In this post I'll be doing a step by step process on how to
achieve french nails. This is not to say that this is the most
proper/professional way to do it, but it's the way I do it to achieve
the best possible french nails for me. Back then, I use to always go to
the professional nail salons to do my french nails because 1. I didn't
know how to do it and 2. I couldn't be bothered doing it myself.
I'm not sure if you guys have heard but recently the Australian Podiatry Association has tracked down many nail salons in Australia that have failed to
reach adequate hygiene standards often due to not properly cleaning their nail
instruments between each client use. These places are deemed hazardous
in terms of contracting bacterial infections and even diseases (especially for
those who have weak immune systems). After hearing about this, I started to
take the initiative to learn how to do french nails myself. French nails are actually not that hard to achieve. I guess it just takes a little bit of practice :) Although my
french nails are not as good as it is done professionally, I'd rather
have peace of mind than a whole lot of fungal infections.
Below is a link to an article about Australian nail parlour's and their hygiene standards.
Step By Step French Manicure
what you'll need:
1. Acentone free nail polish remover - Sally Hansen
2. Acetone nail polish remover - Sally Hansen
3. White nail polish (Secifically for doing french nails as the curve is better for applying to the tip of the nail) - Maybelline Salon Expert
4. Sheer pink nail polish - Essie in Mademoiselle from beautybay.com
5. Top coat - O.P.I
6. A little glass container to put in nail polish remover - ebay.com.au
7. A flat headed and curved brush - ebay.com.au
8. Cotton buds
9. Cotton pads
Using your acetone free nail polish remover.. remove any existing
nail polish or just use it to make a clean surface on your nail so it
is ready for painting on the french nails.
After cleaning your nails, get your white nail polish and start painting the tips of your nails.
It doesn't have to be precise as you'll be fixing the shape of it later on. Make sure you get the sides of the nails too.
Repeat this procedure on the rest of your nails.
It should look a bit tacky like this. Do a second coat if needed and let it dry.
Pour a bit of acetone nail polish remover inside the glass container.
You don't need too much. Just a little bit like the above picture is fine.
With the acetone nail polish remover again, pour a little bit on to a cotton pad so that it is slightly damp.
So to fix up the white bit of the nail polish all you need is the glass container with the acetone nail polish remover, the damp cotton pad with acetone nail polish remover, and a flat headed/rounded brush.
Slightly dip the brush inside the acetone nail polish remover.
Start removing the white nail polish to create a rounded/curved white area that fits with your nail shape. The reason why I use an acetone based nail polish remover for this part is that it removes the nail polish more easily therefore creating a sharper shape. However acetone is obviously a lot harsher on the nails than acetone free nail polish.
The shape you create should be nicely curved like the picture above.
While creating your white tip shape, you should swipe your brush on the damp cotton pad every now and then so you can remove any excess nail polish which can build up into clumps and make it harder for you to create a nicer/sharper white tip shape.
Continue to do this procedure for the rest of your nails.
If you have any excess white nail polish next to your nails, use a cotton tip and dip it into the acetone nail polish remover..
..and start to swipe it off. Be careful not to take off the white nail polish from the nails.
Your nails should look like this so far. You can keep it like this if you like but I prefer to add a bit of pinky tone to my french nails.
Take your sheer pink nail polish and start coating your nails with it. Here I am using Essie - Mademoiselle. I find that this Essie nail polish gives just the right amount of pinky tinge and most importantly I find it doesn't streak like most sheer pink nail polishes do (I have used many brands and they have all streaked. Even OPI streaked for me).
Do another coat if it is too sheer for you. Here I have done two coats.
After your sheer pink nail polish dries, get your top coat and start coating all your nails with it to give a glossy finish and to prevent cracking nail polish.
Finished Result:
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