We all love to pamper ourselves. Most times, we make sure to devote a few days to treat ourselves, with salon day being one of them.
Our skin and hair always look on point whenever we leave the salon! There is one thing that is as important as skin and hair, however, and that is our nails.
Our nails need some care too, and by having a manicure done, you can give them their due attention. Not only does a manicure make your nails look nicer, but it also goes a long way to guaranteeing safe and clean nails.
We should take care of our nails as much as we do for our hair and skin because unmaintained nails are a total turn-off no matter how good you look.
Why Get a Manicure?
Before diving into the various types of manicures, you need to know several reasons why a manicure is important.
- Manicures ensure your hands are clean and your nails neat
- Manicures relax the muscles of the hands
- Manicures prevent the cracking and chipping of nails
- Your hands are going to look gorgeous and well-maintained, and that will add to your confidence
We recommend that you go through the types of manicures before you move into getting a manicure so that you know what you want exactly and what you should expect.
There is also no harm in being well-informed about these significant regimes of beauty, is there? Below are the different types of nail manicure, each with its unique design and procedure;
1. Basic Manicure
If you have ever thought of getting a manicure and you are willing to try it for the first time, then what you should get is a basic manicure.
Basic manicure is one of the types of manicures whereby the manicurist does a quick-fix for his or her customers’ nails. Basic manicure is an excellent choice because it is fuss-free, easy, and fast.
The procedure is listed below;
- A cream lotion or oil will be applied to the cuticles first by the manicurist
- The manicurist will place your hands into a dish containing warm water for 5 minutes
- Your cuticles will be tamed by the time the soaking is done
- Your hands will dry after the manicurist has tamed your cuticles
- As per your wish, the manicurist will move on to forming your nails. Your nails will get shaped into whatever shape you desire, and it could be square, oval, squoval or stiletto shapes
- You will be given a soothing hand massage after your nails have been shaped
- A base coat will be applied on your nails upon completion of the massage, followed by two coats of the colour of nail polish that you have chosen, and the finishing touch which would be a transparent topcoat
- You are going to be asked to put your hands under a nail dryer to dry your nails faster.
2. Reverse French Manicure
Like a traditional French manicure, a reverse French manicure is made of two colours of nail polish. The only distinction between the two is that in the reverse French manicure the moon of the nail (i.e the opposite side with surrounding skin) is painted white instead of the tip.
This particular type is trendy among all other types of manicures. Due to its chic look, this style of manicure has gained considerable mainstream popularity.
In the comfort of your own house, your nails can be cleaned with a reverse French manicure. All you have to do is to file your nails and also shape them, then the taming of the cuticles comes next. After the cuticles are pushed back, the nails are painted in a single colour.
When the colour coat has dried, cover the entire nail except for the moon with a manicure sticker or a band-aid, and paint the moon white or any colour you want.
Let the nail polish dry, and then you can remove the sticker. Then the nails should be coated with a clear top coat to give your nails a full, finished look, and in no time, the full reverse French manicure will be achieved.
3. French Manicure
Nothing can ever go wrong with the classic French manicure. A French manicure is not like other types of manicures; it is sleek, trendy, and goes perfectly well with everything.
The tip of the nails is painted white, unlike all other kinds of manicures in which the nails are painted in a single colour, which is what makes this kind of manicure distinct from the rest.
The nail may be painted with a light pink or beige polish or paint, and then the tip of the nail is coloured pure white. This gives a crisp look to the nails. Who does not like nails that look cool and vibrant?
4. Acrylic Manicure
Growing long, flawless nails is a fantasy for many individuals. However, they end up with a chipped nail or a broken nail or the two each time they attempt to grow their nails long.
With that, the time spent on growing the nails goes down the drain with their dream of having the perfect nails.
An acrylic manicure is one of the types of manicures that gives you an ultimate option if you can not grow your nails without breaking them along the way. With that said, you can have an artificial extension if you can’t have naturally long nails.
The procedure is listed below;
- A gummy mixture that contains a powder monomer and liquid polymer is used in an acrylic manicure
- Before applying this mixture to the nails, the nail bed needs to be buffered to render it rough
- The acrylic nails are filed and painted with nail polish until they dry, giving the ‘perfect’ appearance to your nails
- These days, acrylic manicures are known to be trendy as they look super classy and hot
5. Paraffin Manicure
A paraffin wax manicure is among the types of manicures that are best suited for anyone who has dull and dry hands.
A paraffin manicure is one of the best ways to get soft and healthy-looking palms. Since this form of manicure needs special handling, instead of trying it at home, it is recommended to get a paraffin manicure from a spa.
The procedure is listed below;
- In a heating unit, paraffin wax is melted and allowed to cool for a while
- Your hands are treated with oils and lotions while the paraffin is being melted and cooled
- When the molten wax temperature has cooled down to the point that it becomes bearable, the palms are fully dipped into it
- Once more, the hands are dipped in molten wax, and the wax is allowed to dry again. Then this process is repeated 7 times, and in the end, you have 7 layers of paraffin wax covering your palms
- Then your hands are left to rest for approximately half an hour
- The wax is then peeled from your hands, and you undergo the normal manicure treatment after that (massage, nail shaping and filing, and nail painting)
6. Mirror Manicure
Mirror manicures, also known as Chrome Nails, first attracted Millennials’ attention via social media, and now, everybody is going crazy about it.
A mirror manicure is one of the types of manicures that you would absolutely love if you want your nails to look crazily attractive.
