Nail School: Let's Play Catch-Up

Well it's been a hot minute since I've made a post about nail school, huh? Last time, I had just finished taking my acrylic evaluations. Since then, I've had lots of opportunities to work with the medium. It's been a challenge, for sure, and only recently has that nervous feeling that comes with an acrylic appointment begun to fade.

I don't mean to imply that I don't like working with acrylic; only that it can be frustrating to take on a completely new skillset. I've seen some big improvements in myself (after a bit of struggling) that are really encouraging, and I think acrylic is an amazing tool for any tech's arsenal.

For example, just two weeks ago I had a client come in who had broken two of her nails down low. She was headed to a wedding and wanted to do a French manicure, but was concerned about the look of her two broken nails. We decided to build out two sculpted nails to match the rest of her natural nails. When we finished the manicure, she looked down and said, "I can't even tell which ones are fake!" That was an awesome feeling.

Can you tell which two are acrylic? (It's her right ring and pointer fingers.)

In addition to lots of acrylic full sets, fills, and fixes, I've continued to practice and improve on services that I was already more comfortable with, like gel manicures, pedicures, and one-step gel strengtheners.

Not too much to report here, honestly! As I suspected in my last post, we haven't learned new services, but instead just kept practicing and working with clients.

One thing that I've really noticed is a big difference in is service time. While I wasn't necessarily slow before, I've definitely become much more speedy (while still providing the same quality service). No special tricks to be learned there, just lots and lots of practice and repetition.

We also had a new class of students join us at the beginning of April! It was really fun to have some new faces around school and I enjoyed getting to know them.

Though I haven't taken any shots of my gel manicures or pedicures, here are some of my acrylic clients from the past few months. Again, these are all sculpted nails; we do not use tips in class.

Full set of sculptured pink and whites

Full set of sculptured pink and whites with some unique nail art

Full set sculptured pink and natural (before polish), round

Full set sculptured pink and natural (before polish), round

Full set sculptured pink and natural (after polish)

Full set sculptured pink and natural (before polish)

Full set sculptured pink and natural (before polish)

Full set sculptured pink and whites

Fill with polish

Though I know I've still got quite a ways to go, I'm happy with my progression. I'm done with school now, but we still have a couple of posts to go! Stick around for next time when I'll give you the details on our school board exit exams.

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Nail School Weeks 6, 7, & 8: Ready, Steady, Acrylics!

In weeks six through eight, we really focused on honing our acrylic skills in preparation for the full evaluation. In addition to our regular daily clients, we practiced our acrylic sculpting on classmates, our mannequin hands, and our skill sticks. My class has been progressing at different rates; for me, my full acrylic evaluation came at the beginning of week eight.

Pink and white fever
We made quite a bit of headway in our pink-and-white sculpted acrylics. We practiced choosing the right nail forms for each individual's nail beds, and then did some drills on the various stages of sculpting. We did a full set of acrylics on our mannequin hands. We continued to work on our skill sticks to get the fundamentals of sculpting down pat!

At my school, we have two acrylic evaluations before we are released to do them for clients. The first is a three-finger evaluation on one of our fellow classmates, which you can see below. No oil is to be applied, as the instructors need to be able to see the nails as they are! My three finger evaluation went okay, though I know there were (and are) areas I had to improve on.

Once you pass your three finger evaluation, you have to bring in a model to perform a full set in two hours. I brought in my dear mommy! She sat like a champ as I went over the two hour time limit by about a half an hour. You can see my completed set below. Not too shabby for my first go, eh? I passed the evaluation and immediately was assigned a client for another full set! Nerve-wracking!

I also began doing acrylic fills at this time, and was given my first demo with the electric file. We don't use it for much, but there are certain circumstances that require it.

I imagine that my updates will become much more infrequent from now on! I think going forward, it will be a lot of client work and honing previous skills, versus learning brand new ones. We'll see!

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Nail School Week 5: Acrylics Ahoy!

