Complete Prescriptive Manicure Refresher

For qualified nail technicians ready to refine, protect, and elevate their practice

This refresher is not about trends, shortcuts, or surface-level techniques.
It’s about closing the gaps, strengthening your foundations, and giving you the confidence to know why you do what you do, not just how.

Whether you trained years ago or recently qualified, this course is designed to realign your practice with professional standards, science, safety, and structure, so you can deliver consistent, safe, long-lasting results you can stand behind.

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Welcome

A personal introduction from me

The course begins with a welcome from me, my journey, my experience, and why I created this refresher.

We’ll talk honestly about:

• The gaps that exist in nail education

• Why “this is how I was taught” isn’t always enough

• How overconfidence, misinformation, and outdated practices lead to damage, lifting, and allergies

• And why continuous education is not optional in this industry it’s a responsibility

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Professional Standards & Practice

The foundation of every safe, successful nail technician

This section anchors your entire practice and ensures you are working at a professional, defensible standard.

You’ll cover:

• What professional standards actually are (and why they matter)

• Personal vs professional standards

• Professional communication and boundaries

• Client expectations, policies, and pricing

• Why boundaries protect both you and your clients

Hygiene & Safety Foundations

• Hygiene overview

• Preparing the workstation correctly

• Sanitisation vs disinfection vs sterilisation (what’s required vs what’s recommended)

• Cross-contamination risks and how to eliminate them

Legal & Consultation Essentials

• The legal responsibilities of a nail technician

• Insurance, duty of care, and record keeping

• Client consultation: how to assess risk, suitability, and long-term nail health

Each lesson is supported with Q&A content addressing real-world scenarios technicians face daily.

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Gel Nails & Nail Allergies

Science, safety, and responsibility

This is one of the most important sections of the course and goes far beyond surface-level explanations.

You’ll learn:

• The science of gel systems

• What HEMA actually is (and what it isn’t)

• TPO: what’s changed and why it matters

• Why nail allergies occur

• The difference between exposure, overexposure, and sensitisation

Preventing Nail Allergies: Best Practice

• Opaque vs translucent gels

• Flash curing: when it’s helpful and when it’s risky

• Gel lamps, compatibility, and under-curing

• Why gloves should always be worn

• Are masks really necessary? (Yes and here’s why)

• Aprons and uniform protection

• Dust exposure and dust extractors

• Are gel brands really to blame?

Working With Allergies

• What you can and cannot do once an allergy exists

• How to protect yourself and your client

• Understanding limitations and ethical responsibility

This section alone changes how you work, permanently.

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Nail & Skin Anatomy and Physiology

You can’t work safely without understanding structure

This section ensures you are no longer working blindly on tissue you don’t fully understand.

You’ll cover:

• The structure of the nail unit

• Layers of the natural nail

• How and where damage actually occurs

• Skin structure and function

• Different skin types and how they respond to prep and product

• Total contraindications

• Partial contraindications

• Client behaviour vs environmental factors

This knowledge directly informs:

• Prep choices

• Tool selection

• Pressure, speed, and technique

• Product compatibility

 

Understanding Gel Systems

Choosing products with intention, not trends

This section breaks down gel types clearly and honestly.

You’ll learn about:

• Prescriptive manicures

• Soft gel systems

• Hard gel systems

• HEMA-free products

• Rubber base vs standard base

• Different types of top coats and their purpose

• How to choose brands responsibly

• Why no single system suits every client

 

Nail Recovery Plan

Supporting damaged or compromised nails

• Understanding nail recovery

• Creating realistic recovery plans

• Managing expectations

• Protecting the natural nail while maintaining professional results

 

Let’s Talk Prep

Prep will make or break your application

This section reframes prep as the most important stage of the service.

You’ll cover:

• Why prep matters

• Different types of cuticle and skin

• Filing and shaping the natural nail

• Nippers vs scissors

• E-file bits and their correct use

• Dehydrating and priming

• How the nail should look post-prep

• What to check before you begin product application

 

Rebalancing

Structure, longevity, and nail health

You’ll learn:

• What rebalancing actually is

• Rebalance vs infills

• Rebalance vs removals

• Debulking builder gel and hard gel

• Shaping

• Refining and etching

• Troubleshooting lifting and breakdown

 

Hybrid Manicure

Precision prep for long-lasting results

This section includes:

• What a hybrid manicure is

• When you should not perform one

• Full order of events

• Creating a pocket safely

• Removing cuticle from the nail plate

• Flame bit technique

• Removing dead skin

• Polishing the skin

• Troubleshooting common issues

 

Nail Repairs

Fixing damage safely and effectively

• Understanding different types of damage

• When a repair is appropriate

• How to repair correctly using gel systems

 

Gel Application

Technique matters, always

This section focuses on control, structure, and longevity.

