The 7 Best Certified Nail Technician Courses Online

Nail technicians are people who have chosen to transform other people’s nails. But, as a nail technician, you would need more than zeal to get exceptional at what you do.

You would need a form of training, and there are places to get this. In this post, I would be showing you seven certified nail technician courses that you could enroll. Keep reading for more info.

7 Best Certified Nail Technician Courses Online

On your journey into the industry of nail technicians, you definitely would need some training. I understand that some may say that they have a natural talent. On several occasions, this talent doesn’t get you at the top of the chain.

This is why we’ve created this list of the 7 Best Certified Nail Technician Courses Online:

  1. Nail Technician –  International Open Academy 
  2. Trendimi – Gel Manicure & Nail Artist Course
  3. IAP Carrer College – Nail Salon Owner Certificate Course Online
  4. Taond – Expert Nail Technician Course
  5. Udemy – Nail technician & Acrylic Nail Course
  6. Gel Polish Decorations: Step by Step for Nail Artists
  7. Nail Artistry Certification

As a nail technician, you need more than how to paint nails or get them fixed. There are new artistic and creative ways that you could wow your clients. Some of these skills are obtained through certification.

Becoming a certified nail technician while you’re in the comfort of your own home, and having some freedom within your scheduling, sounds like a dream come true. Next up, the seven best-certified nail technician courses online.

1. Nail Technician - International Open Academy

If you always loved the idea of working from home, then you have got just what you wanted. With this course by International Open Academy, you get exactly how it feels to own a home nail business. As an add-on, you would also be taught all the essentials that a nail tech expert needs to know.

You would also be taught the business side of owning a nail shop and how you could get set up. Once you are done with the class, you would have almost all you need to get started. You can paint beautiful nails and take your creativity to the next level.

For instructors, you get the remarkable beautician Michelle Donaldson. As a beautician, she boasts over 30 years of practical experience, which she is willing to pass on to her students. 

The course runs for about 42 minutes long, and there are 18 video lessons available. In these videos, she would cover helpful courses like massage, manicure, UV polish application, and removal. This course is a specific example of an apt and low commitment course. You wouldn’t need to get yourself held up for long hours.

In all, this course is suitable for learners of all skill levels and expertise. You also get lifetime access to all the videos in the course. So, if you think you’ll be coming back for a brush up once in a while, then you are covered in this course.

Note: This course is rated at 4.6 high star ratings and offers you a certificate of completion.

2. Trendimi - Gel Manicure & Nail Artist Course

Perhaps you’d like to become a beauty blogger or simply improve your skills for personal use? This course from Trendimi will help any person learn fundamental nail artist skills and build on them to achieve great results!

This course is perfect for individuals interested in learning more about the exciting and challenging careers available for nail technicians. Helping you stay on-trend by learning the most up-to-date nail techniques, learn how to offer these services professionally and create loyal customers!

Trendimi’s extensive CPD/CE accredited course equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to start a very exciting career in nail care.  You will follow picture and video tutorials where you’ll learn:

  • How to care for hands
  • Exercises for hands
  • Manicures and massage
  • Pedicures and massage
  • Types of nail polish and decorations
  • Gel and Shellac nails

In all, with a primary focus on nail art and designs, this course is highly recommended for anyone willing to learn. Remember, beginner or not, this course is just for you.

3. IAP Carrer College - Nail Salon Owner Certificate Course Online

In this online Nail Salon Owner Certificate Course by IAP Career College you will learn core principles and specific step-by-step methods for nail treatments, design and finally: getting started in a career as a professional nail salon owner!

In this course you’ll learn what a nail salon owner does and how to perform manicures, pedicures and nail art. You will also learn how to improve your abilities to thrive in a nail salon profession, how to be employed as a nail salon technician, and how to open your own nail salon and attract consumers.

