If you want to look elegant and stylish, nothing beats a classic French manicure. This style of manicure is easy to do and can be done yourself at home. Choose a pale pink or translucent white base coat and make the tips of your nails stand out with a white crescent nail polish. For a striking look, let your nails grow long or use false nails made of gel or acrylic material to instantly lengthen your nails. Give your nails a touch of Parisian style without going to the salon.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing Your Nails
Step 1. Remove your old nail polish
Dip a cotton swab in some liquid nail polish remover and remove all of your old nail polish, even if it's clear. Make sure you remove any excess paint from all the nooks and crannies, as the old paint colors will show through the clear French manicure nail polish.
- If you wear acrylic false nails and want to do a French manicure on them, use a proper nail polish remover and don't let the liquid soak into your nails for too long.
- Note that nail polish remover containing acetone can dry out and damage your nails, so you should choose a liquid nail polish remover that does not contain this chemical.
Step 2. Cut your nails into the desired shape
A French manicure looks more striking on longer nails, so you don't need to trim your nails too close to your fingertips. Use nail clippers to trim the uneven parts of your nails and make sure all your nails are the same length.
If you want to apply acrylic nails, you can trim your nails to your fingertips first. Once your nails are trimmed, apply acrylic glue and attach them according to the directions on the package
Step 3. File and scrub your nails
Use a nail file to fine-tune the shape of your nails so that each nail has a smooth, crescent-shaped tip. You can file your nails into a square or round shape, depending on your preference. Use nail polish (nail buffer) to scrub the surface of your nails.
When you file your nails, do not apply pressure, as this can damage your nails. You move the nail file over your nails gently
Step 4. Soak your nails
Place your hands in a bowl of warm water, milk or olive oil. This is done to soften your cuticles and make them easier to push/scratch. Soak for about three minutes, then dry your hands with a towel.
Step 5. Push and trim your cuticles
Use an orange stick or cuticle pusher to push/scrape your cuticles. Trim any nodules or dead skin flakes with cuticle scissors or small nail clippers. You can also massage some cuticle oil on your nails for this step.
Part 2 of 3: Applying Nail Polish
Step 1. Apply a basic protective nail polish
The base coat for a French manicure is usually a pale pink, cream, or translucent white. Start by brushing one line of nail polish down the center of your nail first, then two more lines on either side. Sweep the nail polish from the cuticle to the tip of the nail, with the brush tilted forward. Sweep the brush all over the nail using smooth, even strokes. Continue to apply a base coat of paint to each nail on both hands.
- You can buy French manicure kits that contain classic basecoats, nail polish, and other tools that you can use to create the perfect manicure.
- If you want to deviate from the classic French manicure style, choose a base coat color instead of pink or cream. You can use red, purple, blue, green, or any other color you like. For the tips of the nails, you can use white nail polish or another contrasting color.
- Let the base coat dry completely and apply a second coat. Make sure the base coat is completely dry before you proceed.
Step 2. Paint the tips of your nails with white polish
While keeping your hands steady, paint the tips of your nails with a crescent-shaped white. The border of the white nail polish is at the edge of the white part of your nail. Allow the tips of your nails to dry completely, then apply another coat of polish if you wish.
- If you have a French manicure kit, you can use a sickle-shaped nail guide to make sure the polish on the tips of your nails is neat. You can also make your own nail guides by cutting special adhesive paper for painting into curved shapes.
- Using other types of adhesive paper can damage the basecoat, so stick to special paint adhesives or nail guides that come with your manicure kit.
- Use white nail polish to paint the tips of the nails. Then use a pen-shaped nail polish remover to carefully refine or contour the area. If you don't have this pen you can also use a cotton stick.
Step 3. Add a layer of clear white nail polish to protect the look of your freshly painted nails
Using an outer coat of paint will also help the manicure last longer.
Step 4. Done
Part 3 of 3: Achieving Perfect Nails
Step 1. Use Scotch brand tape
If you're not so confident about painting straight lines, you can make your job a little easier by using Scotch tape. Once your nails are completely ready and all you have to do is apply white color to the tips, apply a piece of adhesive tape to the top of each of your nails. The adhesive tape will cover most of your nail, leaving only a small part of the nail visible. Paint the part with white paint; if you make a mistake it won't be a problem because the paint will only stain the adhesive tape. When your nails are dry, remove the adhesive tape to reveal your finished manicure.
Step 2. Apply moleskin plaster
Do you know those little round moleskin patches you usually apply to the blisters on your feet? Well, the plaster will be perfect for getting round and neat white nail tips. Once you've finished applying the colored nail polish (light pink or light brown, depending on your preference), and the polish has dried, place the moleskin tape over the nail, so that only a small part of the nail tip is visible. Apply white paint to the visible areas of the nail, and when the paint dries, remove the tape. The tips of your white nails will be perfectly round, and the smudged polish will be lifted along with the moleskin plaster.
Step 3. Try using a pen-correcting white paint
This may sound weird, but if you're having trouble painting with white nail polish, a white pen correcting paint (to erase pen writing) might be the solution. Since the application sponge is square in shape, it makes it easy for you to apply white in perfect lines to the tips of your nails. Just use a pen-correcting white paint instead of white nail polish, and finish with an outer coat of paint. Nobody will know the difference, and you'll save a lot of time!
