How to Do a Perfect Gel French Mani At Home: 5 Simple Steps for Beginners
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Time to read 8 min
Is there a more classic or timeless look than a French mani? We don't think so! If you want to recreate this OG nail design, we've got a simple step-by-step guide that'll make it easy to get the perfect French tip gel nails at home.
There's a reason why this manicure has stood the test of time and seen itself through years of micro trends and nail art crazes. The French manicure is effortlessly chic, universally flattering and suitable for any occasion.
Plus, it's super easy to switch up with different colours and add in little bits of nail art to make it your own.
But the key to achieving a flawless French mani is in the technique and using the right products – both of which we're going to break down for you in this step-by-step guide.
What is a French Manicure?
A French manicure is one where the tip of your nail is painted a different colour to the rest of your nail bed.
Traditionally your nail bed will be painted a sheer nude or pink shade, and then the tip of your nail will be painted with a pure solid white polish.
Depending on the shape and length of your nail, the tip can be just a thin straight line along the top of the free edge or a more curved line starting from the nail walls and mimicking the naturally rounded shape of the top of your finger.
And you don't have to be a pro nail tech to do these nails! One of the reasons they're so popular is because they're really easy to do yourself.
Popular Types of French Tips
Classic French tip
Asymmetrical French tip
Curved tip or smile line
Inverted or reverse French tip
Micro French tip
Ombre French tip
Colour French tips
French tip nail art
Short nail French mani
Natural nail tips
Can You Use Gel Polish for French Tips?
You absolutely can use gel polish for a French mani! In fact, it's probably your best bet, as the gel is much easier to work with than regular polish, which can be too thin and doesn't last anywhere as long.
Gel polish is thicker and more pigmented, making it easier to create clean, crisp lines for your French tip.
Plus, gel polish is cured with a UV or LED lamp, making it last a whole lot longer than regular polish (up to 3 weeks in the case of our gels).
How to Do Perfect French Tips With Gel Polish At Home
Depending on the length and shape of your nails and what products you have available, there are multiple methods for achieving this look, but we'll take you through the easiest way...
What You'll Need
Before you get started, you should make sure you've got everything you need. Our essentials list includes:
Tools for Prep |
Products for the French Mani |
We’ve also rounded up all of our essentials into one handy collection, so you can build your own French mani kit in no time.
Follow the TikTok video below or read through the step-by-step to learn how we get the perfect French tip gel nails every time.
@myleebeautyofficial Where are our classic French lovers at? 🙋♀️ @by.jals super clean tip is making us want to switch up our current mani real quick 😮💨 Colours: XOXO & Break The Ice #Mylee #nails #gelnails #nailtrends #naillooks #nailfinds #nailideas #frenchmanicure #nudenails #freshnails #barenails #cleangirlnails #myleemanicure #myleenails ♬ original sound - Myleebeauty
Step 1: Prep Your Nails For Gel Polish
Start out doing all your getting your nail beds ready for the gel polish.
Use a wooden cuticle pusher to gently push your cuticles back, and trim the dead white skin with the Cuticle Nippers.
Shape your nails using a Half Moon Nail File, using sweeping motions in one direction for the best finish.
Not sure which nail shape to go for? Check out our Nail Shapes Guide for all the inspo!
After shaping, use the Buffer Block to buff the surface of your nails, creating a grippy surface for the gel polish to adhere to. Be careful not to buff too roughly, otherwise you might end up damaging your natural nail. You want just enough to create a dull, matte finish.
Remove any oils and dirt from your nails with our Prep & Wipe liquid and apply Nail Prep Dehydrator to remove excess moisture from your nails for the best results.
Step 2: Apply a Gel Base Coat & Base Colour
Take your Base Coat Gel Polish and apply one layer to your nails, making sure to coat the entire nail. Cure this under your Pro LED Lamp for 60 seconds to set the base.
Then you can paint the nude base colour for your gel French Nails. Use the So Nude Gel Polish from the French Manicure Duo and paint one layer onto your nails. Cure under your lamp once again.
Add more layers if you like a more pigmented look, curing with your lamp in between each coat for the correct amount of time.
