French manicure

What is a French manicure?
The French manicure is a technique that comes from the United States (there’s nothing French about it other than its name). It involves applying white varnish at the tip of the nail and a natural coloured varnish all over the nail.

What you need
For an expert DIY French manicure at home, you’ll need a nail file, a wooden cuticle stick, a nail buffer, a strengthening base coat, a corrector pen, a white varnish, pink or beige varnish and shiny topcoat. You can also get hold of French manicure kits which contain all (or most) of these. 

Method
1 / Prepare your nails
Start by filing your nails to give them a nice shape (round or square) - but don't leave them too long. Next, push back your cuticles with a cuticle stick. Then, using a nail buffer, rub all over the surface of your nails to make them shine.

2 / Apply the varnish
Once your nails are prepared, apply a base coat or a strengthening varnish. Once dry, apply white varnish to the edge of the nail, giving it a rounded shape.
Tip: Place your hand on a solid surface to stop it shaking. If you do end up going too far, use a corrector pen or a bit of nail varnish remover on a cotton bud to correct it.
Once the end of the nail is dry, apply pink or beige varnish all over (including the white part). To make the varnish last longer, finish with a top coat that will also add shine. 

Tip
In some French manicure kits, you’ll find little stickers to place on your nail where the pink should meet the white. Apply your white varnish, remove the sticker once it's dry and check out those perfect fingertips!