Get to Know Your French Manicure
A Chic Timeless Look
A French Manicure is a classic manicure (or pedicure) with a nude or pink colour as the base and a thin white polish stripe at the tip. It really is a timeless look as the classic French Manicure simply takes the existing beautiful attributes of your natural nails and enhances them with a more consistent colour and a sharper line.
What is the History of the French Manicure?
With such a timeless and natural look, you would think that the French Manicure has a long history, and most certainly must have a French connection. That assumption is questionable, however. The French Manicure that we all know today is actually a rather recent invention.
Credit for the iconic French Manicure is given to Jeff Pink, a beauty supplier working in Hollywood in the 1970s. “The directors would complain about how long it would take to change the nail colors on the actresses to match their wardrobes for different scenes,” recalls Pink. “They asked me to make a color that would go with everything. I thought of using white polish on the tips of the nails. I used it on the tips of nails, then put a flesh-toned polish over it.”
Why Should You Consider a French Manicure?
You may not be working in Hollywood, but the reasons why you should consider a French Manicure are the same reasons why Pink invented the concept. A French Manicure truly does go with everything. If you’re like me, and you don’t change your polish every time you change your outfit, then you will appreciate knowing that your nails will look sharp, clean, and beautiful no matter what you wear.
What Makes Fancy French Manicure or a Modern French Manicure Different?
Just like any classic, modern style icons have revisited the classic French Manicure and made it modern. A Fancy French Manicure (or a Modern French Manicure as some people call it), takes the fundamental concepts of the classic French Manicure, notably, the defining white stripe across the free edge, and modifies it.
There is more than one way to modify the French Manicure, Megan Fox lit up Instagram in 2021 when she added rainbow tips to her French Manicure to celebrate Pride.
Bella Hadid stayed somewhat truer to the roots of the French Manicure by keeping the traditional white tips but adding a swirl to the design.
Personally, I love incorporating an Ombre in as a way to add a hint of subtlety.