They say you’ll never have to work a day if you let passion guide your career. Do you have a creative flair for beauty? You may have a natural talent for manicures and pedicures that could translate to a career as an in-demand nail technician. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for manicurists and pedicurists has an anticipated 12% growth rate through the year 2033. This information might make you curious about the process of becoming a nail technician and providing manicures and pedicures to clients. Here’s what you need to know about pursuing a career as a nail technician.

What is a Mani-Pedi?

Most people understand the basics of manicures and pedicures. A nail technician shapes and polishes a client’s nails. However, manicures and pedicures require intensive technical knowledge that covers aesthetics, physiology, product ingredients, and health and sanitary concerns. Let’s start with manicures as we break down the skill level involved in providing nail services.

What Is a Manicure?

A manicure is a beauty and wellness treatment involving the nails and hands. People seek out manicures when they want neat, clean, and polished nails that make a positive first impression. However, this is only the beginning. Manicures promote healthy nails, cuticles, and skin. There’s also a mental health angle to manicures. For many people, a manicure is a form of self-care that allows them to have their nails treated with luxurious products while they relax. While each manicure experience can be customized, a standard manicure involves the following:

• Trimming and filing nails.
• Shaping nails based on the client’s request.
• Pushing back or treating cuticles.
• Applying polish, gels and dips, acrylics, and/or strengthening treatments to nails.
• Adding nail art.

The training manicurists receive allows them to offer a wide range of nail styles. They can create everything from a classic French manicure to an acrylic manicure that adds length to a nail. Manicurists can also offer gentle hand massages to alleviate stress and anxiety in preparation for a manicure.

What is a Pedicure?

Many of the same principles used for manicures carry over to pedicures. Nail technicians trim, file, and shape toenails. They will also do cuticle work. However, a complete pedicure treatment is often a slower, more relaxed experience that focuses equally on the toenails and the tender skin of the feet and legs. Pedicures are considered “therapeutic” because they can help treat calluses, corns, and dead skin cells that leave feet rough. Here’s what a typical full-service pedicure might include:

• A foot soak in a warm bath that helps to soften the skin on the feet. Pedicurists often use special oils or exfoliating agents to prepare feet.
• Next, pedicurists manually exfoliate the feet. This is generally done with a large file or pumice stone.
• Following exfoliation, the pedicurist applies a moisturizing cream or oil to help nourish and soften the feet. During application, the feet are gently massaged.
• The pedicurist then treats the toenails by trimming, shaping, buffing, and polishing them.

Pedicure treatments generally focus on the skin up to the knee. For the pedicurist, this requires intensive knowledge from manipulating nail beds to properly moisturizing rough skin in areas like the ankles and knees. As you can see, being a certified nail technician is about much more than simply “painting nails.”

What Are the Steps to Becoming a Nail Technician?

Every step of providing manicures and pedicures must be handled hygienically. This is one of the reasons why strict licensing requirements are in place for nail technicians. Operating as a manicurist or pedicurist is illegal without obtaining the right education and state-level certification.

Fortunately, the process for obtaining your license is straightforward.

Step 1: Attend a Vocational Program

The first step on the journey to becoming a professional nail technician is enrolling in an accredited vocational program for cosmetology. Program completion is a requirement for sitting for the state licensing boards. Once you’ve graduated from a program, you will have the knowledge and credentials to take the test to obtain your license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).

The DBPR is an organization that all professional cosmetologists in Florida know very well. The DBPR is the government agency tasked with granting licenses to all business professionals in Florida. Along with being the cosmetologists licensing body, it regulates business activity for real estate agents, veterinarians, and many other professionals. Here are the state requirements for cosmetology students:

• Florida cosmetology students must apply for licensure by examination.
• Applicants must be at least 16 or have received a high school diploma.
• Applicants must complete 1,200 school hours in a cosmetology program.

Students shouldn’t be intimidated that they must complete an accredited vocational program to take state cosmetology exams. Completing a program isn’t just a formality. This education provides aspiring cosmetologists and nail technicians with the knowledge, training, and hands-on experience they need to pass their examinations. For students who give their all during the schooling process, the questions on the exam will be familiar.

Step 2: Pass the Florida Cosmetology Licensing Exam

What should you expect from the Florida cosmetology licensing exam? This is a two-part computer-based exam with written and clinical portions. Both portions feature 65 questions with 90-minute time limits. The written theory covers general safety, sanitation, client services, and legal and ethical considerations. The clinical portion covers the technical aspects of all the cosmetology services you trained for during your vocational schooling.

How Do I Learn the Mani-Pedi Trade?

The only way to legally operate as a nail technician is to obtain a cosmetology diploma from an accredited vocational school. This is also the best way to become an expert at safely and effectively caring for hands, feet, legs, and nails. During the experience of earning a cosmetology degree, students are given real world training in all of the techniques, procedures, and business/marketing considerations involved with being a professional nail technician. An accredited cosmetology program combines traditional classroom learning and hands-on practical instruction from esteemed instructors with experience working in successful salons and spas.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is that anyone aspiring to be a professional nail technician must complete a vocational program and pass the state licensing exam. From there, the sky is the limit. Licensed cosmetologists can work in nail salons, own them, provide traveling nail-tech services, or develop their nail salon franchises.

Want to Learn More?

Are you ready to enjoy the many opportunities available in cosmetology? Meridian College offers a Cosmetology training program in Florida that prepares you to deliver high–quality beauty and hair services to both men and women. Their hands–on Cosmetology training program gives you the skills you need to start an exciting career and become a leader in the beauty industry.

Contact Meridian College today to learn more about becoming a cosmetologist.