Opening the cuticle pocket is a key step in achieving a clean and safe Russian manicure 🧼

Most nail techs focus on the drill first.

But a truly clean manicure starts BEFORE the bit even touches the skin.

The quality of your cuticle pocket prep changes EVERYTHING:

✔ how clean the manicure looks

✔ how safely the e-file works

✔ how close and neat your application will be

✔ how long the coating lasts without lifting

If the pocket isn’t opened correctly, the bit starts working blindly.

That’s when:

— cuts happen

— leftover skin remains

— the manicure looks messy after a few days

— lifting appears near the cuticle because the pterygium wasn’t fully removed

A properly opened cuticle pocket is literally 50% of a clean manicure.

This is exactly why I always say:

Russian manicure starts with the orange stick — not with the drill. 

❗️We covered this step in detail in the “Russian Manicure & Hard Gel” course — Lesson 3: Opening the Cuticle Pocket.