In week five, while we continued to work on an occasional client, we also began learning the fundamentals of acrylic sculpting. The first four weeks of school mostly covered services that I have some basic experience with, but when it comes to acrylic, it's all new to me! I definitely had some struggles at first, but things have steadily improved.

Acrylics here we come
My school puts a big emphasis on sculpting acrylic nails from scratch instead of doing plastic tips overlaid with acrylic, so we started learning the basics of sculpting on our skill sticks. The first stick we used is the one with the black nail forms pre-attached. As you can see, my early attempts were kind of a hot mess. That's ok though -- it's the first time I had ever done it!

The second skill stick comes without the forms pre-attached, so you can put your own nail forms on and then sculpt off the edge of the dowel. By the time we had graduated to the second stick, I had gotten a bit more confident in the basics of sculpting. We also learned how to file/buff our acrylics up to a high shine.

L: My first attempts at acrylic sculpting on my level 1 skill stick, R: Showing improvement on the level 2 skill stick

Jazzing it up
We also got some fun nail art demos this week! One of our instructors showed us how to work with colored acrylics and pigments to create unique sculpted nail designs, while another instructor showed us how to do ten different gel nail art techniques.

I was the model for the colored acrylic nails, so here's my right hand with three long acrylics. It was strange, to say the least. I am not used to having my nails that length!

L: My hand after serving as the model for a colored acrylics demo, R: Ten gel nail art technique demonstrations

Well that's...handy

Additionally, we continued to practice our tip blending and fiber wrap services on our mannequin hands. Though my school discourages the use of tips, it is a required service for state boards.

Here are my three ladies! I asked Instagram to help me name them, and my favorite suggestions were Chanail, Clawdia, and Felicia. My next hand will probably be named Regina Phalange. Say hello!

I'm actually getting this recap out on time this week, which means that week six starts today. We'll begin sculpting acrylics on our fellow classmates and our mannequin hands.

Thank you all for your positive feedback on this series! I'm having a blast writing it. Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions; I'd be happy to answer them if I can!

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Nail School Week 4: Graduating to the Client Floor

Week four of nail school introduced us to actual clients, as well as rockstar gels, acrylic liquid and powder, and more. I even did a gel manicure for my instructor! I'm totally having a blast in school, and it's great to finally be on the floor working with real customers.

Manicuring and pedicuring evaluations
On this first day of week four, we were asked to perform a manicure and pedicure on a model to determine if we got to graduate to the client floor (where you work with real, paying customers). I asked my friend Jess to come in and she graciously obliged.

We had two hours to do a basic manicure and a basic pedicure, polishing both red and French to show that we can neatly and successfully do both. I passed the evaluation and had my first client that very afternoon!

Client work
I had some great clients for my first week! I did a few pedicures (one with a cute glitter accent toe), which went well, but the real moment of truth was when my instructor and owner of the school asked me to do her gel manicure before she went out of town that weekend. I was pretty nervous, to say the least, but it went well!

L: The acrylic exercise sheet, R: My gel manicure on my instructor

More work to be done
Just because we're working with clients now doesn't mean that we're done in the classroom! We still received a couple of new techniques to perfect...

• Rockstar gel manicures: We learned how to do everyone's favorite super blingy glitter gels and get them to a perfectly glassy smooth finish! I haven't had a chance to perform rockstars on anyone yet, but I'm really looking forward to it.
• Continuing cuticle work education: One of our instructors is very passionate about clean cuticle work! We got a few more demonstrations on how to get the nail plate super clean and prepped for services.
• Learning to work with acrylic products: This week we got a peek into what week five would have in store. We began to work with our acrylic liquid and powder systems, learning how to handle the brush and place the beads of product. We used a plastic covered worksheet to get familiar and experiment with consistency.

We also had our test on chemistry at the end of week four, which I passed with flying colors!

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Nail School Week 3: Things Are Gettin' Fancier

I'm back with another nail school update! While the first two weeks of nail school covered basic services and upgrades to those services, week three brought some slightly more advanced techniques. It was a whirlwind of demos! I really enjoyed trying out some new nail services that I've never had a chance to work with before.

