Thread: French Nightmare!!

Ok, so - last night I gave myself what has got to be the worst French manicure I've ever seen in my life! I couldn't get the white part even, and it just ended up all gloppy on the end of my fingers. I think part of my problem was the products I used, (old trial size set of polishes), but my technique obviously sucks. Any suggestions?

you can use masking tape or the special nail shaped tape masks from beauty supplies. tape off the skin colored part and paint the tip white (or what ever color). carefully peel off the tape and let it dry. then paint over with your second color. just make sure you peel off the tape before the white dries or it can peel off the white.

heehee, I have fresh French manicures all the time. I did them myself by using tape! You have to find nail polish that dries quickly if and wont peepl off, but you just put on the undercoat color all the way up, then tape of the lowest part of where you want the white to be and paint right over that, you can go onto the tape and don't have to be careful cause when you peel it off it's perfect!

Get some stripes to help keep the tips neat. And don't use old polish or you'll just end up making a gooey mess.

I don't remember where I bought mine, but the strips are like these:
Honeybee Gardens: French Manicure Guide Strips

Go to the nail salon and let the nice Vietnamese ladies do it for you.

I'm so "challenged" when it comes to French manicures, I think I'm gonna start doing the dreaded stick-on nails for photo shoots and gigs. Oddly, I've heard that they actually stay put!

I'd consider trying the stick-ons for gigs, but I like to use my natural nails when I can. For everyday, I don't want to pay to have them done, but with my stubby fingers you can't beat a french manicure for adding length, and protecting the tips from breakage.

I'm thinkin' I'll try the tape idea. Thanks ladies! Now off to buy some of that awesome Sally Hansen hard ass nails stuff! Maybe they'll have a sparkly version!

I give myself French manicures about twice a year and I have much better luck when all the polishes are brand new. It's pretty delicate and you can't really get around it with older polish. And a steady hand and peering real close help too!

Get some nail polish thinner, and use a cocktail straw to get it into the polish bottle. If there are no ball bearings to help stir the polish, or if the bottle opening is too small, use a couple of small seed beads that you probably have rolling around in your gig case as ball bearings. Then follow all the above instructions for taping/masking.

If you don't want to do that, find a good manicurist who does your favorite/preferred technique and stick with them, thick and thin, rain or shine.

I found someone who is great at acrylic tips YEARS ago, and although it's out of the way, when I need a new set, I'm there. For regular fills, I can tolerate "brand X" but when I need a new set, I'm loyal. It saves me more time and aggravation in the long run than hassle.

i have an eyebrow brush that i use. I put a base coat on.. then a coat or two of the white. I then dip the eyebrow brush in nail polish remover and slowly shape the white where I want it to be. I then follow up with my top coat and let it get GOOD and dry. Taadaaa nice nails!

I find when I push the polish brush against the nail tip, as opposed to dragging it across, I get a better tip. Its hard to describe what I mean, but its like I place it where I want the back edge of the white and drag it towards the end of the nail rather than pulling the brush from one side to the other--if that makes sense. The key is to keep this white polish a little thin, and apply lightly. Use an angled eyeliner brush, q-tip, or orange wood cuticle stick dipped in nail polish remover to clean up the back edge of the white before you apply the pink. Also, let the white dry completely before applying the pink.

After years of doing my own, I caved and now do pink & white gel nails. No more polish, its all sculpted on.