A manicure is a beauty treatment performed on the hands and fingernails. The word 'manicure,' derived from Latin, may be divided into two parts: 'manus,' which stands for hand, and 'cura,' which represents care. Manicuring includes filing the nails, shaping them, and applying nail polish.

Nail care, the maintenance of the fingernails and toenails, is important for health as well as cosmetic reasons. Good nail care can prevent fungus infections of the nail, painful ingrown fingernails and toenails, and infections of the skin in the hands and feet.

Quick science lesson: Acrylics are a combination of a liquid monomer and a powder polymer that form a paste which is bonded to the natural nail. It's then given the desired shape, where it hardens in place to add strength, length, and thickness to the nail.