16 mins
How to nail the French
Explore top tips & product picks to master classic & alternative French looks using five nail systems
Likely the most recognisable nail style globally, the French has become a staple design, owing to its role in enhancing the look of the natural nail. It is continuously being reimagined with alternative twists, but there are rules to be followed to perfect smile lines and create a dazzling finish. Scratch shares an insight into them here...
History of the French manicure
The French manicure is often attributed to president & CEO of Orly International, Jeff Pink, who crafted a simple, timeless and natural-looking nail style to match screen actresses’ various outfits in the 1970s, helping them to speed up wardrobe changes.
“When French tips were first painted on nails, the common technique was to apply polish to nails and clean up smile lines using a prep solution and brush,” reveals Kelly Marie Daly, head educator for The Manicure Company. “Nowadays, a French is applied thinly using a liner brush, and pink & white are not the only colours used for the look.”
Kelly Marie Daly
3 top tips for perfecting the French
Ruth Munro, Magpie Beauty educator & Scratch Stars finalist for The Shooting Star Award & Nail Business Mentor Award 2023, shares her guidance for successfully achieving French styles using any system...
Ruth Munro
1. Use a good quality brush to create smile lines, as this allows you to paint even linework with ease. If there are any splayed hairs on your brush, the result will look messy. If your brush has been knocked out of shape, put it in a mug of boiling water to pull the hairs back together and restraighten the tool.
2. Do not use a client’s natural smile lines as a guide, as these are usually uneven and have varying thicknesses. Techs should use a cover shade on nails, before painting tips that complement their client’s chosen nail shape and are consistently shaped.
3. Practice! I used to refuse French requests when I first qualified as a nail technician, as all I could see were mistakes. I did a model call-out to practice the classic French on natural nails of different lengths and shapes, until I was happier with my work. I am now more confident in creating a French, but still allow plenty of time to perfect the look.
How to make the French alternative
“I like to keep an alternative French tip recognisable by using a colour or texture that stands out from the base, for example a bright pink tip over a light pink base, or a glossy tip on a matte nail,” comments Louella Belle
Lily Moore.
Lily Moore ambassador, “I enjoy using the Artistic Art Paints to create alternative tips for a French manicure, as they offer coverage in one stroke and cure with a tack-free finish, so a chrome French can also be achieved, if desired.”
Yasmin Hodge
Yorkshire tech, @emmacharlotte_nails, pairs a matte brown French tip with a glossy chocolate base.
“Many of my clients change up their French tip colour of choice based on the season or latest trends,” adds Yasmin Hodge of Wolverhampton business, Gels By Yas. “For example, when the Barbie movie came out last year, some clients opted for a pink French tip. I also find that brides want something beyond the classic French; they seek an extra touch to enhance the look. For a bridal client, I created a classic French manicure then outlined each smile line in a silver glitter.”
Instagram.com/emmacharlotte_nails
Yasmin Hodge created this classic French mani using Madam Glam products, and elevated it with silver glitter for a client’s wedding day.
Classic
Halo Acrylic Powder in Cover Pink (45g)
£12.06 + VAT www.purenails.co.uk
L&P Benefits: Creates strong, shapely enhancements, with opportunities for encapsulation.
CND™ Odourless Sculpting Liquid
from £11.95 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com
CND
TM Perfect Color Sculpting Powder in Natural Buff
£38.45 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com
Artistic Rock Hard L&P Nail Powder in Bright White
from £9.95 + VAT www.louellabelle.co.uk
Entity L&P
products, available via www.beautybossherquarters.co.uk
Make it alternative...
US pro, @nailsbymookie, captures attention with encapsulated floral details in this extreme stiletto French.
Fulham nail artist, Tina Chen, adds pops of pink, yellow and orange to this bold L&P French.
These chocolate marble tips by Glitterbels co-founder, Annabel Maginnis, serve up a sophisticated winter style.
Glitterbels Coloured Acrylic Powder in Queen Bee
£9.95 inc VAT www.glitterbels.com
STEP-BY-STEP: Almond classic French using L&P acrylic
Courtesy of Katie Clark, award-winning nail tech, educator & founder of Katie Barnes Academy & Tool Range.
Step 1 Push back the cuticle and use a 240-grit file to refine the free edge and remove shine from the nail plate.
Step 2 Remove the form you will be using and place the tab symmetrically in the middle of the form. Leave a gap where the form meets the natural nail, otherwise this will thicken the cutting zone and be more prone to tearing. Close the lower wings together, ensuring both sides meet flawlessly, and close the end of the form into a point.
