A manicure is a nail and hand cosmetic aesthetic treatment that can be done at home or in a nail salon. A manicure comprises of filing and shaping the free edge, pushing and trimming any nonliving tissue (but not the cuticle and hangnails) with a cuticle pusher and cuticle nippers, treatments with various liquids, scrubs and hand massage, and the application of fingernail polish. The therapy is known as a pedicure when it is administered to the toenails and feet.

Manicures may include the application of miniature decals or fake gems, as well as the painting of pictures or motifs on the nails. French manicures are a type of nail therapy that involves the application of a white strip of gel or regular polish at the tips of the nails .