The Complete Guide to Manicures and Pedicures

Manicure A/B/C

1. Julissa used the buffer (C) - an object that makes nails shiny.

2. The nail technician was careful not to cut too much of the cuticle (B) - the skin around the nail.

3. Max cleaned the dirt from his nails with a nail brush (A) - an object with stiff pieces of plastic used to clean nails.

RELLENAR

1. Kate put her hands in the finger bowl, which was full of soapy water.

2. A manicurist trims dead skin from around a client's nails with a cuticle trimmer.

3. After a long day at work, Max soaks his tired feet in warm water.

4. Penny often files the rough edges of her nails to keep them smooth.

5. Wendy showed her sister how to push back her cuticles with an orange stick.

INTERES

1. What is the purpose of the guide?: (d) to explain the steps of a manicure.

2. What advice does the guide give for avoiding rough nail edges?: (c) file the nail in one direction only.

3. Which of the following is NOT a step described in the guide?: (c) trim the nails with a cuticle trimmer.

Vocabulary

• Nail clippers: cortaúñas, trim the nails to the desired length. Cut nails shorter.
• Emery board: lima, to file (limar) the nails. A piece of cardboard. Be sure to move the file in one direction to avoid rough edges of nails.
• Finger bowl: cuenco, is a bowl in which the hands can be soaked (mojar) before a manicure.
• Nail brush: cepillo, is a brush used with soap (jabon) and water to clean (limpiar) the nails.
• Cuticle: grows around the base of the fingernail.
• Cuticle oil: aceite para cutículas, is an oil applied after a manicure to keep cuticles soft (suaves).
• Orange stick: palito de naranjo, is a tool used to push back the cuticles on the nails.
• Cuticle trimmer: cortacuticulas, cuts rough cuticles and hangnails (padrastros).
• Buffer: taco brillo, is a tool that makes nails look very shiny.

Getting a Manicure A/B/C

1. Cotton ball: (bola de algodón) a pad made from a soft, absorbent material.

2. Square: a shape with four corners.

3. Oval: a round or curved shape.

4. Non-acetone: not having a chemical that is commonly used to remove paint.

5. Squoval: a shape with four rounded corners.

6. Nail polish remover: (quita esmalte) a liquid that takes off nail color.

7. Paraffin wax treatment: a service that moisturizes dry skin with a soft and warm substance.

8. Nail plate (placa de la uña) the hard part of the nail that can be painted.

Vocabulary

• French manicure: the nail tips are painted white and the rest a natural color, like light pink.
• Square: una forma con cuatro esquinas, means having four equal length sides and right-angled corners.
• Squoval: redondeadas, four rounded corners.
• Nail dryer: secador de uñas, speeds the drying process for nail polish. Users place their hand inside the machine and wait for the polish to dry.
• Oval: redondas, a round or curved shape, similar to an egg.
• Enamel: pintura brillante al secarse, a paint that turns shiny when it dries.

Manicure Maintenance

Vocabulary

• Maintain manicure: cuidado de manicura, to take care of it.
• Coat: capa fina, is a thin layer of something that covers a surface.
• Chip: roto de pieza grande, when it breaks off a larger piece.
• Hand cream: crema manos, liquid that moisturizes and soothes skin.
• Smudge: mancha, to rub something and make it blurry (borroso) or ruin its surface.
• Scratch: rasguño, to mark the surface.
• Shrink: encogimiento, smaller.
• Seal: sello protector, keeps water or air from entering an object.
• Cracked: romperse, it's broken.

A/B/C

1. Lynn smudged her freshly painted nails when she used her keyboard. / Rita scratched her polish as it wasn't dry.

2. The woman's cracked cuticles made her hands look ugly. / Some nail polishes do not shrink or peel off.

3. A topcoat acts as a protective seal. / I always apply more than one coat of polish.

Pedicure A/B/C

1. Cuticle pusher - a small tool that is used to push back the cuticles on a person's nails.

2. Nail file - a metal tool that smooths the edges of nails.

3. Pumice stone - a small stone used to remove the hard pieces of skin on a person's feet.

4. Nail polish - a thick liquid that colors finger and toenails.

5. Spa chair - a comfortable chair that people sit in while they have a manicure or pedicure.

6. Toe separator - an item that is inserted between a person's toes to spread them apart.

Vocabulary

• Cuticle pusher: removedor de cuticula, is a tool (herramienta) that is used to push back the cuticles on a person's nails.
• Spa chair: sillón comodo, is a comfortable chair that someone sits in while getting a manicure or a pedicure.
• Bowl: recipiente grande, is a large container that holds water. It can be used for soaking a person's feet (remojar pies).
• Foot massage: masaje de pies, is a massage technique in which one applies pressure to feet and toes for relaxation (presión).
• Skin buffer: pulidor de piel muerta, is a tool used to remove excess or hard skin from ankles or the soles (plantas) of the feet.
• Toe separator: separador de dedos, is an item inserted between a person's toes to spread them apart.
• Nail polish: esmalte, is a colored liquid that is applied to nails.
• Pumice stone: piedra pómez, a small stone that is used to remove the calluses on feet.

Artificial Nails

Vocabulary

• Decals: calcomanía, is a design that is often applied to the surface of nails.
• Tip: uña artificial, is a type of artificial nail that is only attached to the end of the nail and does not cover the entire nail.
• Fills: rellena el espacio entre la cutícula y la uña, a process in which the gap between the cuticle and the artificial nail is filled in and any necessary repairs are made.
• Nail biters: muerde o mastica sus uñas, bites or chews on their fingernails or the skin surrounding the nail, often due to stress or nervousness.
• Acrylic nails: uñas falsas muy fuertes, are a very strong type of fake nail.
• Upkeep: mantenimiento.
• Gels: are a very realistic and flexible type of artificial nail.
• Odorless: inoloro, it has no scent.

A/B/C

1. Cure: to prepare for use by placing under a light.

2. Artificial: not real, made to resemble something real or natural.

3. Customize: to make something unique or special.

4. Odorless: having no scent.

5. Fills: the application of an artificial nail mixture to the new area of nail growth.

6. Gel: a type of artificial nail that is set by exposing the substance to light.

Nail Problems

Vocabulary

• Vitamin supplement: vitamina saludable, is a pill that contains natural substances that the body needs in order to stay healthy.
• Splitting: división, is a nail condition in which the nail develops a vertical split.
• Fungus: hongo, organisms that feed on organic matter.
• Ingrown toenail: uña encarnada, a condition in which the edges or tip of the nail grow into the skin.
• Snag: engancharse, to damage by getting it stuck on something rough or sharp.
• Nail bed: debajo de la uña, is the area under a fingernail.
• Silk wrap: envoltura de seda, intended to make the natural nail stronger and more attractive.
• Brittle: frágil, weak and easy to break.
• Salt bath: baño de sal para dolencias, a container with a mixture of water and salt, a remedy for a number of ailments.