Here's a breakdown of what we learned in week three.

Spa pedicure: Like the spa manicure, this is an upgraded version of our basic pedicure. The spa pedi involves an exfoliating scrub, a protective masque, and a thick, hydrating lotion.

Tip blending: Some of you may be familiar with plastic nail tips -- this week we learned how to attach them to our practice (mannequin) hand using brush on resin adhesive. The tips need to be seamlessly blended to work with the natural nail, so we practiced our application and filing techniques at the area where the tip meets the nail bed.

Fiber wraps: If you've ever done a DIY tea bag repair on a broken nail, you've done a basic fiber wrap! This technique involves using resin and fabric (fiberglass or silk in our case) to add strength to the natural nail. This has only recently been removed from the Arizona State Board exams, as apparently they aren't really done in salons much anymore. Still a great technique to have in the arsenal.

L: fiberglass wraps over blended tips, R: continuing to practice polishing red

Gel polish: Gels are my FAVORITE, so I was really excited to get started on them at school. This week, we learned how to properly prep the nail for soak off gel application and how to apply it perfectly. We also watched a demo on how to remove them quickly and efficiently to save time in a salon environment.

Nail foils: Yes, this week we got a glimpse at some nail art! Our instructor was able to incorporate some nail foils into her gel polish demo (similar to the style I tried here) so it was a two-for-one.

We also began a new chapter in our textbook: chemistry! The chemistry chapter is all about the products that nail techs use and how they react together to form things like acrylic enhancements and gels. Learning the science behind the products allows us to work with them safely without endangering the client or ourselves.

Phew! Besides all these new goodies, we also continued to practice the services that we learned in weeks one and two. Our manicure/pedicure evaluation was at the beginning of week four, so we had to get those skills down PAT! Here's another pedi photo you can check out if you're so inclined.

This week (week four) we've been out on the client floor. I've got lots to talk about in the next update, so I hope to see you there!

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Nail School Weeks 1 & 2: Begin with the Basics

I'm back with more tales from nail school! Today's recap covers the first two weeks of class. We learned a lot of the basics like manicuring, polishing, French manicures, and pedicures, plus some add-on services like paraffin treatments and spa manicures. If you missed my first nail school post, be sure to check it out!

Getting to know my school

The school that I chose offers rolling starts for their programs. That means that there is a large group of "seniors" that have already met the requirements for working with clients, and spend most of their time on the client floor, plus a small group of "freshmen" that are still learning the techniques and practicing on each other. Freshmen are graduated to the floor after a certain amount of classroom hours.

My freshman class is 7 people (including me) of all different ages, nationalities, genders, and walks of life. If you add us to the group of seniors, it brings the total number of students to somewhere around 20-25 people. We all wear black scrubs embroidered with the school logo to class as our uniforms. We spend an hour in theory every morning, studying subjects like anatomy and chemistry, and then get to work on practicing our current techniques.

Week one
The first day of class included taking care of administrative duties and meeting our classmates. This was also the day we got our kits! *cue angels singing* Your nail school kit should include everything you need to be a professional nail tech, and getting mine was like Christmas. I'm definitely planning a separate post on the kit, so keep an eye out.

Later that week, we also learned how to:

• Perform a basic manicure: This includes tasks like trimming and shaping nails, pushing back the cuticle, nipping when necessary, and buffing.
• Polish red and French: Though I have a lot of experience polishing my own nails, doing someone else's is a whole different animal. We had to learn the proper bracing techniques to steady our hands, and used red polish because you have to be very precise in its application. We also learned how to perform a basic French manicure.
• Massage: I don't know about you guys but whenever I get a professional manicure, the massage is always the best part. Learning the proper movements and techniques will really help me customize my own hand and arm massage routine!

We also began studying the anatomy/physiology of the human body as well as the parts of the nail.

