French manicures are incredibly classy. Nail trends like coffin nails and chrome nails will come and go, but French manicures are a classic. In case you don’t quite know what French manicure really is, here’s a picture:
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While French manis are pretty popular and you can get them done at almost any hair and nail salon, we understand the importance of knowing to do these things yourself. It can get expensive or just plain difficult to go to the salon for a manicure every few weeks. So it helps to know how to do French manicure at home. Since we love you so so much, we compiled a list of ALL you need to know on how to do French manicure at home!
Suggested read: 25 easy nail art ideas even lazy girls can try
Tools you’ll need:
a. Nail cutter
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We know you know what a nail cutter/clipper is. You need it to cut your nails to the length you want.
b. Nail file
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Nail files are sort of like sandpapers, but for your nails. They help you buff your nails into whichever shape you’d like. You could go for the classic French manicure square nail, or a simple and clean round tip… the possibilities are endless. A nail file also helps smooth the edge of your nails to prevent any jagged edges that could snag fabric or that you could scratch yourself with.
c. Nail buffer
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A nail buffer is a nail file for your nail bed (the bit that’s stuck to your finger). Our nail beds tend to grow strange, with ridges and bumps. While that’s completely normal, it’s not the prettiest site to behold. So we use a nail buffer to smoothen the nail beds out so that they look flat and perfect!
d. Cuticle trimmer
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The name is pretty self-explanatory. A cuticle trimmer essentially helps trim the thick and tough bits of skin around your nails and your cuticles, so that your fingers look flawless and your nail paint goes on smoothly, without any naked patches!
e. Manicure brush
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These help scrub and clean your fingers and your nails. Duh. The short, soft bristles clean the delicate skin on your fingers, and also your nails, without harming the skin or ruining the texture of your nails.
f. Cuticle pusher
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Our cuticles can grow crooked, thus making our nails look strange and untidy. A cuticle pusher essentially helps push the cuticles into a clean half-moon shape, so that your nails look smooth, uniform, and perfectly shaped.
How to do French Manicure at home
1. Remove your nail paint
If you have any existing nail paint on your nails, make sure you use a remover to clean your nails completely, so that you have a clean base to start with.
2. Cut your nails
Use a nail clipper to trim your nails to the length you like. You can go for a set of short, trimmed nails, or long talon-like nails. This is also the stage when you sort of start shaping your nails. Read ahead for a list of different nail shapes you can go for.
Suggested read: 15 amazing tips for healthy nails
3. Shape your nails
Use a nail file to buff your nails into whichever shape you’d like. Here’s a list of different nail shapes for you to choose from:
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Decide on which shape you’d like to go for, and file and shape your nails accordingly!
4. Buff your nails
Use the nail buffer to buff and smoothen your nail beds. You may even change the shape of your nail bed (for those of you with crooked or tipped nail beds). You must buff your nails to make sure the nail polish goes on smoothly during application.
5. Trim and shape your cuticles
Use a cuticle trimmer to trim your cuticles and the bits of skin around your finger (the gross tough bits). Then use a cuticle pusher to put the cuticles outwards, creating uniform half-moon shaped nail beds!
6. Soak your hands
In a large bowl, pour warm water and mix some shampoo in it. Soak your hands in the water. This helps remove any dirt from underneath your nails and also any pigmentation on your nails.
7. Scrub scrub scrub
Use a manicure brush to scrub the grime and gross bits off your fingers and nails. Make sure you use shampoo and not go in dry, or you’ll peel off all the skin from your fingers! Using shampoo is a good alternative to using hand soap, because it is gentler than soap, and will not leave your skin and nails feeling dry and rough.
8. Moisturize
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Once you’re done cleaning, dab your hands dry. Take some moisturizer (the thicker, the better) and apply it thickly on your nails. Your nails need the hydration and nourishment just as much as your skin. So don’t skip out. Leave the moisturizer on for some time. Then take a cuticle pusher and push the moisturizer into the nooks and crannies of your nail bed. Finally, massage it into your fingers. Take some more moisturizer and massage it deeply into your palms and the back of your hand for soft and supple skin.
9. Decide on a style
People have come up with lovely modern twists on the classic French manicure. Here are a few examples:
Image source: Pinterest
Go for a classic sweet and short French mani like this one. It’s basic but definitely not boring. This style is cute and super chic!
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Alternatively, you could go for an embellished French mani like the one above. We love ourselves some bling bling!
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You could even go the extra mile and opt for a gorgeous ombré French manicure. Why go for a boring, century old nail trend, when you can chic it up with a flawless ombré? This is a bit trickier than the other styles, but art ain’t easy, okay?!
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Nobody said you had to stick to white and nude. You can experiment with different color combos if white is too plain and boring for you! We love this black-tipped French manicure!
10. Base coat
To make the color pop and last longer, always apply a base coat of clear nail polish on your nails. You could let this base coat be the color of your nail bed. Or you could paint over it with a lovely nude shade that matches your natural nail color, or any color that you want to go for.
11. Now for the tips
Assuming you want a classic straight-tipped mani (and not an ombré effect), cut a tiny piece of tape or use one of those ring-binder hole reinforcement stickers and stick it on your nail, just below the bit that extends beyond your finger, i.e., the bit that’s going to be painted white. Then, take your white nail varnish (or whichever color you’d like) and paint the tips of your nails. The sticker acts as a sort of guide so that the lines are sharp and even. Once you’ve painted the tips, remove the sticker and let the nail varnish dry.
12. Top coat
Once the tips have dried, take a clear/transparent top coat (clear nail varnish) and paint over your nails one last time, to really seal the deal. This helps melt the white into the base coat, eliminating any bumps on your nails that might appear due to the application of so many coats of nail color.
13. Gasp in awe
You may now marvel at the perfection that is your French manicure. Go ahead and wave at every single passerby, making SURE they notice your fly nails. Stop and stare at your perfect, glossy, sexy nails. Wear gorgeous rings that complement your perfect, Pinterest-worthy nails. Wave your hands in front of friends and family until they’re compelled to join you in your appreciation of your flawless Goddess-like hands. Take a billion pictures. Post them on Instagram with 29274 tags about perfect nails. You are now a sexy-Goddess-ninja-cat-warrior-doll-model-superstar. Slay you sexy beast with your perfect nails, SLAY!
Suggested read: 20 essential things you MUST know about painting your nails
So you see it’s not all that difficult to do a French manicure at home. Follow the steps we’ve mentioned above for a flawless French manicure, without having to break the bank by going to a nail salon every few weeks! If you’re an absolute beginner with little to NO knowledge of nail care, then we’d suggest you skip the French bit and go for a simple and plain manicure, i.e., skip the nail painting.
However, with practice, you’ll be able to master the art of how to do a French manicure at home. With time, you’ll even be able to put your own badass twists on this classic nail trend and go down in history as the most bomb nail artist in the universe. Okay, maybe you won’t, but hey, you’ll have perfect, shiny nails. Does anything else really matter? Didn’t think so. (-_-)/
Featured image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
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