French Manicure - dated or okay?

[NotLactoseFree]

After years of biting my nails (and a period, a few years ago, where I was sick and had a few surgeries and my nails got super super weak), my nails have always been a bit brittle and weak. I keep them relatively short, but can usually grow them enough to paint nicely (well, about 65% of the time).

But, possibly menopause and HRT related? Not sure - they're slowly getting a bit stronger and I'm finding I can let them grow a bit longer. I'd really love to do a French manicure but is thais very dated? I don't think I've seen anyone with one in years....

Not dated. It's a classic

Just because it had a burst of popularity doesn't mean it stops being classic. The only thing that is dated is the extremely solid, painted on, white tips, as long as you go for something that looks like a very clean, maybe paler/whiter version of your natural tips it will look good.

I would get it done at a salon - I'v never mastered the art of doing it myself. I take your point about not being TOO white on the tips. That makes a lot of sense and seems to reflect the types of French manicure images I saw when I did a google search so perhaps that's more common now anyway?

Same happened to me.

I had some medications last year which I hardly touched because they made me collapse, but immediately I stopped biting my nails!

I wanted a French manicure for my holiday but didn't realise I had to ask on booking as they take bit longer. So make sure you book for it.

It's lovely isn't it to finally have your own set of nails.

I love French manicure! You never have to worry if your nail colour goes with your clothes. It's odd that your salon need more time to do French, @Ohmylovejune because I've been to different salons over the years and never encountered that, maybe try another salon next time?

How could it not take longer though? It's another element of work on top of having a plain colour, the nails are painted a solid, nude colour (just like if they were red or whatever) and then the tips are painted afterwards. Good French tips are actually quite fiddly.

OP - French is really having a moment again but the thick, straight white tips of the early 2000s have had their day. Tips are thinner and more curved, like this Pinterest link (hope this works, it won't let me attach a photo).

I quite like the thinner tips, but I hate those sort of pointy nails so won't go that far!

You've all (all three of you!) convinced me it's okay. I'm going to get it done next week I think. my nails are still a little short on the right hand so I just filed the left hand down a tiny bit and painted them all red and will go in next week when, hopefully, they're all about right!

I agree that it's a classic look.

Ombre french manicures are lovely.

Those are lovely and very modetn looking, @Laurdo

@Laurdo ooooh, I like those!!! I wonder if my local salon can do that!?

Or... yes, they're dated AND it's okay! I think all painted nails are a bit out of fashion at the moment but IDC because it gives me joy. Currently wearing Chanel New Dawn 😎

French manicures are having a revival so you'd actually be on trend.

French manicure on toes should be illegal though!

If they do acrylics and have the tinted powders, then they can.

If Instagram is anything to go by they were a bit dated (though never really went away), but are now v much back, especially at a more natural looking length and not so squared-off as the acrylic french manis of 2006.

I'm pretty sure they do both.

I'm ridiculously excited. I really love those ombre ones!

You can do it in colour too I've had nude with pink tips. And rust with white.

You can do those ombre nails with builder gel/biab, it doesn't have to be acrylic. I've seen them referred to as "baby boomer nails", no idea where the name came from! They are nice.

I have been known to have a nude base coat with gold or silver tips for holiday! I've also paired that same look with a half moon manicure too which I like but DH jokes about where the rest of the manicure went 😏