Apply A Full Set of
Sculptured Nails in 
under 1 hour

1. SANITIZE - (Always! Always! Always!) Tammy Taylor Sanitize is available in 5 fragrances: GiorgioTM, Peach, Coconut, Vanilla and Gardenia. Start every procedure by sanitizing your hands first, then your clients.

2. REMOVE POLISH - (Do NOT use Non-Acetone removers.) Tammy Taylor Acetone Polish Remover, with conditioners, is available in 4 fragrances:
Peach, Coconut, Vanilla and Gardenia.
Note: Non-Acetone Polish removers can leave acrylic nails yellow and gummy.

3. ETCH - (A very important step if you're getting some lifting.) The 100 grit Purple Terminator (now available in "disposable strips) is the best file for etching. Proper etching will eliminate 75% of lifting.
3) A. Etch only the way the nail grows, from the cuticle to free-edge, until you have no shine on the nail plate. Etching will create little hills and valleys on the top of the nail plate, which the product will flow into.
3) B. To further insure no lifting, use the Pterygium Stone to push back excess cuticle and the pterygium skin that has grown onto the nail-plate.

Note: When doing a fill, only Etch the natural fingernail that has grown out.  Then smooth down the acrylic so there is no step at the natural fingernail.

4. DUST - (Always away from cuticle area.) Remove the particles from the nail plate with a plastic manicure brush. It is necessary to brush from cuticle to free-edge, until the nail is clean. This also helps eliminate lifting.
Note: A cosmetic brush can spread germs, as it cannot be properly disinfected.

5. PRIME - (Dab primer brush on a towelette, so you don't flood the cuticle area.) Apply the Primer to all 10 nails and let them dry. This will dry out the oils and kill the germs on the nails. A pre-prime is not necessary.
Note: The primer is a methacrylic acid. A half ounce bottle can prime 1,000 nails. So a very small amount is all that is needed. Primer can cause irritation. Dab the primer brush on a towelette, before priming, to remove excess. After priming, wipe brush before placing brush back in bottle to eliminate contamination.
WARNING: If primer is spilled, remove any clothing anywhere primer spilled and wash affected areas with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. (Always keep Primer in a Primer Holder)

6. APPLY NAIL FORMS - (You should have one roll of each type.) The Tammy Taylor Forms are available in 3 different nail bed shapes: Oval, Square and Original. Also 2 different designs: Competitive Edge and Custom. The proper form will help eliminate breaking and cracking.

Note: When doing a fill, only apply nail forms as needed.  For instance, if an acrylic nail was broken.

7. RE-PRIME - (If necessary to prime a 3rd time because primer dried before you could apply the pink ball, then prime a 3rd time.) Apply 2nd coat of primer, to one nail at a time, Just before applying acrylic.
Note: If second coat of primer dries, a 3rd coat can be applied. Applying product while primer is still wet will help eliminate lifting.

8. APPLY PRODUCT - (Practice, practice, practice.  Remember, the white or free-edge ball is the foundation of the nail.  If the free-edge is not good, you will end up doing a lot of filing and probably have some breakage or cracks at the Happy face.) (The Tammy Taylor powders are available in 11 colors: Whitest White, Dramatic White, regular White, Clear Pink, Pinkest Pink, Dramatic Pink, regular Pink, True Pink, Natural, Peaches n' Cream & Clear)

Note: When doing a fill, you will probably only need to apply the "cuticle" area ball (#3) and the "stress" area ball (#4).

Product is applied in 4 balls. White on the free-edge and Pink on the nail bed. "Pat the White" and "Stroke the Pink": "1, 2, 3, 4 balls".

Use the Tammy Taylor deep Ceramic Dish and Custom brushes, for the perfect consistency when making a nail. (The deep Ceramic Dish comes in two colors: Black for the liquid & White for the Brush Cleaner) - (The Custom brushes are available in 3 sizes: Original, Large & Small and in 2 designs: Custom & Flat, and recently added in 2007, Tammy's "X-Large" in her "original" design)

9. FILE - (A very important step if you want to save time and not work so hard) File the nails in 5 Steps, using Tammy's exclusive "Horseshoe Pattern" at step #9-4 (Cuticle & Contour) which gives you that perfect contour. Tammy has many different files to choose from.
("I like the T.T. 100 grit Purple Terminator and the T.T. 180 grit Long-Lasting Zebra," says Tammy.) 

