Prepare for the Nail Tech State Board exam with these California practice questions and answers. This covers manicures, pedicures, artificial nails, and sanitation procedures.
Q: Acrylic Nails
Answer: An artifical enhancement created by using a combination of an Acrylic powder and Acrylic liquid.
Q: Acrylic primer
Answer: Product that ensures adhesion of acrylic product to nail.
Q: Adhesive
Answer: A substance that bonds a plastic tip to a natural nail; specifically formulated for the nail industry.
Q: Agenail (Hangnail)
Answer: Split cuticle; loose skin partially separated from the cuticle.
Q: Antiseptic
Answer: Liquid or foam-based product used to reduce microbes on the skin.
Q: Artificial Nails
Answer: Use of various materials or techniques to strengthen and lengthen weak nails; conceal or repairs chipped or broken nails.
Q: Based Coat
Answer: Colorless polish that evens out the nail plate, holds the nail color to the nail, prevents pigments from penetrating the nail plate.
Q: Block Buffer
Answer: Used to smooth surface of the nail.
Q: Blue Nails
Answer: Blue color in skin under nails, caused by systemic problems of the heart, poor circulation or injury.
Q: Bruised Nail
Answer: Nail condition identified by dark, purplish discoloration under the nail; caused by trauma to nail, environmental problem, blood trapped under nails or hemorrhage of small capillaries.
Q: Corrugation
Answer: Horizontal wavy ridges across the nail; caused by injury, systemic conditions.
Q: Cuticle
Answer: Overlapping dead tissue that is loose and pliable around the nail.
Q: Cuticle Cream or Oil
Answer: Moisturizer used to soften cuticle skin, moisturizes brittle nails
Q: Cuticle Nipper
Answer: Cutting implement used to trim hangnails.
Q: Cuticle Pusher
Answer: implement used to loosen and push back the cuticle around the fingernails or toenails; shaped to conform to the shape of the nails
Q: Cuticle Remover Cream
Answer: Low percent hydrogen peroxide, sodium or potassium hydroxide used to loosen dead skin.
Q: Dappen Dish
Answer: Small glass container that holds monomer and polymer separately during nail service.
Q: Dehydrant
Answer: A solution that allows better adhesion of the nail enhancements; reduces the amount of moisture in the nail when brushed over the nail place
Q: Effleurage
Answer: Light, continuous-stroking massage movement applied with fingers and palms in a slow and rhythmic manner.Often begins and ends treatment.
Q: Eggshell Nails
Answer: Very thin, soft nails.
Q: Emery Board
Answer: Implement used to shorten and shape natural nails.
Q: Eponychium
Answer: Living tissue at thr base of the nail.
Q: Etiology
Answer: Cause of disease, disorder or condition.
Q: Exfoliant
Answer: Glandular scrub or sloughing lotion that removes dead skin cells.
Q: Free Edge
Answer: part of the nail plate that extends over the tip of the finger or toe.
Q: French Manicure
Answer: A nail polishing technique/ design with white polish applied to the free edge of the nail and pink or peach polish applied to the nail bed.
Q: Friction
Answer: Stimulating circular or wringing massage movement with no gliding; increases circulation; performed with fingertips or palms.
Q: Furrow
Answer: Indented vertical line down the nail plate.
Q: Gel Bonder
Answer: Gel Primer; thin gel or liquid that ensures adhesion of gel product to nail.
Q: Gel or Light-Cured Nails
Answer: Nail enhancements created using a gel-like product containing acrylic oligomers; uses a light source to harden the product.
Q: Gel Sealer
Answer: Thin gel product that creates a high shine finish and seals product.
Q: Hyponychium
Answer: Living tissue underneath the free edge of the nail.
Q: Onychocryptosis
Answer: Ingrown nails, nail grows into the edge of the nail groove.
Q: Kolionychia
Answer: Spoon Nails, Nails with a concave shape; caused by systemic or long term illness or nerve disturbance.
Q: Leukonychia
Answer: White spots caused by injury to the nail, heredity, systemic disorders or nutritional deficiency.
Q: Lunula
Answer: Half-moon shape at the base of the nail.
Q: Manicure
Answer: Cosmetic care of the hands and fingernails.
Q: Mantle
Answer: Pocket like structure that holds the root and matrix.
Q: Monomer
Answer: Acrylic Liquid
Q: Nail Bed
Answer: Area of the nail on which the nail body rests; nerves and blood vessels found here supply nourishment.
