A nail technician cleans, shapes, and beautifies clients' nails and hands and feet, and keeps every tool and surface safe enough that no one gets sick. You can start with a high school diploma or less, but in every US state you must be licensed first, so your path is: learn the basics at home, complete a state-approved training program, pass your state exam, get hired at a salon, then build a loyal client base and a specialty. This is a hands-on craft, so you get good by doing: practice on mannequin hands, then on friends and family under your instructor's rules, then on paying clients. Always
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Stage 1 of 4 · about 8 weeks
Learn nail anatomy, the difference between healthy nails and nail disorders, and the rules of sanitation (cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing). Practice a basic manicure on a practice hand: remove polish, shape with a file, push back cuticles, apply base coat, two color coats, and top coat, with clean edges around the skin. Look up your state board and its required training hours.
Nail anatomy and nail health
Every service you do touches living skin and a living nail. If you know what the nail is made of and what healthy looks like, you can protect clients and spot problems before you start.
Sanitation and infection control
Salon tools touch skin that can have small cuts, and germs spread fast. Clean technique protects your clients and you, and it is a big part of every state exam and every inspection.
Tools, products, and safe handling
Knowing each tool and product lets you work smoothly and safely, and keeps you from hurting the client's skin or your own lungs and skin.
The basic manicure, step by step
This is the core service you will repeat thousands of times. Learning the steps in the right order, slowly and cleanly, builds the habits that make you fast and safe later.
Then 3 more stages (about 204 weeks in all) with lessons, drills, projects, 10 interview questions with strong answers and free resources.