Note: When doing a fill, you will still file all of the filing steps, but you will do a lot less filing.

• A.  Notes on step #9-4, Cuticle & Contour: 

• B. Using the file in the pattern of a horseshoe will make the top nicely rounded (like the shape of an almond).

• C. Continue filing the same “Horseshoe” pattern, but smaller & smaller, towards the tip until you are all the way out onto the end of the free-edge. 

• D. How to hold your file:  If you will hold your forefinger on top of the file and let the other end of the file rest in your palm, the “Horseshoe” pattern will come naturally. 

• E. Caution: Whereas, holding the file between the thumb and two fingers (usually forefinger & middle finger), will cause you to file long flat areas on the nail, not rounded and smooth. 

• F. Tammy’s “Horseshoe” pattern is the best way to get the full rounded and more of an almond shape look.  And, when you get used to holding your file as in “D” above, you will find that this way of holding your file is by far the quickest way ever to file.

• G. Another benefit to using “D” above; your elbows & wrists won't hurt anymore.  The “Horseshoe” pattern allows your shoulder joint to do the bending, and the pressure from the weight of your arm will allow easier & quicker filing. 

• H. This “Horseshoe” pattern system for holding your file, works so well, that when you get to the Clients angle, you will see that you have very little work to do. 

• I. Note: File the filing steps – “One Step At-A-Time on ALL Nails, before going to the next filing step.

If you will do only ONE step at a time, and do that same step on all ten fingernails before going to the next step, I can guarantee that for those of you who cannot quite get your time down to less than an hour, you are going to save 10 to 20 minutes just by using the proper filing sequence.  And, on your very next set of Sculptured nails you are going to see a big difference in the final look of your Sculptured acrylic nails.

10. BUFF - (Buffing will smooth the nail to a high sheen.) Apply the perfume scented cuticle oil to the nails (available in 8 different fragrances: Peach, Vanilla, Gardenia, Coconut, Opium, Poison, GiorgioTM and Beautiful.) Then buff with the Clean Finish Buffer (Block or File) to smooth the nail and remove scratches.  Shine with the Super Soft Shiner.

11. WASH HANDS - (Don't let you clients wash with anything you do not sell.  Shampoo is a great retailer.  Check our "Specials of the Week" on the home page.  Shampoo and Scrub go hand-in-hand.) Squirt a small amount of the Tammy Taylor fragrant Peach shampoo on a manicuring brush and hand it to the client to wash their hands. A little squirt of Peach scrub is also a nice touch. This is an excellent way to build retail sales.

12. POLISH - (Don't polish with anything you do not sell.  And, for Sanitation reasons, it is best to never to let a client bring in their own products.   They can use their products at home; but not in your Salon.) Apply Tammy's "A+ Coat" to keep the acrylic nails Pink & White and use Tammy's "Z-Coat" as the top coat for color polish.  
Note: You can also use Tammy's "Super-Dry Top Coat" over color polish.

RE-BOOK CLIENTS EVERY 2 WEEKS
Some clients want to book every 3 weeks.  They think they can save money.  This has proven not to be the case.  When a client does not come in regularly for fills, their acrylic nails can develop a lot of problems.  Always charge the Full Set pricing when a client schedules anything but a 2-week appointment.  AND POST this pricing arrangement, so there is no misunderstandings.

Book appointments for "fills" every 2 weeks. 

New pricing for example: If Full Sets are $65.00, and Fill-Ins each 2 weeks are $35.00, Fill-Ins after 2 weeks are $65.00 or the same as a Full Set. 

Note: If you normally discount Full Sets on occasion to say $45.00; then set the 3 & 4 week fills at $45.00.  This is reasonable and polite.

Clients who come in every 2 weeks can normally be done in 35 to 55 minutes, whereas a 3 or 4 week client will take will take longer, as does a Full Set.  If you have to work longer hours, someone has to pay for the extra time. 

Note: When your client works over-time, your client expects their employer to pay them the over-time. 

Note: Your income is derived from Your TIME.

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USING the 12 STEPS above to Sculpture acrylic nails in a systematic procedure and KEEPing THINGS SIMPLE will enable the Beauty Technician to SCULPTURE NAILS IN LESS THAN 1 HOUR, consistently every day; and the Technician will be able to make a good living, to support a family.