In-person training · Ottawa–Gatineau
One-on-one and group training for nail artists who want to understand not just how to repeat a technique, but why the result turns out the way it does.
We look at your own work, your mistakes and the logic of your hand movements, and we pitch the explanation to your level — no pressure, no talking down, and no one-size-fits-all script.
The program is built around your goal: strengthen your foundation, fix recurring mistakes, get a handle on architecture, improve wear, feel more confident with difficult clients, or reach a higher professional level.
The focus is on safety, clean technique, understanding your materials, and a consistent result you can reproduce — not just during training, but in real work with clients.
Method creator and instructor
Manicure expert, creator of training programs, instructor with 25 years of experience, international judge and winner of professional championships.
I’ve been in this profession for 25 years, and for about 20 of them I’ve been teaching. Along the way, manicure stopped being just a pretty service to me.
For me it’s a system: technique, architecture, safety, understanding the natural nail, working with the material, and knowing how to choose the right solution for each client.
My career has taken me through different countries, schools and markets. And that’s exactly what gave me the key insight: a strong artist is made not by one brand or one “magic jar,” but by the logic behind the work.
I teach you not to depend on the material, but to understand what you’re doing, why it works, and how to adapt your technique to different hands, nails, clients and situations.
When in-person training helps
Sometimes the problem isn’t that you’ve studied too little. Sometimes an instructor needs to see your hand, your movement, your pressure, your form, your material — and the exact moment where the result starts to break down.
That’s exactly what’s hard to catch on video, but quick to see in person.
Starting out
You need a calm foundation, a clear sequence, and the confidence that you’re not skipping important steps.
In training we set your technique up right from the start, so you don’t have to relearn it later and undo mistakes your hands have already memorized.
Inconsistent results
Sometimes it’s clean, sometimes not quite. Sometimes the coating wears well, sometimes it lifts. Sometimes the shape comes out right, sometimes it drifts again.
In person, we don’t go over general theory — we look at your specific movements, your sequence, and the exact spot where the mistake appears.
Leveling up
When you already have clients, experience and your own habits, an outside perspective on your work matters even more.
We go through quality, speed, cleanliness, architecture, service and professional decisions — without dismissing your experience, but honestly and to the point.
Recurring mistakes
If you keep getting lifting, uneven shape, overloaded material, loss of speed, cuticle problems or anxiety about difficult clients — it isn’t always “a bad hand.”
More often than not, it’s one wrong step in the technique that needs to be spotted and rebuilt.
After training
Not just “learning a technique,” but understanding how to apply it on different hands, with different nails, materials and real client situations.
See the architecture of the nail and build the shape not “by eye,” but for the specific nail plate
Choose the material to suit the nail, the load and the client’s needs, instead of using one approach for everyone
Correct nails that grow downward, break, hook, or won’t hold length
Work the cuticle cleanly and gently — without over-filing, cuts, hangnails or inflammation afterward
Photograph your work so the shape, the cleanliness and your skill level come through in your portfolio
Work faster without losing cleanliness, shape or control at any stage
What we can cover
We don’t give every artist the same script. In training you can focus on a single topic or build a program from several areas — depending on your level, your experience and whatever is getting in the way of your results right now.
01
Covering the fundamentals: how to read the nail and skin, choose the right material, build the shape, and avoid overloading the natural plate.
A good fit if you want more than to “follow the steps” — you want to understand why it’s done this way.
02
Working with the bit, the cuticle and the side walls: how to get a clean result without over-filing, cuts, hangnails or skin damage.
A good fit if you want the manicure to look neat not just right after the service, but several days later too.
03
Covering the apex, balance, thickness, load and choosing the material for the specific nail.
A good fit if your coating looks flat or overloaded, won’t hold its shape, or doesn’t wear consistently.
04
Covering thin, damaged or weakened nails, lifting, injuries, and cases left behind by poor work.
A good fit if you want to know when you can work, when you need to change your protocol, and when it’s important to stop and refer the client to a specialist.
05
Covering your sequence, your movements, material control and working pace.
A good fit if a service takes you a long time, you get tired, lose focus, or are afraid to speed up because quality drops.
06
Covering sterilization, hygiene, consultation, the limits of your responsibility, and communication with the client.
A good fit if you want to work with more confidence: explain your decisions clearly, ask the right questions, spot contraindications and build trust with the client.
Difficult cases
These aren’t just “before and after” photos. They’re situations where it matters to understand the cause: why the nail breaks, why the coating won’t hold, why the shape drops downward, why the skin gets damaged, or why the result looks inconsistent.
In training we work through cases like these step by step: diagnosis, choice of material, architecture, technique, and the right solution for the specific client.
BeforeAfterWhen nails keep breaking, the problem often isn’t “weak nails” — it’s the load, the shape and a flawed architecture.
In a case like this, the key is to remove what no longer holds up, not to keep length at any cost, and to rebuild the shape — so the nail can grow safely and without constant breakage.
BeforeAfterWhen a nail grows downward, a simple coating doesn’t solve it. Such a nail often cracks, breaks, or visually pulls the whole shape down.
The point here isn’t to “mask” the problem, but to change the direction, place the material correctly and balance the load, so the shape looks lighter and wears more reliably.
