French Manicure

What is a French Manicure?

A French manicure is a nail polish with white tips, covered by a sheer or pink polish coat. When a sheer polish is used, it is generally a very pale pink or beige. Many women like this type of manicure for its natural appearance. This nail style looks well-groomed without being fussy or flashy and is appropriate for short to moderately long nails.

Where does the white part come from in a French manicure? Most people use white nail polish to accentuate the nail tips before coating it with sheer polish. However, others use a white nail pencil or crayon.

There is some debate about the history of this style of fingernail design. However, many believe it originated in the 1930s in Paris and may have been the brainchild of Max Factor. The term "French manicure" was first trademarked in the 1970s by nail care company Orly. The company still makes nail care items and markets supplies for French style nail designs.

Straight or Curved?

A classic French manicure has the white tips in a straight line across the end of the nail. However, many women prefer a curved white area that follows the natural curvature of the nail bed. Not only does this style look less fussy, it can make short nails appear longer.

Do It Yourself

If you want to give yourself a French nail job at home, you will need the following:

• Base coat
• Top coat
• Sheer beige, pale peach or pink polish
• White nail polish
• Nail tip guides (available at most drugstores and beauty supply stores)
• Nail polish remover (for errors)

Once you have all your supplies, you are ready to begin:

1. Before you start, make sure they are clean and free of old polish.
2. Then, trim and shape your fingernails and do any required cuticle grooming.
3. Apply a thin layer of base coat to your nails
4. Apply a tip guide to your nail, so it covers the lower part of your nail and follows the curve of the natural white of your nail tip. Make sure it is smoothly adhered.
5. Paint white polish on the exposed tips of your nails.
6. Once the white polish is dry, remove the guides; you can use rubbing alcohol to remove any stickiness that remains.
7. Paint your entire nail with the beige polish; you may want to use two coats.
8. Finish with a layer of top coat and allow nails to dry thoroughly.
9. That's it!

French Salon Nails

If you opt to get a French manicure at a nail salon, be prepared to pay a few extra dollars. Since this polish style takes a little extra time and precision, most nail technicians charge more for this service.

Some nail salons use specialized guards to give the white tips a nice shape; however, most technicians can paint a perfect curve of white nail polish without any extra help.

Helpful Tips

• You can find ready-assembled kits that contain everything you need for your manicure in one box; if you are a novice, you may find these handy.
• If you aren't good at doing a French manicure yourself, but don't want to pay nail salon prices, see if you and a friend can do each other's nails.
• Paint an extra layer of top coat on your nails each night to extend the life of your manicure.
• Don't like the stark white of the tips on your nails? Try using a slightly off-white polish for the tips under a pale pink sheer polish for a less extreme look.
• Keep the white tip area thin; if it is too wide, it looks chunky.
• While French manicures are still the height of fashion, many trend-watchers suggest that the French pedicure is passé.