The topics in this course include in a brief summary:

Nail Salon Basics

  • Types of Nail Salons (including Children’s, Men’s, Green, Mobile, and Others)
  • Nail Salon Services (including Wraps, Gels, Tips, Pedicures, and Add-on Treatments)

Getting Ready for Your Own Nail Salon

  • Skills and Knowledge You Will Need
  • Earning While You Learn

Starting Your Nail Salon (How to Open a Nail Salon)

  • Your Business Plan
  • Start-Up Budgeting and Funding
  • Equipment, Supplies, Insurance and Licenses

Managing Your Nail Salon

  • Systems for Daily Management
  • Hours, Booking, Setting Prices, Accepting Payment
  • Grand Opening, Advertising and Free Publicity
  • Services Menu, Website and Other Marketing Tools

These topics will be seen during the course along with much more useful information for the nail industry. This is a 6 week part-time course, but you may choose to complete this course in 4 or up to 12 weeks. 

4. Expert Nail Technician Course

Next, I bring you the Expert Nail Technician offered by Taond. It was initially developed for beginners who had the intention of coming into the Nail technician industry. But, even you as an expert with a wealth of experience, you could also get some new and exciting tips and tricks.

You get would also gain access to a few other essential classes that would get you informed during the course. You would be taught the fundamentals of being a great nail technician.  You would also learn how you can use some advanced nail tools and even apply natural nails and gel manicures.

In the class, as a student, you would also get help on how you could avoid nail fixing mistakes like lifted nails.  Learning to avoid possible mistakes before they actually happen is an excellent strategy for keeping clients happy and gaining repeat customers.

In an almost 7 hours class of intense learning, you would not just learn the regular nail and manicure skills. You also get enlightened on how you could market yourself. In the end, a great technician who doesn’t have the fundamental marketing strategy would run out of jobs eventually.

Well, for instructors, you would be getting nothing short of professional. You get taught by three different instructors. You have the technical advisor Alex Saxon, nail artist Liliya Saxon and marketing expert Vitali Fedarchuk. There is no doubt that this course will bring a healthy dose of knowledge right to you.

In all, you can’t go wrong with Taond’s expert Nail technician course. You also get a certificate of completion at the end of the course. With over 500 enrolled students, it has a 4.9-star rating in general.

5. Udemy - Nail technician & Acrylic Nail Course

Next on my list is this Nail Technician & Acrylic Nail Course by Udemy. You’ll learn how to apply beautiful acrylic nails, sculpt long-lasting nails, and create magnificent manicures and nail shapes!

In this program you’ll learn to:

  • Prepare natural nails for nail extension
  • Make nails of any length and to form the perfect acrylic nail shape
  • Nail structure and preparation for the nail extension
  • Correct and fast nail filing techniques
  • Properly use your materials in the process of nail extension
  • Detailed knowledge characteristics, distinctive shapes of the tools (bits), the colors of the notches. (Difference of bits for a manicure and artificial nails)
  • Detailed knowledge of how to refill the artificial nails
  • Proper sculpting of square and almond nail shapes

This course is for everyone! From beginners who want to start a nail extension career to masters with nail extension experience who want to improve their skills. Even for beauty salons workers and freelancers or anyone who wants to learn all about nails just for fun! 

This course includes, 2 hours on-demand video, assignments, 1 article, 1 downloadable resource, full lifetime access on mobile and TV devices and finally: A certificate of completion!

6. Gel Polish Decorations: Step by Step for Nail Artists

Last but not least, Gel Polish Decorations. You might be wondering why a Udemy course? Well, I bring only great courses. In this course, the instructor has focused more on the artist than just technicians. This course aims to teach you how to pull out that wowing effect from your clients. 

Do you intend to have your nails looking more like crafts than just a regular polish? This course has designs that you could adopt during or after putting the nail polish. You can get the course in two parts for your comfort.

The first part comprises of 24 video tutorials. Here you’ll get through the simple patterns, baselines, and step by step gel polish designs. You would also learn how to apply gel polish using the remarkable and classic French manicure procedure. Once you are done with that, you would be given access to some fun materials that you could work with personally.

For the second part of the tutorials, you get access to more intense modules. You would be taught the following:

  • Mirror powder technique
  • Transfer foil technique
  • Magnet gel polish technique
  • Placing nail stamps
  • 3D sculpture gel
  • Nail stickers
  • Applying velvet powder
  • Applying color change gel
  • Plus more tangible skills

You’ll also learn some other cool effects like the marble effect and sugar effect.

