How to distinguish a good manicurist from a bad one: 5 main signs

Manicure is a delicate and even intimate process. A good master can not only make our wildest dreams come true, but also literally raise our mood and self-esteem. A bad one, on the contrary, can drag them to the bottom. How to act safely and not make mistakes when you are on the edge? Co-founder and creative director of Devichnik manicure studio Daria Mutina shared her life hacks.

Daria Mutina

Manicure is not only about beautiful, well-groomed nails, it is also about communication: how pleasant and comfortable it is for you to communicate and interact with a manicurist. Of course, diplomas, portfolios and certificates are important, but more importantly, where the specialist got his knowledge, what techniques and professional experience he has mastered.

Diploma

In the manicure industry, there are several schools with strong teachers, after which the master most likely has the skills necessary to perform a quality procedure. No less important is how often and how much a person works. This is a sign that a specialist is interested in developing in his field, learning new skills and growing somewhere. It also matters how long a person has been in the profession. If she has been a manicurist for 10 years and has mastered only the basics during this time, you must admit that some questions arise. And if she has two or three years of experience, then in general we understand that this is a normal period in terms of gaining hands, speed and experience.

Skills

The ideal master of a beauty salon is someone who knows how to do absolutely everything, has mastered various techniques and works at the highest level. Of course, this does not always happen. We are all different, so even in the same field, masters may like certain aspects. Some people are satisfied with nail extensions and their architecture. Someone loves design and constantly draws new options. Therefore, a good master can be both universal and have a specific and deep specialization. How to find out? Here it is worth first of all assessing how much you trust the salon itself, what emotions its reputation, rating, communication, visual language on the website and social networks evoke. If all this inspires confidence in you, then most likely the salon is very meticulous in selecting personnel. How does it screen employees?

For example, our masters go through several stages of getting to know each other: personal meetings, interviews, familiarization, a trial manicure in the studio, because we need to verify the quality of the work from personal experience. We also have two internship days, where the master has the opportunity to immerse himself in the DNA of the studio and get to know the place: how everything works, what the conditions are, how the processes are organized. After such days, we always collect feedback, because it is also important for us that the master feels comfortable at work. This also affects his attitude and, therefore, the quality of his work. If there is a match at all levels (master, team, client) after two days, we increase the internship to 10 shifts. Here, the master dives deeper into the studio life.

Portfolio

As a client, I always study social networks and profiles of artists on the salon’s website and look at their work. Here it is important to clearly understand what tasks you will set for him. Long, long nails or creative design? Complex volumetric manicure or natural nails without coating? The choice of the master also depends on this. If you have a specific request, I always recommend writing directly to the administrators so that they can quickly guide you. Because when registering on the Internet, it is not always possible to understand whether the master has the specialization you need. If there is no option to contact the administrator, reviews and, no matter how funny it may seem, intuition will help.

Communication

This point is related to the internal reaction: how relaxed and happy you are when you are with the person in front of you. The job of a manicurist is to work with people. A professional will feel you and your mood, respect your wishes, and if necessary, give advice and guidance. For example, I like to be quiet, have a cup of coffee in silence, watch a movie and be in my thoughts. For me, a manicure is a relaxing time, almost alone with myself. Therefore, a specialist who likes to discuss the news, chat about life is not suitable for me.

Also, a good specialist never judges someone else’s work. You can warn and advise, but without criticizing another specialist, you can criticize the client’s choice much more.

Attention to detail

The most important thing is to immediately describe the features of your nails and cuticles, if any. Of course, the professional will see everything himself and check whether it hurts or not during the entire work: there should be no discomfort during the procedure. Also, there should be no injuries or cuts on the skin. But such phenomena do not always clearly indicate that the master is bad. Just some perfectionists can get carried away in trying to achieve the ideal, and this sometimes leads to discomfort for the client. Do not hesitate to say this: a good master puts your comfort in the foreground.

Also important – the life of the manicure after the salon

Remember that manicure is a cosmetic procedure, after which it is important to give your hands (and preferably yourself) a few days of rest. During this period, do not expose your hands and fingers to aggressive temperatures or household chemicals, do not postpone planting flowers, do not even wear gloves. During all these manipulations, bacteria can enter the skin, which leads to inflammation.

If any inflammation, damage or deterioration occurs, it is important to report the problem to the salon immediately. Studios and masters do not have the right to provide medical services or medication recommendations by law, but they can assess the situation and tell you what to do next, and if necessary, refer you to a podiatrist.