Learning to Apply Acrylic Nails in Beauty School: Instant Length and Strength
Acrylic nails have been popular for decades, and their reputation continues to flourish. Some women enjoy going to extremes, with long, brashly decorated talons that get a lot of attention. Others use acrylic nails as a grooming aid when their natural nails tend to split or do not grow quickly or evenly. Cosmetology school students apply plenty of acrylic nails in nail tech training courses.
Beauty School Nail Tech Lesson: A Chemical Reaction
Nail tech students first learn how acrylic nails are created and how they work chemically. Acrylic nails consist of:
- A monomer: Small hydrocarbon molecules in liquid form. Hydrocarbon molecules joined together create a polymer, which can be one of many types of plastic.
- A polymer: The same hydrocarbon molecules, but chemically joined in long chains.
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A catalyst: Used to harden, or "cure" the acrylic nails. Most nail college students are surprised to learn that acrylic nail catalysts actually cause tiny explosions on the surface of the nail.
Proper Business Measures and Nail Application Procedures
Nail salon clients want to feel confident about your abilities as a manicurist and safe with the application methods and measures of hygiene at the salon. Customers look for salons with the following:
- A licensed practitioner who has completed cosmetology school.
- Equipment that is clean and sanitized, including the hands of the manicurist.
- Good ventilation and a lack of fumes throughout the shop.
Basic acrylic nail application procedures include the following steps:
- Push back the cuticles gently with an orangewood stick.
- Use a file to gently roughen the surface of the nail for better adhesion.
- Apply artificial tips to the end of the nail before adding the acrylic.
- Mix the monomer and polymer together in the prescribed quantities. These vary according to the brand of product used.
- Dip your brush into the mixture, and drop the small bead that forms on to the nail. It is not brushed on: the bead is allowed to spread naturally, to create a thicker foundation.
- Repeat the bead-dropping process until the entire nail has been covered.
- Add the catalyst to help the acrylic set faster. Clients appreciate a time-efficient manicure.
As taught in nail tech courses, part of a manicurist's duty is to advise clients on how to care for their acrylic nails:
- Keep the nails away from household chemicals like detergents and cleaners.
- Oil the nails to prevent dryness and breakage.
- Do not put too much pressure on the nails or use them as tools.
- File the lifted areas of an acrylic nail carefully.
For nails with length, strength, and beauty, clients will continue to seek qualified manicurists who can provide them with durable, natural-looking acrylic fingernails. Learn all about this unique craft at your local beauty college.
Featured Schools
Get hands-on training for a beauty industry career at the Milan Institute of Cosmetology.
- Visalia
- La Quinta
- Fairfield
- Reno
- Manicurist
- Cosmetology
If you've ever imagined yourself working in the fast-paced beauty industry, Marinello Schools of Beauty has a program to get your foot in the door. Whether you choose cosmetology, esthetics, nail technology or makeup artistry, Marinello will help you turn your passion for beauty into a career.
Marinello Schools of Beauty makes every student's success a top priority. Our schools are designed to simulate a working salon environment to provide students with real-life experience and a practical, hands-on education. Each campus is equipped with the latest visual and teaching aids, including the modern professional beauty equipment used in America's top salons.
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Prepare for an exciting new career at the Milan Institute.
- Clovis
- Bakersfield
- Cosmetology
Start your career with training from Alameda Beauty College.
- Alameda
- Cosmetology
Get the hands-on training you need to succeed at Blake Austin College.
- Vacaville
- Cosmetology