But, this course was designed for professionals in mind. If you are going through this course, then you should have a piece of good knowledge as a nail technician. If you are still a beginner, then you might find it a bit overwhelming. Yet, you could still challenge yourself and try this out.

Since this is a course available on Udemy, you would also have lifetime access to the course whenever you want. It doesn’t take your time as well, as the course has a total duration.

7. Nail Artistry Certification

First on my list is the Nail Artistry Certification brought to you by the New Skills Academy. If you are thinking of starting your salon or reaching the peak of your career as a nail specialist, then this is it.

Here, you’ll gain valuable knowledge into customer relations, managing a spa, and delivering just the right nail quality…

In this course, you’ll gain insights on the following:

  • Client consultations and communication
  • Preparing your clients
  • Customer relationship management

You would also learn how you could optimize your work area for efficiency and a swift procedure. If you’re looking to build your own nail technician business or develop a client base, is doing a great job at a fast pace is crucial.

Moving on, you would also have access to modules that would teach you:

  • What it takes to prepare a manicure or pedicure session
  • How to apply artificial nails
  • How to use essential nail arts
  • How to maintain an already fixed nail
  • How to maintain your salon’s health and hygiene

As an add-on, you would also be coached on performing various spa procedures like the hand and arm massage. In all, you would be getting a detailed introduction into a few administrative skills that could promote your nail business.

There’s usually so much focus on the actual nail technician skills, and rightfully so, that administrative skills are often an afterthought. But, these skills are also necessary for growing a clientele and maintaining a professional reputation.

Some of these administrative skills include:

  • An introduction to salon management
  • Salon decoration tips
  • How to manage your salon’s financials
  • How to manage your employees

As a comprehensive course program, it contains about 25 lessons, and you can finish this course in a maximum of 20 hours. You also learn only when it is convenient for you, as it is a self-paced course. You would get a certificate awarded to you just after you have completed the full course.

Note: You can learn on any of your modern devices or browsers.

How to Become a Nail Technician

Becoming a certified nail technician requires a few skills. You’ll need to understand and get the required skills and schooling to be at the top of your game. There are a few steps you could take that would bring right where you need to be.

The steps below are exactly what you need to get your dream of becoming a nail technician off the ground and running.

Channel your Motivation

It is quite natural for you to start up with a healthy dose of motivation, but what happens along the line. You may lose interest after a few months or whatever frame of time. It is at this point that you would need your motivation.

So, the first thing you should get is a reliable source of motivation. It could be intrinsic or extrinsic; all that matters is you are motivated. If you aren’t motivated, then you could end up getting frustrated out of your business eventually.

Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Be honest with yourself, and decide what skills you already have, as well as which ones you’ll need to learn. Write these down so you can refer back, and they’ll stay fresh in your mind.

Fixing up your client’s nails takes style and creativity for it to come out astonishing. You would need to dig up every ounce of creativity that you can and win your client’s love.  While that might be your strength, perhaps your administrative skills or organization need some help.

You would also need to acquire some customer relations skills that would help you communicate with your clients. If you are exceptional at communicating in the nail business, that will give you an edge as a nail technician.

Being aware of what you need to work on, as well as the areas that you already excel, will help you narrow down the courses to take as well.

Choose Your Certification Courses

The first step to becoming a recognized nail expert is by completing a nail technician program. I wouldn’t say it is necessary, but it gives that perfect seal to your skills.

For your enrollment, you would require just a high school diploma or its equivalent. You could find placements in cosmetology schools and the state’s licensure programs to prepare graduates. In this program, you would be coming to both practical and academic training all at once.

You’ll learn all about nail care application, how to contain infections, customer relations, and more. For the practical training, you would be schooled on how you can create artistically pleasing nails.

Another place to get certified is online courses. Online courses are a great way to learn new skills from the comfort of your home. From becoming a nail technician to taking micro-blading courses online, there are infinite opportunities to become an expert in any beauty spectrum online. There are certified sites like Udemy, Skillshare, and all that could train you as well. The good news, this article would show you a few certified courses you would love.