Q: Nail Body
Answer: Nail Plate; visible nail area from the nail root to the free edge; made of layers; contains no nerves or blood vessels.
Q: Nail Design
Answer: Nail art adding designs or accents to polished nails
Q: Nail Form
Answer: Temporary attachment placed under the free edge of the natural nail to help create and sculpt an artificial nail and free edge.
Q: Nail Groove
Answer: Tracks on either side of the nail that the nail moves on as it grows.
Q: Nail Matrix
Answer: Active tissue that generates cells that harden as they move outward to form the nail plate.
Q: Nail Plate
Answer: Nail body; visible nail area from the nail root to free edge; made of layers; contains no nerves or blood vessels.
Q: Nail Root
Answer: Part of the nail attached to the matrix at the base of the nail, under the skin and inside the mantle.
Q: Nail strengthener
Answer: Nail product that is usually a clear polish; applied prior to the base coat; used to prevent nails from splitting and peeling; provides moisture to dry, brittle nails.
Q: Nail Tips
Answer: Plastic extensions that are applied to natural nail using nail adhesive.
Q: Nail Wrap
Answer: Fiberglass, silk, linen or nylon material applied over the natural nail or tips, reinforced with a resin (thick adhesive) then hardened with a catalyst.
Q: Onychatrophia
Answer: Atrophy of the nail or wasting away of the nail
Q: Onychauxis
Answer: Hypertrophy; thickening of the nail plate or an abnormal outgrowth of the nail.
Q: Onychia
Answer: Inflammation of the nail matrix
Q: Onychocryptosis
Answer: Ingrown nails; causes include environmental or poor nail trimming practices; can become infected.
Q: Onychogryposis
Answer: Represents an increased curvature of the nails.
Q: Onychology
Answer: The study of the structure and growth of the nails.
Q: Onycholysis
Answer: Loosening or separation of the nail.
Q: Onychomycosis
Answer: Tinea Unguium or Unguis; Ringworm of the nail.
Q: Onychophagy
Answer: Bitten nails.
Q: Onychoptosis
Answer: Shedding or falling off of nails.
Q: Onychosis
Answer: Any disease, disorder or condition of the nail.
Q: Onyx
Answer: Technical term for nails.
Q: Orangewood Stick
Answer: A wooden stick used to loosen and push back cuticles, apply cosmetics, clean under the free edge of the nail and remove polish from sidewalls.
Q: Overlay
Answer: Application of acrylic or gel on the natural nail or over nail tips, if added length is desired.
Q: Paronychia
Answer: Felon; inflammation of the tissue surrounding the nail.
Q: Pedicure
Answer: Cosmetic care of the feet and toenails.
Q: Pedicure Basin/Bath
Answer: A container that allows comfortable soaking of the feet for a pedicure service.
Q: Perionychium
Answer: Living tissue that overlies the nail plate on the sides of the nail
Q: Petrissage
Answer: Light or heavy kneading and rolling of the muscles; performed by kneading muscles between the thumb and fingers or by pressing the palm of the hand firmly over the muscles, then grasping and squeezing with the heel of the hand and fingers; generally performed from the front of the head to the back; used on the face, arms, shoulders and upper back.
Q: Polymer
Answer: Acrylic Powder
Q: Pterygium
Answer: Living skin attached to the nail plate either at the eponychium (dorsal pteryguim) or hyponychium (inverse pterygium).
Q: Sculpted Nails
Answer: Nail enhancement created over a nail form, rather than using a tip for added length.
Q: Sidewalls
Answer: Folds of skin on either side of the nail groove.
Q: Sloughing Lotion
Answer: Exfoliating product that removes dead skin cells.
Q: Speed Dry
Answer: Drying agent; spray or polish which aids in fast drying of polish.
Q: Tapotement or Percussion
Answer: Light tapping or slapping massage movement; performed with fingertips or partly flexed fingers.
Q: Tinea Manus
Answer: Ringworm of the hand.
Q: Tinea Pedis
Answer: Athletes foot or ringworm of the feet.
Q: Tinea Unguium or Unguis
Answer: Ringworm of the nail.
Q: Top Coat or Sealer
Answer: Colorless, clear polish that dries to high shine; protects colored polish from chipping, fading and peeling.
Q: Viscosity
Answer: Thickness of a product.