How to do a French manicure - 5 amazing techniques

French or French manicure has been the most popular type of nail design for 100 years. The technique deliberately introduced by Hollywood makeup artists captivates women and, importantly, attracts the gaze of men as a compromise between aesthetics and naturalness. French gel polish (shellac) is the best nail art option for everyday life: a long-lasting coating that blends seamlessly with any wardrobe. And NeoNail products are a guarantee that the coating will look flawless throughout the entire wear period.

Kinds

Not everyone knows that in fact, French nail design technology appeared in the USA. There are several techniques that differ from each other not only in the principle of execution, but also in style.

French manicure

Types of French manicure:

1. Classic is the well-known French style. Here the end of the nail is white, and the plate is painted over with beige or pink. It owes its popularity to the fact that it is ideal for any event and setting. All nails are the same, no rhinestones or any other decorations are used here;
2. Wedding . Luxurious equipment in which various types of decorative elements can be used. This includes painting, lace, rhinestones, sparkles, inscriptions, etc. Like the classic one, it is white-beige or pink-beige;
3. Original . Here the coating can be done in different colors. For example, red and black, blue and white can be combined with each other. Sometimes the ring or middle fingers are complemented by a pattern that contrasts with the main shade of the nail plates;
4. Hollywood . A classic French manicure is a French manicure where the white stripe has an almost even shape (despite this, many ideas for this design demonstrate a slightly oval shape of the pattern). For French Hollywood manicure, smile stencils, triangles and other non-standard shapes are used;
5. Millennium. The newest and most unusual style. Suitable for any nails, but looks most interesting on long round tips. Here, in addition to an even color, glitter is used, which are gradually concentrated at the end of the nail. An ombre effect is created.

   
   Millennium manicure

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Naturally, in this way, you can do not only a manicure, but also a French pedicure. On the feet, only the big toe is framed with a pattern.

The technique is also classified according to the varnishes used to carry out the procedure. French manicure can be done with gel polish (aka Shellac) or with simple polish. Also, beauty salons often offer nail extension services with biogel; they can immediately provide the design of nails with stripes, bows and other patterns.

Step-by-step French manicure

Some features of gel and regular varnish :

• It is more convenient to paint various patterns with gel polish. In addition, liquid stones, which are now considered the most fashionable trend, are made into gel;
• Some girls don't like consistency. Gel polish is quite difficult to remove on your own, so you will have to wear this design for at least 1.5 weeks. Plain varnish can be repainted every day;
• Acrylic manicure, biogel, as well as extensions, can be decorated with modeling, stones, stickers;
• The durability of the varnish deserves special attention. Shellac adheres to the nail plate regardless of external factors. High-quality coating can be compared to ceramics.

READ MORE: Manicure with gel polish at home step by step.

Modernization of classic performance

If you have already learned how to make French in its original form professionally and with your eyes closed, it may seem boring. Therefore, we suggest getting acquainted with some ways to diversify design:

• an alternative French
  on short nails - modern fashionistas also call it a fan French, and the secret lies in brightly painting the free edge of the nail plate in contrasting colors;
• millennium
  - this option will appeal to lovers of everything catchy, because the design is created using foil, rhinestones, sparkles, which are attached to the tip of the nail;
• stylized
  - manicure in a classic design, but decorated with ornate or abstract patterns;
• neo-french
  - suitable for bright and confident ladies, and is created by combining colors atypical for manicure, but not too bright: rose and lavender, pistachio and sand tones;
• Moon manicure is an ultra-modern variation on the French theme, it involves performing it on short nails, but the “smile” is done in the cuticle area.

Extraordinary personalities will appreciate a design in which the “smile” is shaped like a Latin letter V, straight, double or oblique, zigzag. The only rule that does not change: in manicure, two colors of varnish are always used.

#1 Manicure for short nails

The latest fashion trends say that a beautiful French manicure can be done on short nails. It should be noted that previously it was believed that French was only suitable for long plates, so for this technique it was often necessary to further increase the length.

Step-by-step instructions on how to do a French manicure on short natural nails with your own hands:

1. You need to trim your nails. Depending on the condition of the cuticle, it is also recommended to trim the skin, clean the plate from roughness and lubricate it with oils or other nourishing composition for a while;
2. The base coat is applied first. It fills gaps on the plate and promotes more even color application;
3. It is believed that it is better to draw stripes than to use stencils. To draw “smiles” you need to buy white polish with a thin brush or a separate brush for painting on nails. First, the outline is drawn, then it is carefully painted over with white;
4. If you cannot draw the stripes evenly, then it is better to use a stencil. Such stickers are sold in any cosmetic store. You can also make them yourself from tape. You need to draw a template on the surface of the tape, then cut out the desired smile using it. It is very convenient that you can make any pattern;
5. After treating the ends with white, you can stick rhinestones along the edges. If you have an interesting bright varnish, then you can paint over a thin decorative strip, as a transition line between white and beige (pink);
6. A fixative is applied on top, which will help extend the life of the manicure.

You can also place sparkles or rhinestones above the tips. For work, you can use ready-made sets from Miss Selene, Avon or individual varnishes from Orly, El Corason. By the way, now there are new products from these companies that offer durable options (the varnish lasts up to 7 days).