- The mirror manicure procedure begins with a normal manicure, including dipping the hands in warm water, massaging the hands with lotion or oil, taming the cuticles, then finally shaping the nails. What comes next is the characteristic step of this manicure
- After all the steps of a simple manicure are done, black or other dark colour paint is applied on the nails
- The nails are then allowed to dry under UV light
- Once the nail paint has completely dried, to give an even mirror look, chrome powder or pigment is sprinkled over the nail and brushed
- The chrome pigment is then sealed using a clear topcoat
- The UV lamp is used to dry the nails again
Sparkly nails that are difficult to ignore are produced by a mirror manicure. This is one of the coolest and most attractive types of manicures.
7. American Manicure
You can opt for a more discreet, more neutral, and more natural American manicure if a French manicure is too noisy or loud for you.
An American manicure is probably the best choice for you if you like the look of natural nails. It includes painting the tips of the nails in a different colour, much like a French manicure.
The distinction, however, lies in the nail polish colour used to paint the nail tips. The American manicure is a lot more subtle as the nails’ tips are painted in more natural, ivory colours.
With American manicures, you can get a more blended look, making your nails appear natural. For casual occasions, an American manicure is a great type of manicure.
8. Gel Manicure
Have you ever experienced the annoyance of chipping your nail polish right after leaving the salon, maybe when you reach your car keys in your bag? After you have spent money on a manicure, it is truly irritating and depressing to see chipped nail polish.
If you are searching for a manicure that will last for a few weeks, the best recommendation is to get a gel manicure and is also pocket-friendly.
The procedures include;
- Similar to other manicures, a gel manicure often includes all the steps of a basic, that is, pushing the cuticles back, shaping, trimming, and filing
- A base coat is applied on the nails after the basic steps have been done, followed by two coats of gel nail polish
- After the base coat has dried completely, each coat of gel polish is applied
- The gel polish is then dried under a UV lamp
As compared to other nail polishes, the texture of gel nail polish is smoother and more durable. It stays intact for approximately 2 – 3 weeks. With a gel manicure, you can have that wow-look for much longer.
9. Shellac Manicure
You lift items with extra care whenever you get a manicure to make sure that the fresh nail polish you just got is not chipped.
If you are among those people who really cannot take the extra care and caution and are too lazy every now and then to fix your nails, all you need is a shellac manicure. Shellac manicure is known to be durable because it uses a special mixture of nail polish and gel.
In addition, for as long as two weeks, you get to enjoy the perfect shiny nails. Having this manicure done will hold your perfect-nails anxiety at bay for a period of time.
The shellac manicure is carried out in the same manner as a basic manicure. Two coats of the special mixture (nail polish and gel) are added to the nails after the cuticles have been cleaned and the nails have been filed and shaped.
The nails are then dried under a shellac manicure-specific drier. Then finally, a top coat is added to seal the base coat.
10. Hot Stone Manicure
You deserve some pampering after working hard during the week. It would be best if you always got a manicure because our nails deserve as much attention as our skin and hair.
What if i told you that there is a manicure that makes your nails look prettier, and also helps you relax and de-stress as well?
A hot stone manicure uses hot stones to help relieve tension in the hand muscles.
- If you have spent extra hours in front of your computer, your hands need special attention for sure. So, why not try the hot stone manicure?
- Your hands are dipped in lukewarm water containing some essential oils while the stones are heated
- The stones are removed from the boiling water when they have been heated. They are put on your hands when their temperature has fallen to 56 degrees Celsius
- The heated stones are to massage your hands. At some point, when pressure is applied it helps the muscles to relax
- The massage with the stones is performed for about 15 minutes, after which the normal oil or lotion massage is done
- The usual duration of a hot stone manicure is approximately 50 minutes to an hour
A manicure with a hot stone leaves your hands feeling light, comfortable and de-stressed. If you intend to do it yourself, make sure you take advice from a nail technician to ensure that you do it the right way.
11. Vinylux Manicure
Imagine you have had a fancy manicure, let’s say an acrylic manicure or a shellac manicure, and for a week you start to get sick of seeing the same nails every day or probably you are one of those people who get bored very easily with stuff, long-lasting manicures just aren’t for you.
You need something that lasts a couple of days, like a Vinylux manicure.
The procedure is listed below;
- A Vinylux manicure begins by applying lotion or oil to your nails to soften the cuticles, followed by a few minutes of dipping your hands in lukewarm water
- Right after removing your hands from the water, the cuticles are pushed back, and the nails are filed, trimmed, and also shaped
- Since Vinylux nail polish has adhesive ingredients in the nail polish itself, a Vinylux manicure does not require the application of a base coat
- The second layer of Vinylux nail polish is added after the first coat has dried
- The nail polish dries very easily, so a Vinylux manicure does not require drying nails under a UV light
Vinylux nail polish is said to be more durable than regular nail polish, so the manicure lasts longer than regular nail polish (up to 7 days).
The best thing about this kind of manicure is that the removal is super fast. By using a standard nail polish remover, Vinylux nail polish may be removed.
12. Brazilian Manicure
Compared to other manicures, a Brazilian manicure is rather messy. Though it is messy, it lasts for a very long period of time.
For several reasons, a Brazilian manicure is a distinctive manicure. One of the reasons is the messy application of nail polish, which is not seen in any other kind of manicure.
A transparent base coat is applied on the nails and the surrounding skin, accompanied by a messy application of nail polish. The extra nail polish on the surrounding skin is removed later.
The other reason why it differs from other manicure styles is that in this manicure, the cuticle is not only pulled back but is removed.
This occurs because the cuticle is believed to prevent bacteria from getting under your nails. If you like applying messy nail polish, a Brazilian manicure may just be your thing.
