For the past year, coloured French tips have been all the rage. This nail trend is fun and eternally customisable, but now we're nearing spring, it's high time for a twist on the familiar. Enter: the ombré French manicure—it's the classic we all know and love, but with a "cool girl" makeover.
"I've seen such a rise in people requesting this as they offer a timeless, elegant look with a modern twist," Sophia Stylianou, session and celebrity manicurist, tells Marie Claire UK. "The gradient effect elongates the fingers and works beautifully on both short and long nails. You can also get creative with your colour choices instead of limiting yourself to the traditional white."
Read on to learn more about the technique, and soak up some inspiration for your next trip to the salon...
What is the French Ombré manicure?
This trend merges two of the most popular manicure requests of late: ombré and the French manicure. Instead of a pale pink base with a white or coloured tip, this look features a seamless gradient where the tip gradually fades into the base rather than forming a sharp contrast. This can be achieved in the salon or at home with both varnish and professional gel polish.
How is the ombré French manicure achieved?
First, your cuticles will gently be pushed back using a wooden cuticle stick or steel cuticle pusher. Your nail tech (or you) will then lightly buff the nail plate and file the nails to your desired shape. Next, your base coat will be applied and left to dry before applying two thin layers of your chosen sheer nude or soft pink base polish.
Next, using, a make-up sponge, a stripe of your chosen ombré shade will be applied, followed by a stripe of your nude or sheer base colour—but slightly overlapping. Dab a sponge on top of the nail, starting from the tip and working down to blend the colours seamlessly into a gradient. Keep dabbing until the desired fade effect is achieved.
After it's dry, the look will be sealed with a high-shine top coat to smooth out the gradient and seal the manicure. This is the key to achieving a flawless French ombré finish, Stylianou says. "Always be sure to complete your at-home manicure with it for a smooth, blended look and long-lasting shine."
"You can get truly creative with this manicure by experimenting with bold colours, pastel shades, shimmers, or glitters," she adds. "I personally love achieving this look with glitter, but I also enjoy sticking to the classic white."
Finally, Stylianou notes that when going for this look, it's helpful to bring a reference photo to the salon to ensure you get the exact style you want.
Sophia's recommended products for the ombré French manicure
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