Major Assignment 1 [MA1]

You have now reached the point in the course where you will be assessed and graded on the practical skills covered to date. You will be required to submit evidence of sound acrylic and gel application by sending us six (6) practice tips prior to being assessed as competent to progress onto providing treatments on live models.

While we will be looking for aesthetically pleasing nail enhancements, the primary learning outcomes against which you will be marked in this assignment are related to safety. You will recall from the theory that we want to avoid applying any nail product (except cuticle oil) to the cuticles and surrounding skin, as this increases the likelihood of a contra-action/allergic reaction, affects the curing of gel products, and can be potentially harmful for your clients if the product then needs to be removed from the skin. In order to avoid this, you will need to have developed sound skills in controlling your product in the application process.

You must achieve a pass/competent mark in this assessment to progress onto the remaining assignments. If you are assessed as ‘not yet competent’, you will be provided with feedback and guidance and asked to resubmit your assignment. You may attempt this assignment as many times as is required to achieve a pass/competent mark.

Major Assignment Outline

Your major assignment requires you to complete and submit the following items:

1. Practice tip 1: Acrylic enhancement on a square nail, shaped with nail file
2. Practice tip 2: Acrylic enhancement on an oval nail, shaped with nail file
3. Practice tip 3: Acrylic enhancement on a squoval nail, shaped with nail file
4. Practice tip 4: Gel enhancement on a square nail, shaped with nail file and finished with gel polish and top coat
5. Practice tip 5: Gel enhancement on an oval nail, shaped with nail file and finished with gel polish and top coat
6. Practice tip 6: Gel enhancement on a squoval nail, shaped with nail file and finished with gel polish and top coat

You are required to firstly shape your nail using the techniques demonstrated at the start of the video tutorial contained in Lesson 5.5 Intro to gel application. You are then required to apply either gel or acrylic products, before shaping the nail with nail files to achieve the desired shape and structure.

Once shaped, there is nothing more to do with your acrylic nails, however please finish your gel nails with your choice of a gel polish provided in your supplied kit, and supplementary products, in accordance with the video tutorial contained, again, in Lesson 5.5 Intro to gel application.

Assessment criteria

You will be assessed against each of the below criteria:

1. Evidence of product control (no signs of product leaching outside of artificial nail bed.
2. Correct formation and placement of the apex in relation to length of the artificial nail
3. Correct formation of the C-curve
4. Smooth tapering of product to the nail tip and cuticles, and appropriate thickness in these areas
5. Symmetry achieved in shaping the nail
6. Even coverage with gel polish and evidence of topcoat used (gel tips only)

Submitting your assignment

In order to adequately assess this first assignment, it is necessary for your Course Facilitator to physically inspect your work. It is for this reason you are required to send us your practice tips for assessment. You have been provided with two (2) postage parcels in your supplied kit; one is for the submission of this assessment, the other is for a later assignment (nail art).

Once you have completed your assessment, please take a photo of your completed tips laid out on a table or bench (on a smart phone is fine), and upload this photo via the below assignment upload portal. You will then be emailed a paid postage label which you will need to print and affix to your parcel, before sending back to us.

We wish you all the best with your assessment submission and look forward to seeing your work!