Obtain Your License

After getting educated, you are required to get licensed. The licensing may vary based on your state or region, but you must follow through with the process.

Stay Current with Nail Technician Information

As a nail technician, it is required that you stay informed and continue being educated for two reasons. First, you’ll need continued education to stay informed on the latest styles and techniques. This would aid you in keeping your customers happy and engaged.

Another reason for the continued education is to renew your license. Some states require that you take an examination or test whenever you need to renew your license.

Build Your Career

 Once you are ready to start your journey you can check out the steps to start your own nail technician business.  And after this I would say that you keep learning. To stand out as a nail technician, you must branch out to other aspects of the personal appearance industry. There you would get an edge over a regular nail technician. It is at this point you could call yourself an artist, not a technician.

Before You Take Certified Nail Technician Courses

Now that you have become a nail technician, you should be asking what next. Running your business and having clients always patronize you comes with a task. You have to stick to a few rules that are expected of every other nail technician.

You should realize that these tips keep you relevant in the appearance industry for a long time. Remember, the personal appearance industry requires creativity and uniqueness, as well as the right hygiene.

So, if you want to keep those clients storming your front door, then you should take note of the following tips:

Remember the Basics

As a nail technician, you should know that it goes way beyond knowing how you could clean and lasting manicure. You should never forget that you are an expert in your field. You have studied and gotten licensed just to beautify nails.

You should go through your routine and stay away from risky shortcuts. The basics are there for a reason, and that is to keep you on top of your game.

Be Gentle with the CUticles

Sure, overgrown, ragged, and dry cuticles can be an unpleasing sight to you. Still, it is a protective covering for the nails and essential for your client’s healthy living.  So, I’d suggest that you always left them intact and not make it a habit to cut out the cuticles.

I understand that your client may prefer it cut away, but you have to enlighten them on the repercussion. Excessive cutting of the can lead to bleeding, and they could get infected. These infections can then turn into more significant problems for your clients.

Remember, You're Working with Sharp Objects

In the process of fixing your client’s nails, you would need a few sharp objects. These objects should be sterilized if they are meant to be used more than once.

But, I would suggest that every client uses a different tool. Some may have nail infections or diseases that can be transferred to you or your other clients. You and your client’s safety is paramount.

Always be Prepared

The imaginary part of being a nail technician is getting to try out new techniques and products. You could also get as creative as you want to be as an artist. But, getting all of this together requires a bit of preparation.

I would suggest that you get your tools and idea together before working on your client. You should also not stay too long as it could cost you time, and your client may not have that in abundance. Your end goal is for both you and your client to be happy at each session’s end.

Choose Quality Products and Reputable Brands

There are so many different brands and products on the market today, choosing the right one could be a hassle. I would suggest that you find a particular brand or product that seems to give you just the right quality and stuck with them.

You wouldn’t want to be caught using substandard or products on your client. It doesn’t look good on your business and could build a bad reputation.

If you don’t have a particular brand, then you could do your research. But take note that it is not about the price of the product. Some expensive brands may not give you what you want, which doesn’t mean cheap products should swoop in. Cheaper products are more likely to be inferior that other price ranges.

So, stick with what works and let your clients leave you smiling.

Never Stop Learning

The personal appearance industry has gone one that is ever-evolving. With every break of dawn comes a new style and new way of being exceptionally pleasing. A nail technician that doesn’t have an idea of what is trending would surely lose relevance after a while.

If you want to stay in trend and at the top of your game, keep on learning. You could enroll in refresher courses online, or wherever is convenient for you to learn. You must realize that your customers would keep returning if they are wowed every single time they come into your shop.

In all, if you want business opportunities or other business investments, then your skills should worth it. Learn new things. Maybe try a microblading course online or something to give you another skill to add to your business.

Conclusion

Nail artistry requires skill and creativity at all times. Your clients would appreciate dynamism and professionalism from you at all times. So, for you to give them just that, you would need the right certifications.

These certifications could be gotten both online and offline. In this post, I have shown you seven various courses that could equip and get you certified at the same time.