BeforeAfterIf lifting keeps recurring, the problem usually isn’t only the material. It pays to look deeper: prep of the plate, the nail type, skin moisture, the load, the thickness of the coating, the stress zone and the client’s habits.
In training we work out how to find the real cause, instead of just switching from one base to another.
BeforeAfterThe most dangerous mistake is to see an injury and simply cover it with material.
If there’s an open wound, inflammation or tenderness, material must not be applied. In such cases it’s important to assess the nail’s condition, treat the area as gently as possible, avoid causing further injury, and choose a safe option: sometimes protection, sometimes a pause, sometimes a referral to a specialist.
BeforeAfterWhen the stress zone is overloaded, the nail can crack, deform, hurt, or look heavy even after coating.
In cases like this, the point isn’t to “add more material,” but to understand the cause: where the load is, why the shape can’t take it, how to distribute the material, and what to tell the client about home care.
BeforeAfterYou can’t work thin, sensitive skin by force. One wrong move and you get cuts, burning, inflammation, or hangnails a few days later.
In such cases it’s important to open the area gently, remove only what truly needs to go, keep the skin intact, and apply the coating close — but safely.
Training format
First we look at your level, your experience and your goal. Then we suggest the format that will give you the most value: more personal feedback, or more hands-on practice in a working atmosphere.
One-on-one training
from 700 CAD per day
A format for the artist who needs maximum focus on their own technique, movements, mistakes and speed.
We work at your pace and look at your specific hand, your sequence and the exact things getting in the way of a consistent result.
Small group
from 500 CAD per spot per day
A format for artists who want not only to practice, but also to see different hands, different mistakes and different solutions.
In a small group you work under the instructor’s guidance, watch other artists’ work be reviewed, and learn to see technique more broadly — not just through your own case.
Course pricing
We don’t sell everyone the same package. First we clarify your level, your goal and what you’re looking for, then we suggest a format, a duration and an exact price.
Applying doesn’t commit you to paying — it’s there so we can understand your goal and find training that genuinely makes sense for you.
One-on-one
from 700 CAD
per day
For those who need a personal review of their technique, movements, mistakes and working pace.
The program is built around your level, your goal and the specific things you want from the training.
Small group
from 500 CAD
per spot per day
For those who want hands-on practice and a review of different hands and mistakes, but in a more accessible format.
You work under the instructor’s eye and learn not only from your own case, but from other artists’ cases too.
Comprehensive program
Full training
40–80 hours
For artists who need more than a single day of review — a complete system: from the foundations to confident, independent work, or a thorough upgrade of their skills.
The price is set after a consultation and depends on your goal, the number of days, the format and the depth of the program.
How signing up works
Applying doesn’t commit you to paying. It’s there so we can understand your level and your goal, and suggest a format that genuinely suits you.
01
You briefly tell us about your experience, your goal and the format you’re interested in: one-on-one, small group or comprehensive.
02
We look at what you need right now: a calm start, a review of specific mistakes, a step up in level, or a program for a more ambitious goal.
03
Once we’ve clarified your request, we suggest a suitable format, duration, price and the nearest available dates.
04
In the session we work on your technique: practice, adjusting your movements, reviewing mistakes, and a clear plan for what to work on next.
Good to know
A quick word on documents, pricing, format and terms — so you know how the training works before you even get in touch.
After the training you’ll receive a ZANAILS Academy certificate of completion for an original professional-development program.
Please note: this is not a government DEP Esthétique diploma. That diploma is issued only by accredited vocational-training centres in Quebec.
The certificate confirms that you completed training in the original ZANAILS Academy method.
One-on-one training — from 700 CAD per day. Small group — from 500 CAD per spot per day.
A comprehensive 40–80-hour program is priced individually after a consultation: the cost depends on your goal, level, format and the length of the training.
Applying doesn’t commit you to paying.
Yes. In the form you can choose the “Not sure yet” option.
After you apply, we’ll calmly go over your level, your goal and your request, then suggest the format that fits best: one-on-one, a small group, or a comprehensive program.
Yes. If you want to build the right foundation from the very start, in-person training can be a great way to begin.
In the session you don’t just watch a demonstration — you get explanations, practice, movement corrections and a clear working sequence right away.
The training takes place in Ottawa–Gatineau.
We confirm the exact address, dates, duration and format after you apply — depending on the program you choose and the available schedule.
If it’s easier to hold the training in your own city, we discuss a travelling format too — separately, around your dates and your goal. Just mention it in your application and we’ll figure out together how to make it work.
Yes — it’s one method, but two different formats.
The online academy is right for structured, self-paced learning on your own. In-person training is for a personal review of your technique, practice and movement correction.
You can choose one format or combine both — for example, cover the foundations online first, then refine your technique in person.
Application
Answer a few questions — it helps us understand your level and your goal, and suggest a suitable format without a lot of back-and-forth.
After you apply
We’ll clarify your request, suggest a possible format and point you to the nearest options. Applying doesn’t commit you to paying.
Legal information
The program is an original professional-development method by Zulfiia Anikanova. A ZANAILS Academy certificate is issued on completion. The program is not a government DEP Esthétique diploma — the DEP is issued only by accredited vocational-training centres in Quebec. To obtain the government DEP qualification, please contact those centres directly.