Time/Duration Topic/Module Topics Exercises/Activity Expected Output

Title
9:00 AM - 9:30 Introduction to - Importance of personal hygiene Presentation and group Understanding the
AM Personal Hygiene in the nail spa industry discussion importance of personal
- Cultural aspects of hygiene in hygiene in the context
the Philippines of the nail spa industry
- Overview of workshop
objectives

Personal Hygiene vs Grooming

Personal Hygiene - Desire to provide best
Starts with your service to our clients
Heart - Customer Service starts
from the heart
- Cleanse your heart with
all negativities before the
start of your shift

9:30 AM - 10:30 Hand Hygiene - Proper handwashing techniques Demonstration of Mastery of effective
AM Best Practices - Importance of nail technician's handwashing technique hand hygiene
hand hygiene Hands-on practice with techniques
- Nail technician's role in feedback
preventing infections
10:30 AM - Break - - -
10:45 AM
10:45 AM - Sanitation and - Difference between sanitation Workshop on proper Ability to differentiate
11:45 AM Sterilization and sterilization cleaning, disinfection, and between sanitation and
- Importance of disinfection in nail sterilization techniques sterilization and apply
tools and equipment appropriate methods
- Sterilization methods and
equipment
11:45 AM - Lunch Break - - -
12:30 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 Personal - Dress code standards for nail Role-playing scenarios on Understanding of how
PM Grooming and technicians appropriate dress and personal grooming
Dress Code - Grooming standards for nail grooming standards contributes to a
technicians professional image
- Importance of maintaining a
professional appearance
1:30 PM - 2:30 Client Interaction - Importance of clear Role-playing exercises on Enhanced
PM and communication with clients client interactions communication skills
Communication - Building rapport with clients and ability to handle
- Handling difficult clients various client situations
2:30 PM - 2:45 Break - - -
PM
2:45 PM - 3:45 Workplace - Keeping the workspace clean Hands-on activity: Ability to maintain a
PM Hygiene and organized Cleaning and organizing clean and organized
- Proper disposal of waste the workspace workspace
- Maintaining cleanliness in
common areas
3:45 PM - 4:30 Recap and - Review of key concepts and Group discussion and Reinforcement of
PM Evaluation learning points quiz learning objectives and
- Q&A session assessment of
Time/Duration Topic/Module Topics Exercises/Activity Expected Output
Title
- Feedback collection knowledge retention
4:30 PM - 5:00 Conclusion and - Summary of workshop - Recognition of
PM Certificate - Distribution of certificates of participation and
Distribution completion completion of the
training program

SANITARY MEASURES

1) Shower –

I have walked into some treatment rooms after a session was complete and literally gagged because of
offensive body odor nearly knocked me down at the door. This could be an issue of deodorant use, but I
also think it has to do with a lack of daily showers. If you are particularly turned off by the idea of daily
showers, fine, just make sure to shower on the days you are massaging!

No longer will we be able to have such a laissez-faire attitude towards showering. In the wake of the
COVID crisis, the importance of this daily practice has never been more highlighted. In the future, we
may come home, stripe at the door, and go immediately to the shower to prevent bringing unwanted
germs into our sacred homes.

2) Wear deodorant –

I know as a naturally minded individual it is sometimes hard to wrap your brain around the idea of using
aluminum-containing, Alzheimer causing, cancer sticks. But the thing is, there are many excellent
deodorant alternatives these days.

My favorite is Primal Pit Paste

Primal Pit Paste is made in either a stick or jar form. I prefer the jar because it provides a little more of a
gentle application than the somewhat stiffer stick alternative.

I also recently discovered crystal deodorant.

Crystal deodorant contains a mineral salt called potassium alum. When applied wet, the mineral salts
prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria. While this option won’t help with perspiration, it will
eliminate odor. For me, the verdict is still out on this product, but I’m willing to give it a shot!

3) Trim your nails –

When I say trim your nails, I mean short. Like when you first start this practice, it should hurt a little
because they are so short. Absolutely no white should be shown. I don’t care if you think that your
clients can’t feel your nails if you have white showing there will be times when your clients can feel your
nails.
Not only should you trim your nails, but you should also file them down so that there are no sharp
edges. For me, this means cutting them once a week. Maybe your nails grow faster or slower than mine,
but I make a practice of trimming my nails every Monday morning as I am going through my weekly
meeting with my office manager.

