Home French manicure

[meltedchocolate]

Just how do you do it? How do you get it so neat? Please help! I would love to master this! Thanks

[cyb]

[CherryDrops]

I paint a coat of a pale pink varnish over the whole nail (a Rimmel French Manicure one - they have a few shades but any pale pink will do).

Then I use Rimmel's white tip varnish to carefully paint on the tip. This nail varnish has a thinner brush than normal ones which makes painting the tip easier - I found it only took one or two practice goes before I could paint them neatly on.

Finally, I use a top coat over the whole nail.

[SlinkyB]

I'm seriously cack-handed but found using the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails French Manicure Kit gave a really professional-looking result. It comes with these little sticky strips that you use to separate the tip from the rest of the nail before painting the white tips. I bought the Sheerly Opal one as the pearlescent effect hides any little mistakes well, and looks lovely too. Think I got mine from Boots for around a fiver.

[MooMinCow]

Right - idiot proof method here:

1. Clean nails (no base coat), swipe white polish over tips (doesn't have to be neat)
   

1. Use small, stiff brush dipped in nail polish remover to tidy up your tip lines to desired 'smile' line (Leighton Denny sells one in his French manicure kits, but small eyeshadow or lip brush would work). Leave few minutes to dry.
   

1. Paint base coat over entire nails
   

1. One or two coats of pale pink/beige colour of choice
   

1. Quick dry top coat like seche vite to seal the lot
   

Ta da, easy peasy, no stickers needed!

[meltedchocolate]

All right, here's a different question. How do you do it when you have lost the white varnish of your FM set?! Thanks all for tips :) Will give it a go if I ever find the white!!

[MooMinCow]

you can buy White nail polish on it's own! Rimmel and bourjois do good ones.

[meltedchocolate]

Thank you!! Cyb was right. Deffo white on first. Look at my pretty nails :o