Manicure: French Manicures

By: Jessica Jameson


Mention the words "French Manicure" around nearly any woman, and you'll immediately see their face light up like a kid on Christmas morning. This is because many women regularly indulge themselves in this classic beauty routine, whether they go out to a salon or do it themselves at home. It has become known as a common form of manicure in the United States, as it most resembles a "natural" look for fingernails. It's very universal in that the look is ideal for day-to-day life, weddings, proms, special events, or nights out on the town.

The history of the French Manicure is thought to go back to the mid 1970's when a man named Jeff Pink, president of the popular manicure company Orly, attended a fashion show where he noticed several of the models were using a white pencil to whiten the tips of their fingernails. He immediately realized this could be major fashion trend and brainstormed a way to recreate the look. The result was a kit that contained two shades of polish; a light pink base and white polish to paint the tips of the fingernails. He also included adhesive strips to place at the baseline of the nail so that women could effortlessly create a stunning, perfect look when applying the white paint.

Other designs popular among French manicures include the application of tiny gems or stones. These add a small touch of "sparkle" to your manicure. The stones can be applied singly or with a painted design to complete your desired look. The manicurist applies them using small tweezers and a bit of nail glue, then coats them using a clear top coat. This helps to seal the stones and prevent them from chipping off. You can choose to add these to one fingernail on each hand, or apply them to all ten nails for extra special glamour.

What is the purpose of having a manicure, if you are just going to put clear polish on top of your nails? Why bother to go through all that time and trouble, to look natural? Well, we women do tons of crazy things, and spend countless hours in the salon trying to make ourselves appear naturally beautiful. Why should manicures be any different? Besides, the polish is not actually clear. The polish is two different colors. A very thin white or off white coat is applied to the tips of your nails and allowed to dry. Then the entire nail is painted with a soft beige or pink color, making the nails very clean and polished looking, but not quite as dramatic as red or pink polish.

Now that I've sold you on the great art of French manicures, I will have to tell you that it is more difficult to give yourself a French manicure than it is to just paint your fingernails one solid color. I do have a quick fix as an alternative. If I am in a hurry, but still want my nails to look great. I will dig my fingernails into a bar of dove or ivory soap. Really and white soap will do just fine. Then, I wash my hands thoroughly. The soap really helps to whiten the tips of my nails. Lastly, I will quickly apply a clear coat of polish. The affects are not quite the same as taking the time to do an actual French manicure, but it works in a pinch.

The popularity of having a French manicure started around the seventies, and is just as popular today. People have been getting French manicures for years. You can see these types of manicures just about anywhere from magazines, to moms at the grocery store.

Finally, for those looking for a more extreme approach to nail designs, a popular trend called nail piercing is now available at several nail salons. Nail piercing is usually done on acrylic nails rather than actual nails. This is because once a real fingernail is pierced, it is nearly impossible to repair the nail later without having to cut it down. Using a small ear piercing gun, the manicurist pierces the nail with a tiny earring. These are usually studs or small gems. This procedure costs about $10 extra to your manicure.

With so many options available for French manicure designs, women now have the ability to customize their manicure and go beyond the classic look. Ask your manicurist for ideas on different nail designs.

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About the author: Jessica Jameson is the owner of the site about Manicure and French Manicure techniques
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