How to Do a French Manicure At Home in 6 Steps

While many individuals enjoy expressing themselves through vibrant nail polish colors and elaborate nail designs, some prefer a much simpler and more classic look that simply enhances their nails’ appearance.

With its understated yet distinct appearance, a French manicure is a great choice for this, and the great news is that you don’t even have to go to a salon to have it done. Here’s how you can do a French manicure at home!

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What is a French Manicure?

A French manicure is a type of manicure best known for its recognizable look of a natural-colored nail base and a crisp white tip. The classic and elegant manicure design is popular for its clean and sophisticated appearance and can be done with regular nail polish, gel polish, or acrylics. However, for DIY French manicures, it’s best to stick to regular nail polish.

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How to Do a French Manicure At Home?

While the French manicure is a service that is offered in many salons, you can also achieve this look in the comfort of your own home with a few easy steps:

1. After washing your hands and removing any old nail polish, trim your nails to your desired length before using a nail file to achieve your preferred shape. The French manicure can be done on every shape and length, but professionals suggest going with either a mid-length almond or a short square shape.
2. Use a high-quality bugger to lightly buff the surface of your nails, making sure to pay extra attention to the area around the cuticle. This will slightly roughen up the nail plate and encourage a stronger bond between the nail polish and your natural nails. Avoid over-buffing your nails, either by using too much force or by doing this step for too long.
3. Soak your cuticles or apply a cuticle-softening product to prepare them. Then, push them back and trim away the excess bits to your preference.
4. After removing any residue from your nails by wiping the nail plate with either alcohol or nail polish remover, apply a base coat to your nails, which will protect your nails and help the nail polish adhere better. You can either choose a sheer and natural-looking pink or nude color or simply use a clear base coat. You can also apply two layers if you want the color to look more polished and pronounced.
5. Once your base coat fully dries, you can now apply the white tips without having to worry about uneven lines. Make sure to do this step with solid white nail polish so that you can get a sharp color with just one layer.
6. Once your white tips have dried down, you can now finish off your DIY French manicure with a layer of top coat.

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French Manicure Tips and Tricks

Here are some simple tips that can help you achieve a better-looking French manicure more easily:

• If you’re not confident with your freehanding abilities, apply nail tape or regular tape to mark where you want the white tip to end. This will help you easily achieve those sleek white tips that French manicures are known for. You can decide whether you want these tips to be straight or curved.
• While you can always use a transparent and clear top coat, you can also opt for a sheer pink or neutral shade. This will help make your manicure look more natural, while also hiding any subtle imperfections and discoloration that may occur later on. If you’re choosing a sheer top coat, then feel free to add a clear layer on top afterward.
• There’s a viral TikTok post that shares an easy alternative to getting the classic French manicure tip. The user simply applies some white nail polish to her finger and digs the ends of her nails against it. As the painted skin dips with the force, the white polish starts to transfer to the ends of your fingernails without any fuss. The deeper you push against your skin, the thicker the white line will be.

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How Long Does a French Manicure Last?

French manicures typically last about one week before needing to be topped up, but this may also vary depending on your daily lifestyle and habits.

Here are some ways to increase the longevity of your French manicure:

• Reapply your top coat every two to three days, or when you’ve noticed your existing coat starting to wear off.
• When engaging in activities that heavily involve your hands, such as household cleaning, make sure to protect your manicure by wearing gloves.
• Moisturize your nails and cuticles with cream, lotion, or cuticle oil to keep your nails healthy and prevent them from cracking and splitting.

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The Takeaway

While most nail salons offer French manicures, it can be troublesome to have to make the drive there, especially when you don’t have a lot of time or energy to spare. Fortunately, you can easily give yourself a French manicure in the comfort of your own home by following these simple steps.

However, it’s worth noting that DIY French manicures may not last as long as other types of manicures. If you want to have a much longer-lasting French manicure, then it’s best to leave it to the professionals, specifically the nail technicians from a salon or an at-home manicure service, so that you can have your nails done with gel polish or acrylics instead, which can last around three weeks.