Being a nail technician is a very rewarding career for those who love to look good and want to help others achieve their personal beauty goals. The job utilizes technical precision, interpersonal communication, and artistic creativity. It is an equipment-intensive profession and every nail technician needs to have access to and be proficient with the tools of the trade. Let’s take a look and see what’s in the nail technician’s toolbox!
- Nail Art Tools & Accessories – Let’s start with the art! Nail technicians are also artists who work with tools like the nail brush and various nail art stickers to create fun and unique designs to please their clients! They also employ accessories like rhinestones, glitter, and other eye-catching decorations in their work. Some clients want every finger and toe to tell a unique story, giving the nail technician ample opportunity to practice their artistic techniques!
- Base Coats – This clear liquid is applied to the nail prior to the application of the nail polish. Its purpose is to cover the natural nail and protect it against staining, as well as help the polish to better adhere to the nail’s surface. Base coats can also have ridge-filling and strengthening effects.
- Nail Strengtheners – These are special treatments designed to provide support for weak and brittle nails. The strengthener can be applied as a base coat or simply applied on its own to improve the client’s nail health.
- Nail Polish – Perhaps the star of the nail technician’s show, there are almost more colours, shades, and hues of nail polish than there are stars in the sky! Some of the most popular are classics like scarlet red, hot pink, soft lavender, and nude skin, but there is also a demand for electric purple, grass green, sea blue, and “goth girl black”! You can find a rainbow in those little vials, as well as a plethora of textures like gloss, matte, flat, and pebbled! Nail polish colour is a very personal choice for each client and the nail technician must be able to make suggestions that they feel will best suit their desires.
- Top Coats – Once the nail polish has been applied it’s time to brush the top coat on. This powerful liquid seals the colour in while adding extra shine. It also helps prevent the nail polish from chipping, as well as speeding up the time needed for drying.
- Cuticle Oil – This gently medicating salve is a wonderful tool for maintaining healthy nails as it hydrates both the nail and cuticle. Applying it regularly helps to keep the nails flexible and strong to prevent the possibility of brittleness and breaking.
- Files & Buffers – Files are used to shape the nails to the desired form, be it oval, square, or round. Buffers are employed to help smooth the nail’s surface, removing ridges and forming a smooth base to apply the nail polish to.
These are the basic tools a nail technician uses during their daily work to make their client’s nails look fabulous!