How to Become a Nail Technician

What Does a Nail Technician Do?

Being a nail technician is more than painting nails, although there certainly is a lot of that!

Nail technicians offer a number of services and procedures for hand care.

Nail technicians are the front line of the aesthetician industry and interact face-to-face with customers, taking care to match their desire and interests.

Aside from nail care and beautification, manicurists offer comprehensive hand care treatments involving waxes, scrubs, moisturizers, and cuticle care. The hands (and feet) are the most used part of the body so they require special care and management.

Nail technicians are trained to provide these treatments in the most effective manner. Manicurists may also be trained to deal with hand conditions such as excessively dry skin and eczema.

A Little History on the Discipline…

The focus on hands is apparent in the name “manicurist” which is formed from the Latin roots manus (hand) and cura (care).

Manicurists have existed in some form or another since pre-recorded history as the human practice of decorating nails has been dated back thousands of years.

Tools related to hand and nail care have been found in 5,000-year-old tombs in Assyria and it is known that ancient Mesoamerican cultures such as the Inca painted their nails for religious, combative, and decorative purposes.

The first recorded instances of nail care for beautification purposes stems from 3000 BCE China, where women would soak their nails overnight in a concoction of egg whites, gelatin, and beeswax. In those days, long decorative nails were commonly a sign of wealth and prestige.

Most common people had to work with their hands, so well-groomed hands and nails were the sign of a wealthy noble who did not have to work for a living. These associations ran so deep that during the Chou dynasty, the monarchy outlawed the wearing of certain nail colors by the lower classes.

Commercial nail art in its modern form finds its origins in Paris during the 19th century. The operation of these salons is remarkably similar to today—nail technicians (mostly women) would offer trims, oils, and moisturizers, and colorings to men and women interested in the high fashion of the time. Over time this practice traveled across the Atlantic to the States.

The first well known American manicurist was Mary E. Cobb who opened her first salon in Manhattan, New York in 1878. Her salon was called “Mrs. Pray’s Manicure” and was known for Cobb’s unique take on the traditional French technique. She embraced a multi-step method of hand care involving soaking the figures, trimming away excess nails, then shaping and coloring. In fact, her business invented the memory board nail file, a common tool in any nail tech’s arsenal.

With the advent of color film in Hollywood in the 20s, 30s, and 40s, fascinated moviegoers wished to emulate the glamorous nail colors of their favorite stars. Thus kicked off the current trend in the nail care industry which saw a burgeoning need for skilled technicians who could apply routine hand care treatments.