Video lesson: how to easily do a French manicure

Applying the base

Next, on the previously prepared nails, you need to apply the base on the outer and inner sides, as in the photo. This is how we seal the nails, extending the durability of the coating. The UV lamp will dry the first layer. Usually it takes 10-60 seconds, this is affected by the power with which the device was purchased. If varnish accidentally gets on the surface of the skin, you can remove it with a stick.

#2 Gel polish technique

Gel polish is much easier to paint with. With its help, you get a very beautiful and interesting design; you can use it to decorate any pictures (if you have at least a little experience). We will look at how to make a French manicure with a pattern at home using gel polish step by step:

1. Let us immediately note that this technique is suitable for any nails: square, round, oval. Therefore, everything depends only on your own preferences and the appropriate shape of the plate;
2. To get started you will need a beginner's kit. It includes an ultraviolet lamp (the simplest one has a exposure time of up to 2 minutes, but this is quite enough for a simple nail design), a base, a fixative, and colored varnishes. You may need to additionally buy a degreaser;
3. First, the plate is wiped with a degreaser, which will help clean the pores. After the nails are dried, a base is applied to it. Depending on the brand, it needs to be dried under a lamp for 1–1.5 minutes;
4. Now the drawing process begins. As in the previous method, a contour is drawn with a brush. Sometimes an acrylic pencil is used (you can buy it at almost any professional store for manicurists). First you need to paint the plate with color, then dry it;
5. Next, the outline of the smile is painted over. If you do a manicure yourself, we recommend not making a deep oval curve - an even contour is easier to draw. The outline does not have to be white. Pink, gold, red and green curves look very stylish;
6. The decorative addition of some marigolds looks very nice. To do this, butterflies, bows, hearts or flowers are drawn on the ring or middle finger (near the outline). Making them is not as difficult as it seems, and they look very stylish and feminine;
7. Afterwards, the nails are dried again, after which the last layer of fixative is applied. All that remains is to dry it and wipe the varnish with degreaser.

So in this way you can create any French manicure: New Year's design, wedding, everyday, colored and plain. We recommend turning your attention to airbrushing techniques, which are now offered in every second salon. It uses an additional device that is similar to a standard sprayer. With its help, you can apply any patterns on your nails, everyone can use it. By the way, this new product costs about $10.

Using optional accessories

It is necessary in order to achieve a unique chic manicure. You will need to resort to appropriate cosmetics. Among their variety we can highlight: rhinestones, decorative stones, sparkles.

• Using glitter, you can cover the tips of your nails with sparkles in an even layer, starting with silver tones and ending with golden ones.
• Rhinestones play an important role in the decorating process. The use of such accessories will give your manicure a unique femininity and romance.

• The use of foil and decorative stones will add unprecedented chic to your nails.
• Microdust will turn the illusion of flickering into reality.
• Translucent crystals add an eye-catching sophistication.

In conclusion, I would like to say, do not be afraid to fantasize, experiment to your taste. There are a lot of interesting varieties open to you, from colored shades to millennium, with fantastic patterns and three-dimensional designs. Improvise in creating a unique result. Get a positive charge by combining different shade compositions. Be the stylist of your own look. French manicure is always universal, it complements any look. Make decorating your design easier and faster. Be patient and meticulous, then the result will not take long to arrive. May your manicure be flawless.

#3 How to make French shellac

Classic French shellac is done without stripes or clear transitions - this manicure turns out light and elegant. It should be noted that its time is spring-summer, when makeup colors become lighter than in the cold season.

A French manicure with shellac is performed in the same way as the options described above, so we will look at how to make yourself an original winter pattern:

1. All points, until the moment of applying varnish over the edge, are completely repeated from gel polish. When the outline is applied, you need to carefully draw the selected pattern with a brush. Let's take the bow design as an example;
2. Variations of shades can be any, but with white and pink, bright red, blue and gold look most beautiful. If you want a more strict version, the pattern can even be drawn in black;
3. The bow is drawn as two triangles, with sharp tails extending from the center of contact. They shouldn't be wide. You can make them slightly curved;
4. First, a white tip is drawn, then the nail is dried in a lamp. Next the bow is painted over;
5. All that remains is to dry the last layer of varnish and fixative and wipe the plate with a degreaser.

Similarly, you can make an autumn design, where instead of a bow there will be a leaf. For New Year's ideas, you can take a pattern of a Christmas tree, a ball, etc.

Preparation

Oil is applied to the cuticle. To prevent voids that may form under the base, it is worth pushing back the softened cuticle with a stick. We will use a soft file to make the top of the nail a little rougher, so that the base and the nail will connect better. Then, as a final step of preparation, you should treat your nails with a remover. Do not touch the nail plate after this.

#4 With rhinestones and sparkles

The brightest and most interesting photos and ideas are obtained on nails, where French manicure is combined with rhinestones and sparkles. This is a design for all times and holidays. It’s very easy to do, because you won’t need to draw anything, except for the white edge.

1. A gel base is applied, then a smile is drawn;
2. There is no need to dry your nails at this stage. First you need to sprinkle them with sparkles or rhinestones. There are several options. You can apply rhinestones only along the contour, decorate the entire nail with sparkles, or gradually increase their concentration towards the end of the nail;
3. When the glitter is placed, you need to dry the nail under the lamp. Afterwards, a layer of fixative is applied and dried again;
4. All that remains is to process the plate to remove the sticky effect.

The price of a French manicure depends on many factors: the experience of the master, the chosen technique, the salon, and the materials used for the session.