You’ll learn:

• Why technique matters

• Apex placement and structure

• Base coat application

• Builder gel application

• Hard gel application

• Hard gel armouring

• Filing imperfections

• Colour application

• Top coat application

 

The Finish

The difference between good and professional

You’ll cover:

• Finishing techniques

• Finish filing (and why it doesn’t cause lifting)

• Rehydration

• Presenting the final result

 

Removals

Knowing when and how to remove safely

• Understanding when removal is necessary

• Acetone removal

• Hard gel removal

• Should you remove other technicians’ work?

• Finishing the service correctly

 

Real Clients

Watch everything applied in real time

This section includes tutorials performed on real clients, not perfect demo hands, showing:

• Real nail types

• Real challenges

• Real decision-making

 

Aftercare

Educating clients for long-term results

• Why aftercare is essential

• Full aftercare advice you should be giving every client

 

Photography

Because your work deserves to be shown properly

You’ll learn:

• Why photography matters

• Lighting fundamentals

• Capturing the perfect photo

• Editing for accuracy, not distortion

 

Bonus Section

Supporting your business, not just your skills

Includes:

• Marketing and building a client base

• Calculating your costs

• Expectation vs reality in the nail industry

• Kit lists and product links

 

Thank You & Course Completion

The course finishes with a final thank you, recognising the commitment you’ve made to your education, your clients, and your professional standards.

What You Receive

• Certificate upon completion

• Ongoing support from me

• Access to a WhatsApp support group

• 6 month access to course content

• Q&A sections included in every module

• Over 50 individual videos and 153 individual steps.

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Are you ready to take the next step?

If you’ve made it this far, it’s because you already know there’s more to learn and that’s a good thing.

This refresher isn’t about starting over or being told you’ve been doing everything wrong. It’s about strengthening your foundations, filling the gaps, and working with confidence backed by understanding, not guesswork.

If you want to:

• refine your technique

• protect your clients and yourself

• understand the why behind every step

• and raise your professional standards

then this course was created for you.

When you’re ready, you can join below and start working through the content at your own pace.

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Prep Master Refresher

For qualified nail technicians who want flawless prep, better retention, and healthier nails

Prep is where everything begins and where most problems start.

Lifting, breakdown, sensitivity, and inconsistent wear are rarely product issues. They are prep issues. This refresher is designed to strip prep back to its fundamentals and rebuild it with clarity, precision, and intention.

The Prep Master Refresher is a technical-focused course for technicians who want to refine their prep, improve retention, and work in a way that protects the natural nail and surrounding skin.

 

Professional Standards & Practice

Why prep must meet professional standards

This section sets the framework for safe, consistent prep.

You’ll cover:

• What professional standards are and why they matter in prep

• Personal vs professional standards

• Professional boundaries during treatment

• Hygiene overview

• Correct workstation preparation

• Sanitisation vs disinfection vs sterilisation

• Legal responsibilities relevant to nail prep and treatments

• Client consultation and risk assessment

 

Gel Nails & Nail Allergies

Prep plays a bigger role than most realise

This section focuses on how prep directly impacts allergy risk.

You’ll learn:

• The science of gel systems

• What HEMA is and how exposure occurs

• TPO and curing considerations

• Why allergies develop

• How poor prep increases exposure risk

• Best practices for reducing allergy risk during prep

• Gloves, masks, and dust control

• Are gel brands really to blame?

 

Nail & Skin Anatomy and Physiology

Understanding what you’re working on

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of:

• Nail structure and function

• Layers of the natural nail

• How damage occurs during prep

• Skin structure and skin types

• Total and partial contraindications

• Client behaviour vs environmental factors

This knowledge informs:

• Tool choice

• Pressure and speed

• When to stop and when to adapt

 

Let’s Talk Prep

The core of the course

This is where the Prep Master Refresher goes deep.

You’ll cover:

• Why prep is the most important stage of the service

• Different types of cuticle and skin

• Filing and shaping the natural nail

• Nippers vs scissors

• E-file bits and correct technique

• Dehydrating and priming

• How the nail should look post-prep

• Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• What to check before moving to product

 

Rebalancing

You’ll learn:

• What rebalancing is

• Rebalance vs infills

• Rebalance vs removals

• Debulking builder gel and hard gel

• Shaping and refining

• Etching

• Troubleshooting lifting related to prep

 

Hybrid Manicure

Precision prep for long-lasting wear

This section includes:

• What a hybrid manicure is

• When it should not be performed

• Correct order of events

• Creating a pocket safely

• Removing cuticle from the nail plate

• Flame bit technique

• Removing dead skin

• Polishing the skin

• Troubleshooting common issues

 

Real Clients

Prep in real-world scenarios

Watch prep performed on real clients, including:

• Different nail types

• Compromised nails

• Challenging cuticle and skin

• Decision-making in real time

 

Kit Lists & Product Links

Tools that support safe, effective prep

• Prep-specific kit lists

• Tool guidance (not brand pressure)

• Product links and recommendations

What You Receive

• Certificate upon completion

• 6 month access to course content

• In-depth technical training focused on prep

• 22 individual videos and 87 individual sections

 

Is Prep Master right for you?

If your main challenges are:

• lifting

• retention issues

• inconsistent results

• uncertainty during prep

this course will change the way you work.

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