A manicure is classified under cosmetics, a beauty procedure or treatment for finger and toe nails. Hygiene practices are usually limited to the regular trimming of the nails. Manicure, however, attempts to beautify and treat the fingernails to be more presentable. This has been practiced in ancient India and China. In ancient times, they use henna or plant dyes to color the nails. Nowadays, treatment applications are made up of a mixture of various solvents and oil bases.

The usual process includes trimming the fingernails, using a filer to shape the nail, painting the fingernail and eventually applying polish to make them appear glossy. Most manicure treatment is followed by a paraffin treatment, a beauty process that relaxes and softens hands and fingernails by dipping them into a paraffin wax basin, washing the hands with a cool solution and end the treatment with a dab of a lotion. The latest trends in fingernail treatment include the application of special acrylics or other artificial gels. Intricate designs using imitation jewels and other similar materials are also applied on the nails.

Today, there are an assortment of manicuring products and tools. There have been cases, however, of bacterial infection on the flesh along the sides of the fingernails and even on the fingernail itself. This bacterial infection can be caused by the wounding of the skin by a manicuring tool. Aside from this, an allergy is the most possible reason for an infection to appear.

Because of this, artificial nails had its share of popularity. Artificial nails are more of an extension of the real fingernail. Its purpose is similar to that of hair extensions that aims to enhance the look of the hair. The artificial nail is made of plastic and is pasted atop the natural nail. Acrylic and other paints can then be readily applied on the nail as if the fingernails were under manicure.