Step 3: Paint the French Tip
Now, you can use your white gel polish to create a thin white line on the edge of your nails – the French tip.
We recommend using our 7mm Ultra Fine Nail Brush to draw on the tip for the most precise line, but you could also use the brush from the gel bottle if you wish.
Dip the 7mm Ultra Fine Brush into your white nail polish and draw a smile line on the tips of your nails, taking care to keep the line neat and tidy.
It might help to rest the side of your hand on your work surface and use a slow gliding motion to draw the line. You can also draw a straight tip if that's your preferred French tip.
Alternatively, you can use a silicone nail cushion to help create the perfect line. Our Stamp It Out tool is super for this.
Simply paint a layer of white polish onto the stamper cushion, and press the tip of your nail into the silicone at a 45-degree angle. Depending on the thickness of the tip you want, apply more or less pressure to the nail.
Once you're happy with your linework and don’t want it to smudge, you can flash cure under your LED lamp for 15 seconds. Finish with a full cure of 60 seconds.
Step 4: Apply Your Glossy Top Coat
When you've cured your gel French nails, apply a layer of No Wipe Top Coat to seal in your mani, once again curing under a Mylee lamp for 60 seconds.
You can also experiment with other top coats, like iridescent or glitter, for a pretty summery vibe.
Step 5: Apply Cuticle Oil
To finish, apply a healthy amount of Sweet Almond Nail & Cuticle Oil to your nails and massage it into your fingers.
This will l leave your cuticles feeling healthy and nourished.
Finishing Up: Creating the Perfect Gel French Nails With Mylee
Whether you're going for a classic French mani, trying out the trendy micro French nails or creating your own twist, our gel polishes will give you the perfect salon-worthy finish every single time.
Our gel polish formula lasts up to 3 weeks with no chipping or denting, so you can achieve a professional-looking mani right at home.
Plus, we have all you need for prepping, creating and caring for your nails, so you can start creating the perfect gel French nails today.
FAQs
Can I Get a French Manicure with Short Nails?
The short answer is YES! It doesn’t matter how long your nails are, you can still achieve this look. For shorter nails, just paint a very thin French line along the free edge of your nail.
How Do You Take Off a Gel French Manicure?
If you have created your French manicure using gel polish, you can remove it the way you’d usually remove your gel. Simply buff over the nails to break the seal, soak a cotton pad in Gel Remover or 100% Acetone, and place over the nail bed.
Then, wrap the pad around your nail plate using some tin foil and leave for 10-15 minutes. Remove the wrap and gently scrape off the polish using a gel scraper or wooden cuticle stick.
How Do You Do a French Manicure without Guide Strips?
Our 7mm Ultra Fine Nail Brush makes it really easy to create French tips – it's the perfect thickness for that thin white line. Just dip the brush into your white polish and draw the smile line on using a slow gliding motion. The key is to be slow and steady.
A silicone nail stamper is another great way to do French manis. You essentially just press the tip of your nail into a layer of gel polish on top of the cushion, which then transfers onto your nail.
What is the Most Flattering Shape to Use for a French Manicure?
You can either go for a curved tip or a straight tip. A curved tip is more traditional and mimics the natural shape of your nail bed, while a straight line looks cleaner and sharper.
We think a curved tip looks best and can actually give the illusion of elongating your nails, so it's a really good choice if you have short nails.
Can you do French tips on natural nails?
Yes, you can definitely do a French tip on your natural nails. You'll still need to prep your nails to ensure the gel polish applies properly and lasts.
We also recommend applying a Base Coat layer, too. But you can go straight in with your white gel polish for the tips without applying a base colour if you wish. Just make sure to flash cure the tips for 15 seconds to set the gel to avoid smudging and finish up with a full 60 second cure.
Ellie Simmons
Ellie is a Brand Ambassador for Mylee. Alongside being a skilled and certified nail technician, Ellie's expertise extends to gel manicures and nail extensions.
Her heart and soul are devoted to all things nail-related, and she loves flaunting her own long, natural nails with captivating nail art. Ellie's ultimate favourites are iridescent and sparkly designs!