Step 3 Place the form on the finger. From a side view, the form should tilt down slightly. From a bird’s eye view, the form should be closed. Using the KB Form Tailoring White Gel Pen, mark the shape of the free edge.
Step 4 Use the KB Curved Form Tailoring Scissors to cut out the template.
Step 5 Place the form in the same position as step three. Any gaps will now be closed. Use the White Gel Pen to place a mark at the corner points of the natural free edge.
Step 6 Using the KB Straight Form Tailoring Scissors, make a 1cm long cut at a 45-degree angle.
Step 7 Place the form in the same position as step five and pinch underneath it. For a pointed almond, pinch the form closed at the point where the free edge extension ends. The cuts from the previous step will allow a tight pinch and deep C-curve to be created, without needing to pinch the enhancement.
Step 8 Apply a thin layer of acid-free primer to the nail plate. Do not flood the skin. Apply a very thin layer of clear acrylic over the free edge. This will act as a platform when filing the smile line.
Step 9 Apply a bead of cover pink acrylic at the free edge of the extended nail. Work back towards the cuticle. Ensure the smile line wall is the same thickness all around, and bring the corners out into a diamond shape to create sharp points.
Step 10 Use a 150-grit file at a 45-degree angle to file the smile line. Using a new file will ensure a symmetrical result.
Step 11 Repeat step 10 with the file held flush against the side wall.
Step 12 Remove dust with a firm dusting brush. Apply white acrylic in one bead, if possible, to avoid marbling. Ensure the white butts right up to the pink and covers the entire thickness of the wall for a crisp finish.
Step 13 File and buff to shape.
GEL
Benefits: Crafts hard-wearing, long-lasting glossy looks, with flexible wear.
Classic
“There are two ways to create a classic French using hard gel: the paint-on method and the reverse sculpt method,” reveals Jojo Wickens, Light Elegance UK co-owner & head of education.
Paint-on method
“The paint-on method involves creating a hard gel base and painting a French tip on top,” details Jojo. “I would recommend using a hard gel such as the Light Elegance Ideal Pink 1-Step Lexy Line Building Gel, as the colour suits most skin tones. Once you have perfected the base, use a highly pigmented white colour gel to create a crisp smile line. This allows for a thin colour application, avoiding a thickness on the surface of the nail. I advise that the white tip should be no more than a third of the full nail length, and often looks even better if it is less than this.
“If crafting a classic French on a short nail, a detailer brush will allow you to easily paint the free edge in one coat. If creating a French look on a longer nail, I like to use an angled brush to fill in the free edge, after painting the smile line with the detailer brush. When using this method, apply the white in two thin layers for an even colour finish. My favourite colour gel for French application is Light Elegance ButterCream in Just White. Seal in with top coat to create a smooth, shiny finish.”
UK nail educator, Becky Armstrong, used Glossify’s One Coat Gel in White for this picture-perfect almond French.
Glossify One Coat Gel in White
£15 inc VAT www.glossify.co.uk
Lecenté UV/LED Hard Builder Gel in Pink
£19.99 + VAT www.lecente.com / www.sweetsquared.com / www.ellisons.co.uk
Light Elegance ButterCream Colour Gel in Just White
£17.95 + VAT www.lightelegance.co.uk
OPI Diamond Gel in Neutral Pink £54.18 + VAT www.opi.com
Reverse sculpt method
“The reverse sculpt method creates a French within the structure of hard gel and works especially well for longer nails,” Jojo continues. “First, apply a thicker viscosity gel as the base colour, covering at least two thirds of the nail length. I recommend Light Elegance’s Lexy Line Building Gel in Ideal Pink for this, as it stays put and doesn’t self-level out of place. You then need to create a ‘wall’ at the smile line. If needed, you can file the smile line after curing to neaten its shape, before applying the free edge colour. Use a stylus or dotting tool to apply the white gel to the free edge. A stylus allows for easy and precise application of gel to the corners, avoiding the skin. Use a crystal-clear gel to encase the entire nail and add strength in the apex area, if it’s flat at this stage. Finish file the nail, then apply top coat to reveal a French with a crisp smile line.”
Make it alternative...
A scarlet hue adorns the tips of this gel manicure by Jojo Wickens using Light Elegance products.
iZ Pro Colour Gel in Ready To Wear
£16.98 + VAT www.izabellehammon.com
Nail tech & educator, Hayley Matthews of @bonitabling, used Light Elegance ButterCream in Black Tie for this alternative look.
Kerrie Scott of Queensland, Australia, crafts a springtime-ready French look, with multi-coloured pastel tips.