Find a time that you can consistently keep up with your nail hygiene. In developing this type of a routine,
you avoid accidentally injuring your clients with your nails. It is a terrible feeling when you are five
minutes into a massage and realize that you cannot implement the techniques you had hoped to use
because your nails are too long.

By keeping our nails well groomed, not only are we preventing minor injuries to our clients, we are also
being hygienic. Dirt and bacteria can quickly get stuck behind our nails when they are too long.

4) Be conscious about your activities before giving a massage –

Don’t smoke or play with motor oil or horses or anything else stinky after showering and before giving a
massage. You will smell!

5) Every day wear freshly laundered clothes –

Not only does this prevent offensive smells, it also helps with preventing the spread of disease.

Pre COVID clean clothes on a daily basis was acceptable. Post, maybe not? It may be prudent to think
about changing clothes between every session. Or at the very least, wearing a short-sleeved apron that
you switch between every session.

6) Brush your teeth before treatments –

Things like coffee and garlic and onions have a way of lingering with us! Do yourself and your clients a
favor and brush your teeth before treatments. I had one therapist who worked for me who kept
Listerine in his cubby to gargle with between treatments, that works too!

7) Follow best practices for storing your massage cream, lotion, or oil –

This means using a disposal system that doesn’t allow for cross-contamination between clients. I use a
fairly thick cream, and like to store it in an open container because it is easier to access this way. This
means any excess cream must be discarded at the end of each massage. It also means that I must wash
the container between each and every client.

8) Wash your hands, arms, and elbows –

I’ve witnessed massage therapists come out of a treatment and neglect to wash their hands. Not only
should you be washing your hands between every treatment, you should be washing them immediately!
I mean like, as soon as you walk out of the treatment room. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, go wash
your hands! And wash them with hot water, all the way up to your elbows.
According to the Center for Disease Control these are the proper steps involved with washing your
hands, and arms, and elbows.

1) Wet your hands/arms/elbows. Turn off the water.

2) Lather with soap, between each finger, on the front and back of the hands, and all the way up to the
elbow.

3) The Center for Disease Control recommends scrubbing for at least 20 seconds. I personally think
because we are washing all the way up to the elbows that it should be more like 60 seconds.

4) Rinse

5) Dry

9) Take protective measures against sweat –

If you are a big sweater, wear an absorbing headband, think 80’s workout queen. I once had a therapist
give me a hands-on interview. He was literally dripping sweat onto my back, talk about gross! If this
describes you, you may want to check out the headbands below!

10) Don’t work sick –

If you are sick, please take the day off! If you can catch your illness at the beginning, chances are good
you can nip it in the bud before it becomes a real issue, as opposed to getting everyone in the office and
all of your clients sick. For more on this, check out Getting Sick As A Massage Therapist.

11) Get rid of clutter –

The more clutter you have in your office, the higher the risk of spreading disease. Because it is harder to
sanitize all of these extra objects, it’s a good idea to get rid of any unnecessary objects cluttering up your
space. Now is a good time to think about that declutter the office you have been talking about for a
while!

12) Launder your top blanket –

If you haven’t already, you are going to want to start laundering your top blanket between every client.
If that seems like too much laundry, maybe consider ditching the blanket altogether.

13) Schedule plenty of time between sessions –

Gone are the days of ten minutes between sessions, or stacking sheets. Moving forward, we must make
sure we are giving ourselves plenty of time to sanitize all the surfaces, air out our spaces, and thoroughly
wash our beings.
14) Sanitize all surfaces –

Door knobs, light switches, face cradles, they all must be sanitized between each and every session.

15) Switch out furniture –

I have cushioned seats in my treatment rooms, you better believe I will be switching those out with
wood chairs that can easily be wiped down.

16) Invest in a good air filtration system –

While air filtration systems won’t take care of all the contaminants in the air, they sure can help!

17) Wear masks –

We are all aware at this point that masks primarily prevent others from being infected by us, not the
other way around. Regardless, the practice of wearing a mask may be one you want to consider for a
while, especially if you tend to do a lot of work around the neck with the client in supine.