In terms of nail art, the French manicure is the little black dress. It’s stylish, timeless, flattering on all body types, and it simply works. But occasionally, even a timeless piece might grow a little stale. Here we have the French manicure 2.0, a redesigned take on the classic style that goes far beyond its basic framework. If you’re seeking manicure salon inspiration, scroll down to see some of our favourite original French nail designs that you can recreate at home.
Read also: What Is the Healthiest Manicure for Your Nails
Unique Ways To Wear Your French Manicure
French Half-Moon Combo
Improve a French manicure by adding a half-moon pattern that matches your tips to an otherwise plain manicure. Pair a neutral foundation with a richer detail shade for a starker contrast.
Triangle Tips
Change the standard French tip’s rounded shape with one that is more geometric. Use tape as a stencil to direct your brush so that your triangles meet neatly in the middle and your lines stay sharp.
Sweet on Swirls
Simply add some squiggly, swirling lines on top of a bright-hued French for a low-effort, high-impact variation on the classic design. Anything goes, but we love this purple and seafoam green combination!
Outlined Ombre
Ombre tips give a conventional French manicure some much-needed vitality. The best part is that you can accomplish these from home rather easily.
Brush straight lines onto a wedge makeup sponge using two to three colours, starting at the base with the lightest shade. As you brush the colours onto the sponge, don’t worry if they slightly overlap; this will actually make the fading more seamless.
After that, just gently blot the sponge against the nail tips until you’re satisfied with the outcome. Repetition is required for every nail. Voila!
Day-Glo French
Choose your favourite bright nail polishes and use a different colour for each tip for a hefty helping of excitement.
Read also: What Is the Healthiest Manicure for Your Nails