BIOGEL in Feel The Veld
£16.50 + VAT www.renewbeauty.co.uk
Trend alert
At New York Fashion Week spring/summer 2024, chrome French looks were one of the nail styles to dominate. This aligns with the Pinterest Predicts report 2024, which forecasts that ‘melty metallics’ in the form of bold chrome looks will be popular this year.
On the Blonds NYFW runway, models sported abstract blue chrome French tips, created by session nail artist, Juan Alvear, using KISS products.
Also in New York, Yukie Beauty Spa tended to the nails of models for the LaQuan Smith show, crafting French manicures with silver chrome tips.
INK London Liquid Metal Art Gel Duo
£15 inc VAT www.inknails.com
Light Elegance ButterCream Colour Gel in Black Tie
£17.95 + VAT www.lightelegance.co.uk
The GelBottle Inc Studio Gel
TM in Mirror Chrome
£13 + VAT www.thegelbottleinc.com
GEL
POLISH
Benefits: Offers speedy application and removal, with a rainbow of colour options.
Classic
“For a classic gel polish French, I recommend using a pink base hue that complements the client’s skin tone, a bright white with a good consistency and a quality liner brush, like the Stripe Liner or Detailer 9 from The Manicure Company, to apply the white,” says Kelly Marie Daly. “Ensure that when you dip the brush into the white gel polish, it is not carrying excess product, because this can cause you to lose control of the product and lead to bleeding of colours. If you make a mistake, wipe it off and try again, or clean up the lines using a cleansing solution. I also advise flash curing each nail as you go, to avoid smudging the look.”
Jenni Hesson
“My top advice for creating a French using gel polish is to mattify the base using top coat, before painting the French tip,” comments Gelish educator, Jenni Hesson. “This will help you to paint smooth lines and avoid the gel polish bleeding. Remember, the classic French needs to have less white and more pink. Don’t add too much white initially, as more product can be added if needed. A thin gel polish formulation, like Gelish, helps with this and is the perfect consistency to master smile line strokes.”
“When creating a French tip, I start by painting two diagonal lines using a striper brush, determining how deep I want the smile line to be,” says Jenni Hesson. “I add a horizontal line near the free edge and use this as my guide to create a curve. Once you have perfected the smile line, you can fill in the gaps and make the tip crisper or wipe away any excess. A striper brush will help you ensure that the thickness and depth of each French tip is the same.”
Salon System nail expert, Jaz Moger, used Gellux products to perfect this classic French.
The Manicure Company Detailer 9 Nail Art Brush
£10.46 inc VAT www.themanicurecompany.com
Zero Gel Polish in Parisian Pink
£11.33 inc VAT www.themanicurecompany.com
Salon System Gellux Gel Polish in Purely White £11.95 + VAT. Available via wholesalers nationwide.
Gelish Soak-Off Gel Polish in Dew Me A Favour
£16.99 + VAT www.gelishmorgantaylor.co.uk
TOP TIP
“A deep smile line gives the illusion of a long nail bed.”
Make it alternative...
Bringing Greek summer vibes to the winter months, Jenni Hesson matches the colour of these French tips to evil eye details.
Timeless tortie art meets French tips, courtesy of Manchester tech, Lilli Griffiths of @thenailpeach.
Salon System nail expert, Julie-Anne Larivière, used a range of Gellux gel polishes to fashion this colourful double French manicure.
Halo Gel Polish in Dazzle
£5.95 + VAT www.purenails.co.uk
The GelBottle Inc in Disco
£16.50 + VAT www.thegelbottle.com
Artistic Colour Gloss in My Favorite View
£13.95 + VAT www.louellabelle.co.uk
ACRYGEL
Benefits: Allows for refining of glossy nail finishes at your own pace.
Classic
“Using an acrylic and gel mix like The GelBottle Inc’s ProformTM to create a classic French means that a soft look is created, because the pink and white colours blend well,” says Beth Davis, The GelBottle Inc educator. “The ProFormTM white shade, Platinum, is ever so slightly sheer, which helps this blend, too. Choose a nude or pink shade that matches the client’s nail bed, then refine the shape so that the smile line is symmetrical.
Beth Davis
“The product should be thick enough to easily get the file around, so you can form a sharp smile line,” she continues. “Without a thick pink edge to file against, a blurred smile line will be created. Once you have filed the pink, wipe with acetone and use the white shade to create the French tip. When refined, this will leave a soft white tip.”
