Make-Up, Hair and Costume for Film and Television

Manicure

Hands are important and often forgotten. An artist’s hands may be held up against the face or there may be a close-up of the fingers holding something. In period productions particularly it is important to check whether nail varnish is being worn and whether that is appropriate.

Shape nails with an emery board. Always file from the sides towards the tip to form a curve. Do not file too low at the sides as this will cause the nails to split. When the correct shape is achieved, bevel the free edge to avoid splitting and to remove any roughness.

Apply hand cream by gentle massage. Remove residue cream around the nails with nail polish remover to eliminate any trace of grease.

Apply a polish base coat to the nails. It should be applied in ...