Week two
In our second week, we continued to practice the skills we learned in week one. We also added more services to our repertoire:

• Spa manicure: This is similar to a basic manicure, but with added steps like scrubs and moisturizing hand masks. It's extra pampering for the gal that needs a bit more relaxation.
• Paraffin treatment: Some of you may have done an at-home paraffin wax treatment before, and we learned how to perform it on clients. A paraffin treatment uses warm, oil-based wax to soften the skin and provide relief to sore joints. 
• Buffing to a high shine: This is a great option for a client that comes in and wants to get a manicure without getting polish. Buffing to a high shine makes the natural nail smooth and shiny.
• Prepping our practice hand: Part of our practice includes working on a creepy mannequin hand. However, she doesn't come with nail beds! So we learned how to use acrylic to attach nail tips to our practice hands so we can work on them as if they were real nails.
• Basic pedicure: This is honestly the part that I dreaded the most, because feet and I totally do not get along. But our instructors told us to treat them the same way as we would a hand in a basic manicure, which helped me get past my nervousness. I know many of you don't like feet either, so if you'd like to check out my first pedicure, you can click here.

We were also tested on anatomy. I did really well on the exam, which felt awesome!

Here's a cool story, too! As I was performing my very first pedicure, a prospective student came in to tour the school. One of the senior students walked her through our classroom, and we all turned around to wave hello. As it turned out, Callie had recognized me from my segments on Nail'd It! We snapped a picture together and she posted it on her Instagram, @callienails. I hope to see her around the school soon!

This week, I think we are going to start learning gels. I have a bit of experience there, but again, it's mostly on myself! I'm looking forward to practicing further on my classmates.

Stay tuned for more recaps, plus details on what was included in my kit!

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Nail School: Taking the Leap

Friday marked the end of my second official week of nail school. I know I was curious about the process of becoming licensed before I started out, so I wanted to start up a series about what I'm experiencing and learning at my school. I hope this helps make the process a little less mysterious for some of you!

Today I want to talk a little bit about the process of deciding to go and some questions you may have about attending. Please feel free to leave any questions you may have in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them!

Before we start
Know that not all nail schools will do things exactly like mine does, but the general process should be similar. Note the requirements in your particular state; in Arizona, getting your license requires a 600 hour program, though other states may require less.

Another thing to know: not all beauty schools offer nail-only programs. Many of them instead focus on cosmetology, which will include some nail education, but also covers hair, skin, makeup, and more. Cosmetology programs take longer to complete and cost more. For me, a nail-only school was the way to go.

Getting funded, and how you can too
Last year when I attended Cosmoprof, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Jan Arnold, the Style Director at CND. We got to talking about how I wanted to go to nail school to become licensed. She suggested I check out the CND & Tippi Hedren scholarship through Beauty Changes Lives, which covers 100% of the tuition costs for nail school (up to $5,000).

Jan and the rest of the team at CND are very passionate about supporting and advocating for professional techs, and I took her suggestion very seriously. I applied for the next round of scholarships, and ended up being selected as one of the ten recipients by the panel of independent judges. I plan to do a whole post about BCL and the application process very soon, but in the meantime, you can read more about the scholarship on their website.

There are other scholarship and financial aid programs out there too, so do your research! Most nail-only programs have an average cost of $3,000-$5,000, which can be made even more manageable with assistance.

Making the decision
Once I learned that I had been selected as a scholarship recipient, I was faced with a decision: do I attend school part time and continue at my job, or do I quit to focus on nails? It was truly a difficult decision, but I ended up making the choice to go full time. At my school, full time means 9:00am-5:00pm, Tuesday through Friday. Part timers come in the evenings plus all day on Saturdays.

For me, it came down to wanting to focus on the experience and get as much out of it as I could. I wanted to fully embrace the opportunity, and thankfully had the capability to do so.

Starting a new chapter
Making the choice to quit my job and go to nail school full time was pretty intimidating. But I felt like it was time to take the chance! It's something I'm really passionate about, and this is the next stepping stone in my journey. I don't know what I want to do after I graduate, but I look forward to finding out what it is.

If this is something you've wanted to do as well, I encourage you to pursue it. Don't listen to the voice that says you can't or you shouldn't. You can and you should.

Stay tuned for my recap of weeks one and two tomorrow!

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