Kirsty Meakin Acrygel in Marshmallow White
£19.99 + VAT www.kirstymeakin.com
Halo Polibuild in Cover Pink £19.99 + VAT www.purenails.co.uk
French salon, The Beauty Box, uses acrygel to craft a classic French nail style.
The GelBottle Inc ProForm
TM Gel in Platinum & Rose Quartz
£19.50 + VAT each www.thegelbottle.com
Make it alternative...
Classic white French tips get an angular makeover, complemented by a sparkly acrygel base, courtesy of Anastasia Koskorellou of The Nail Room.
Gelish PolyGel was used in this glitzy style by Bulgarian business, @kalina_kin4eva.
Yorkshire mobile nail business, Evolved Nails, used The GelBottle Inc’s ProFormTM in Pink Star for the base of this enchanting French.
Trend alert
“‘Barely there’ French looks, such as the micro French, are hugely desirable at present,” comments Candy Warren, Louella Belle’s digital marketing manager. “A great product for a French base is Artistic Nail Design’s Rubber Base Coat in Light Pink, which helps achieve a clean, minimal nail effect, while offering flexible protection to support nail growth.”
Candy Warren
Artistic Rubber Base Coat in Light Pink
£19.95 + VAT www.louellabelle.co.uk
CND Shellac
TM Gel Polish in Cream Puff
£14.95 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com
Louella Belle brand ambassador, Demi of @bydjf___, paints a micro French tip using Artistic Colour Gloss in Bride.
At the Christian Cowan Paris Fashion Week spring/summer 2024 showcase, celebrity manicurist & educator, Julie Kandalec, created a micro smile line on press-ons using CND ShellacTM in Cream Puff, over dusty blue ShellacTM hue, Climb to the Top-az.
NAIL
POLISH
Benefits: Ideal for pedicures and clients who want to regularly change up their nail looks.
Lucy Price-Marshall used OPI Nail Lacquer for this classic French with a skinny tip.
TOP TIP
“To avoid flooding the free edge when creating a lacquer French, only load one side of your brush with colour.”
OPI Infinite Shine in Alpine Snow
£8.90 + VAT/RRP £17.50 www.opi.com
Classic
Lucy Price-Marshall
Lucy Price-Marshall, OPI educator & Scratch Stars Natural Nail Specialist of the Year 2023, notes that thin coats of nail polish offer the best French finish. “I prefer to use one coat of pink, giving this a few minutes to dry, before applying a thin coat of white at the tip,” she shares. “Applying thick coats of pink can make French application difficult, as it can cause the white lacquer to bleed or mix into the pink.
“When painting the French tip, I advise working in one long brush stroke, without taking the brush off the nail, to achieve a defined line. I work from right to left, then left to right to meet in the middle,” Lucy continues. “I give the white tip a couple of minutes to dry to avoid dragging white lacquer in the top coat – and I glide this on to avoid picking up colour. Applying top coat too thinly can pick up white in the brush and drag it over the pink.”
The nail pro reveals what to look for in a lacquer for the look, stating that a white colour that has thickened, if the solvent has evaporated, should not be used. “This can make application difficult and untidy, and it can become challenging to define the smile line,” she explains.
Laura White
“Take your time when applying nail lacquer and use thin, even coats,” adds Entity educator, Laura White. “When painting a French tip, ensure you’re supporting the client’s hand and keeping it steady, so you can sweep white across the free edge to the centre of your nail and repeat from the other side.
“A common mistake that affects the appearance of a French is a smile line that is too thick or straight,” Laura continues. “I love a skinny French on a short natural nail, but if a nail is worn in a longer style, the smile line looks most aesthetically pleasing when mirroring the shape of the eponychium.”
OPI Nail Envy Bubble Bath Nail Strengthener
£14.90 + VAT/RRP £21.90 www.opi.com
INK London Nail Art Liner Brush 4 Pack
£10 + VAT www.inknails.com
Entity Gel Lacquer in I’m On the Right Track
£4.95 + VAT/RRP £9.95 www.beautybossherquarters.co.uk
Make it alternative...
Chocolate Peacci polish colours were used for this double French by @missnailgeek.
Mii’s midnight purple Colour Confidence Nail Polish, Queen of the Night, makes a statement against the brand’s Nude Negligee polish, in this alternative French.
Mii Colour Confidence Nail Polish in Queen of the Night
£6.25 + VAT/RRP £13.50 www.gerrardinternational.com
Morgan Taylor Nail Lacquer in Gift It Your Best
£5.50 + VAT/RRP £11.95 www.gelishmorgantaylor.co.uk
In this style by digital content creator, Bárbara Rodrigues, purple and blue nail polish hues meet to make a pointed French tip.