Nail Mart USA

This is probably the most underrated step in the entire manicure process—I’m telling you! 😄

Remember how nail schools used to teach us to “push the cuticle back”?
Let’s be a little more precise:

👉🏼 We’re not just pushing—we’re opening the cuticle pocket. And that’s a very important distinction.

👉🏼 If we’re being technically precise, we’re pushing back the proximal fold and the eponychium.

👉🏼 And it’s not enough to simply push the skin back. We need to make sure the fold has evenly separated from the nail plate and that the pocket is properly opened.

So this step isn’t just about casually pushing the skin back and moving on😅

It’s about opening the cuticle pocket and preparing the space for both e-file prep and the cutting tool.

If this space isn’t properly prepared, neither your bit nor your scissors/nippers will be able to work efficiently or safely.

✨ So open it, check it, and make sure the pocket is actually ready—so none of your next tools get stuck under the skin💅

I wish I could say that a perfect French manicure comes down to a great white gel and a good brush… but that’s only part of the story. 🤍

A flawless French also requires:

✨ A perfectly smooth overlay.

✨ Well-balanced nail architecture.

✨ And yes—a highly pigmented white gel. In this set, I used Akzentz Perfect French White.

💡 One more tip: do your final shaping and underneath filing after applying the top coat. Without dust on the nail, it’s much easier to create crisp, perfectly clean smile lines.

🛍️ All of the products used in this video are tagged and available in our store.

✨ A clean, healthy manicure starts with a safe technique.

The sinus is one of the most delicate areas around the nail, and just a small change in your angle or hand position can make the difference between a flawless prep and an over-filed one.

💅 What are the key points of safe sinus processing? Watch the reel to find out 👆

✨ Every nail shape is created through a precise sequence of steps, with each one building on the previous.

If you look closely, you’ll notice I barely do any surface filing here. That’s because I applied the gel almost perfectly from the start 💅

This speeds up the entire service, but it definitely takes practice—especially on long nails.

If you’re not quite ready to apply gel with little to no surface filing yet, that’s completely fine. Just make sure your surface filing comes after you’ve refined the free edge, front side, and side parallels. That sequence will help you achieve a much cleaner, more symmetrical result✨

📚 Want more nail hacks like this?

👉🏼 Follow NAIL EDUCATION, INSPO & SHOP🌈 for more tips, techniques, and professional education💛