Beauty Culture (Woodbury)/Chapter 3

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The following instruments are requisite for the table of the successful manicurist. They will be described as tabulated to give the student a thorough understanding of their peculiar or particular value:

Nail Clipper.This is a steel instrument with two curved knife edges, which clip or cut the nail placed between them, when the handles are brought together. It is shown in Figure 9.

The above clipper is not used often in manicuring for reasons given later. It may also be employed to remove horny or callous skin at the sides of the nails.

​Curved Scissors. The manicurist should provide herself with the best possible pair of fine steel scissors she can obtain. They should be half curved, with well-meeting, delicate points and a long shank or handle to permit her to see plainly what she is doing. Short scissors brings the operator's hand too close to the work. thus covering the parts to be treated, or interfering with the facility of action. The proper instrument is shown in Figure 10.

Let the operator beware of the so-called "manicure scissors." These are, as a rule, a cheap, clumsy product, with cutting edges that wear out in a week or ten days.

Flexible Steel File. This indispensable instrument is very different from the ordinary nail file. It is very thin, shaped as shown in Figure II, and made very accurate. It may be bent considerably on the flat. These files are made of various lengths and shapes, and are usually sold under the name of French Files.

The one side of the file is fine ribbed and the reverse coarse. The operator will usually become attached to the form and flexibility peculiarly suited to her needs.

​Cuticle Knife. While this instrument is termed a knife, it is never used as such. Its knife edges are quite dull, as they should be, because it is used more as a scraper for removing cuticle or scarf skin than as a knife for cutting it. The scissors is the cutting instrument of the manicurist. The shape of the knife is shown in Figure 12.

The handle of the instrument should be preferably of steel, for hygienic reasons. Ivory and wood do not withstand antiseptic lotions well and become loosened by repeated washing.

Nail Buffers. Nail buffers are of elongated ovate shape, covered with chamois and having ivory, celluloid or wooden handles. Sec Figure 13.

The manicurist will need a large and a small one. Their especial use will be mentioned later.

Buffers are used with powder to polish the outer surface of the nails,

Emery Boards. These are made of flexible wood fibre or thin wood, covered on both sides with emery ​powder or white sand. They are made large and small, and of different shapes, as shown in figures 14 and 15. The large size is usually preferable.

Nail Brush. The nail brush of the manicurist should be made of bone or ivory, having long, white bristles and handle. Wooden-backed brushes are unclean and unsatisfactory, and, while cheaper in price, are more expensive in the end. They split easily, curl and look unsightly in a short time. A desirable shape of the instrument is shown in Figure 16.

Orangewood Sticks. These are sticks of varying lengths. made of orangewood, because of its hardness,

​pointed at one end and flattened on the other. They are usually sold in bundles or by the half dozen. They are a much-used adjunct to the armamentarium. See Figure 17.

Cushion. This article should be made of heavy white material, about ten to twelve inches square, and sufficiently thick to elevate the patron's hand from the table and to rest the forearm of the customer. It may be stuffed with hair or cotton batting or pine needles, and can be easily made by any one handy with the needle, or bought at a small cost.

The cushion must at all times be covered with a clean, small square towel for each patron.

Bowl. This vessel for immersion of the hand should be round, of glass, preferably of plain design, and large enough to hold about a quart of water.

Cotton Holder. This is another desideratum. Nothing is more objectionable than to see an operator pull pieces of cotton out of a paper parcel in the drawer of her table, wherein it lies loose and exposed. A holder in the form of a white powder jar may be filled with teazled absorbent cotton, from which little pledgets may be taken as needed. The box should have a suitable cover.

A glass jar with ground-in salmouth stopper makes a neat holder.

The necessary preparations of the manicurist are:

Castile Soap. This kind of soap is the purest and least objectionable to all patrons. Perfumed soaps are ​not pure as a rule, and therefore are objectionable. While some may like their odor, others will not. Therefore a neutral soap is indicated.

The white castile soap is best for use in this line of work. It is procurable at any druggist's, and should be seasoned—that is, hard, so that it will not be used up too readily. Its use has another advantage—it is cheap.

Borax. This is known chemically as borate of sodium. For use in manicuring it should be pure. It may be obtained at a druggist's as washed borax. Grocery store products should be avoided—borax is cheap enough to warrant buying the very best. Its use will he mentioned later.

Nail Bleach. The principal ingredient of nail bleaches is peroxide of hydrogen, although some operators still use a solution of oxalic acid. The most satisfactory bleach is made as follows:

Hydrogen Peroxide	1	oz.
Ammonia	¼	oz.
Fresh Lemon Juice	¼	oz.

Mix the above and keep in a dark, glass-stoppered bottle. The mixture can be made without the lemon juice in larger quantities, but since the whole can be readily prepared in a few moments it is hardly necessary to have a large quantity in stock, especially as so little is required for each patron.

Nail Powder or Polish. This powder can be readily made by the manicurist. It is used with the buffer to polish the surface of the nail.

