cover the entire skin surface quickly and efficiently. Sanitise both yourself and your client with fingers apart and jewellery removed. There is no need to rub spray sanitiser into the skin.
• Remove Oils/Polish – Use Nail Polish Remover to remove any traditional polish left on the nail plate. Then, use Nail Surface Cleanser or a diluted Isopropyl Alcohol solution and a Nail Wipe to scrub the nail plate clean. Even if there was no polish on, scrub really well, focussing on the cuticle, lateral folds, surface and free edge. This prevents oils from transferring to our tools and will ensure better adhesion for our products.
• Shorten – Use a new 240-grit thin wood file or a slightly worn 180-grit file to shorten the nail to square.
• Checks – Check all nails in context (hands flat on the table), for length (palms to you), and for consistent shape (palms to client).
• Shape – Once you are happy with the square, shape the nails to suit the client’s preferences. Note that in our video, Erin shortens and shapes at the same time. Dividing this into two separate steps gives a better chance of perfection if you’re a newbie.
• Cuticles – Holding the Cuticle Pusher at a 45-degree angle or lower, gently push back any cuticle on the nail plate. Pay special attention to the corners, raising the pusher on its side if need be and using the flat end to gently remove debris. Whatever you do, do not confuse the cuticle with the eponychium – the eponychium should stay where it is.
• Brush – Never use fingers to brush debris away. Use a 100% plastic Manicure Brush to remove dust and debris.
• Remove Shine – Use a 180-grit foam buffer to gently remove the shine from the nail plate. Make sure to pull the lateral folds back, and to buff with the angled edge of the buffer facing the skin around the eponychium. Focus the buffer on the cuticle area, lateral folds, free edge and nail plate. Run it across the free edge as if shaping to remove debris. Some brands don’t require buffing, so check with your brand if this step is required at all. We don’t recommend choosing a brand that requires a 100-grit buffer or lower, a file, or an e-file for prep.
• Cleanse – Use Nail Surface Cleanser or a diluted Isopropyl Alcohol solution and a Nail Wipe to scrub the nail plate clean. Focus on the cuticle area, lateral folds, free edge and nail plate. Be thorough, there is no such thing as too clean! Note that some brands require you to use pure cosmetic-grade acetone (NOT the same as the acetone you can get at the hardware store!) so check whether they require you to cleanse with Iso or Acetone.

Extra Tips for Shaping – 

NATURAL NAIL PREPARATION (Wet)

At Monaco we do not encourage the offering of ‘wet’ Manicures, being those that involve submerging the fingertips in warm water. Doing so causes the nail plate to expand, only contracting an hour after contact with water. If painting the nails within this hour timeframe, the polish will dry to the shape of the expanded nail, and chip when the nail contracts away from it. Aside from this, it is far easier to pass infections through water-based services.