Several formulas have been used from time to time, consisting principally of talcum and starch powder, but ​the best product, usually sold in fancy containers with import labels, is composed of the following:

Oxide of Tin	4	dr.
Boric Acid	2	dr.
Talcum Powder	2	dr.
Oil of Lavender	20	drops

Rub the above ingredients together in a mortar or porcelain howl, or shake thoroughly until well mixed.

If a light pink or rose color is desired in the above, add

Tincture of Carmine

10

drops

and again mix until the color is uniform throughout.

Another nail polish is made as follows:

Oxide of Tin	8	oz.
Carmine	10	gr.
Oil of Lavender	15	drops
Oil of Bergamot	15	drops

Oxide of tin being the principal ingredient, either formula may be used, the first being antiseptic, and the latter differing in fragrance. Both are equal as to their polishing merit.

Nail Cream. This preparation is one of the dainties of the manicure table. A small quantity is prepared, as very little is needed. It is kept in a small porcelain jar. The following is a fine combination:

Pure Cold Pressed Leuf Lard	½	oz.
Tincture of Carmine	1	dr.
Tincture of Benzoin	15	drops
Oil of Bergamot	30	drops
Oil of Cyprus	15	drops

​Rub the tincture of benzoin and lard together and incorporate well; then add the carmine, blending it well by rubbing, and last the perfume.

Cold Cream. The standard ointment of rosewater, as prescribed by the United States Pharmacy law, will be quite satisfactory. If the manicurist, however, desires to manufacture her own, the following formula will be found excellent:

Rosewater	4	oz.
Almond Oil	4	oz.
Spermaceti	1	oz.
White Wax	1	oz.
Tincture of Benzoin	1	dr.

Melt the wax and spermaceti and almond oil together in an earthen dish over a slow fire until the ingredients form an even mass. Then stir with a glass rod to mix thoroughly. Continue stirring and add the rosewater, pouring it in slowly, until a creamy appearance results. Then add the benzoin. Allow to cool and put up into small wide-mouthed porcelain or glass jars.

Styptic Pencil. These pencils are usually made of alum or a crystal or lump of alum may be used. Their object is to stop any bleeding that might be caused by an accidental injury from the cuticle knife or scissors.

Tincture of Benzoin. The simple tincture is employed. By adding a small quantity of water it is rendered slightly cloudy or milky. It is used especially in the water of the finger bowl, to which about ten drops are added.

The object of the benzoin is to render the water slightly antiseptic, as well as to give it the agreeable, aromatic odor of the benzoin gum. Benzoin is also a moderate stimulant to the skin; that is, it brings the ​blood to the skin, therefore giving it a better color, particularly required in pale persons, whose finger nails are extremely pale. Its use in water can be repeated daily in such cases.

Nail Rouge. While nail rouges are often used to color nails, it is considered bad practice and is looked upon as vulgar by the community. When requested to rouge the nails, however, the following formula answers well:

Alkanet Root (ground)	2	dr.
Soak in Diluted Alcohol	2	oz.

After several days strain through fine muslin. The mixture makes a splendid tincture. The latter, painted upon the nails, will give a rosy hue to the nail and is absolutely harmless.

Nail Varnish. Many mixtures have been used to varnish the finger nail when thought necessary. The habit is rather vulgar and not resorted to much at the present day, but when called upon to use it the manicurist will do well to employ the following:

Tincture of Benzoin	½	oz.
Alcohol	½	oz.

Mix and paint upon the nail with a fine camel-hair pencil, after the second polishing, and allow to dry on. The resulting light gloss will remain on for at least a day.

The Manicure Table. The table of the manicurist must be placed where there is sufficient light to enable the operator to see her work to the best advantage. This is absolutely necessary, both for the sake of her eyesight and to accomplish satisfactory results. Therefore the ​table should be placed as near a window as possible. Artificial light is not as good as daylight for the work.

The right kind of a table to use is one of wood, enameled white or finished in so-called mission style. Its top should measure 1½ × 2½ feet, and its height be somewhat lower than the ordinary table to bring the hands into comfortable working distance.

There are many kinds of such tables on the market, ranging from those with nickel-plated or iron enamelled legs, and with marble or glass tops, to the ordinary wooden structure. Any table is satisfactory, however, if kept perfectly clean and recovered with clean towels as necessary. The general type of table is shown in Figure 18.

The table should be properly prepared with a covering of clean towels. There should be one towel allowed for the hands of the patron. A small, clean towel is placed over the cushion.

The various articles employed are placed so they may be taken up readily without awkward twisting or turning. It is a good rule to place the creams and liquid ​preparations at the edge of the table nearest the window, to be handy and yet out of the way.

The cushion is placed to the right, and the glass bowl on the left. It should be half filled with water made soapy with a little castile soap, and to which has been added a pinch of borax or a few drops of benzoin. (The former softens the nails and skin and makes them more amenable to treatment.)

The nail brush and castile soap, on a suitable porcelain dish or tray, should lie close by. The instruments should lie upon the table to the right of the cushion.

All bottles, such as those containing the bleach and tincture of benzoin, should be kept where they cannot be knocked over with the moving hands. With the jars of cold cream, nail cream and nail-polishing powder, this is not likely to happen if jars of small size are used. Never employ a jar over a one-ounce size, and choose one either of plain white porcelain or glass of some neat design.