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French nail art has been a timeless and elegant trend in the world of manicures. With its chic and sophisticated look, it’s no wonder why it has been gaining the attention of girls for decades. Whether you’re preparing for a special occasion or simply want to elevate your everyday style, mastering the art of French manicure will undoubtedly add a touch of glamour to your overall appearance.

So, if you can’t visit a nail studio to get the art done and want to know how to do French nails at home, this blog is for you. In this blog, we’ll take you through a step-by-step guide to doing French nail art, exploring various design ideas, and providing tips for maintaining your stunning manicure.

Essential Supplies for French Manicure

Before you embark on your French manicure journey, make sure you have the following supplies:

Nail polish colors (for the tips and the main color)
Base coat
Top coat
Nail polish remover
Cotton pads or balls
Nail file
Buffer
Cuticle pusher
Nail guide strips or tape
Fine nail art brush or dotting tool (optional for designs)
Accent materials (optional, like rhinestones, decals, etc.)

Step-by-Step Guide to French Nail Art

Before you start doing French nail art, prepare your nails by shaping them to your desired length and filling the edges. Use a cuticle pusher to gently push back your cuticles and create a clean canvas for your manicure. Ensure your nails are clean and dry before starting the process.

Step 1: Apply a Base Coat

A base coat is essential for protecting your nails and creating a smooth surface for the polish. So, don’t forget to apply a thin layer of base coat on each nail and allow it to dry completely.

Step 2: Choose French Tip Style

Even if the nude color and white French tip nails that contrast with the primary nail color are the classic trends, you can get creative with various tip styles, including colored tips, glitter tips, and alternative designs like diagonal or ombré tips. Pink French nails, black French nails, and ombré French nails are high in trend.

Step 3: Create the French Tips

Use nail guide strips or tape, place them at the desired angle on your nails to create the French tip line. Apply the chosen tip color (traditionally white) or any color you prefer to the exposed part of the nail. Remove the guide strips or tape while the polish is still wet for clean lines.

If you have a steady hand, you can go with the freehand techniques to create the French tips. Take your time and go slowly to achieve precise lines. If you make any mistakes, use a small brush dipped in nail polish remover to clean up the edges.
Pro Tip

Step 4: Apply the Main Color

Once the French tips are dry, apply the main color to the rest of your nails. Choose a shade that complements the tip color or creates an eye-catching contrast. Apply the polish in thin, even coats for a professional finish.

Step 5: Add Accents and Designs

To take your French nail art to the next level, consider adding accents or nail art designs to one or more nails. Use a fine nail art brush or dotting tool to create intricate designs, or apply rhinestones or decals for an elegant touch.

Step 6: Apply the Top Coat

Finish off your French nail art by applying a top coat. The top coat will seal your design, add shine, and extend the longevity of your French manicure. Be sure to cover the tips of your nails with the top coat to prevent chipping.

French Nails Variations and Inspirations

While the classic white-tip French manicure is timeless, you can always experiment with different variations to go creative. Experiment with colored tips, pastel hues, metallic finishes, and even themed designs for holidays and special occasions. Draw inspiration from celebrities and the latest fashion trends to create personalized French manicures.

Challenges and Common Mistakes

Doing a French nail design precisely is a simple yet challenging process. Even the most experienced nail artist can face some challenges and make mistakes during the process. So, don’t bother if you encounter smudges, imperfections, or uneven tips. The key is to remain patient and use a gentle hand when making corrections. Always keep a fine brush or Q-tip dipped in nail polish remover nearby for precise touch-ups.

Consistency is the key to perfection. The more you practice the art of French manicure nails, the more gracefully you can master the technique.
Remember

Ensuring the Longevity and Maintenance of French Nails

To keep your French nail design looking flawless, you need to follow a few simple maintenance tips.

Avoid using your nails as tools to prevent chipping.
Wear gloves when performing household chores that could damage your manicure.
Moisturize your hands and nails regularly to keep them healthy and hydrated.
Remove the nail polish properly using a gentle nail polish remover.

Also Read: A guide on hand care routine and hand care tips!

Conclusion

With this step-by-step guide to French Manicures, you can easily master the technique at home. Embrace your artistic side, experiment with different colors and designs, and have fun! French nail art is not only a style statement but also a reflection of your personality and creativity. So, get ready to flaunt your elegant and chic French nail design with confidence!

HAND CARE! Yes, you read it right! Your hands need a little TLC too. We care for our face, hair and health but often put hand care on the back burner. Despite being one of the most used body parts, our hands often struggle to get a place in the self-care regimen. Be it a handshake, a friendly wave, operating a mouse and keyboard in the office, or doing daily chores at home, it is our hands that can make or break the impression. Therefore, having a proper hand care routine in place is essential.

GlamUp Gallery Says,

“If you want to know someone’s age, look at their hands, not at their face.”

Hand Care Routine

To give your hands the needed care they deserve, follow the best hand care routine and get the youthful hands of your dreams.

1. Hand care hygiene

If COVID-19 has taught us anything good, it is using sanitizer and hand washing to cleanse our hands frequently. Indeed, cleansing hands is the most important step of the hand care routine. Though it is good for illness prevention, it puts serious stress on our hands. With frequent cleansing and sanitization, our hands can get dry and develop serious skin issues like cracks, irritation, and eczema. To prevent damage, don’t miss applying hand cream every time you cleanse or sanitize your hands. A good hand moisturizer will repair the damage while keeping your hands soft and youthful.

GlamUp Gallery Says,

Apply your moisturizer or hand cream whenever it feels dry or when your hands are damp after hand washing.

2. Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!

Our hands are constantly in action: cooking food, cleaning dishes, washing clothes, bathing, taking care of children, cleaning up the mess, and the list goes on. The constant contact with water and chemicals, steals the natural moisture of hands, making them dry and more prone to damage. The result you can see in the form of white scratches on the back of the hands.

No, we are not preventing you to do your daily chores. We are just advocating the importance of using the best hand moisturizer. Every time you wash your hands, apply moisturizer to hydrate the skin and replenish the damage. For overnight repair, don’t miss applying the hand moisturizer before going to bed. Dry hands in winter will no longer be a problem with frequent moisturizer application.

3. Shield against the UV rays with sunscreen

The damaging UVA rays don’t discriminate with any body part, be it our face, back, feet or hands. So, when we apply sunscreen to face, why not use SPF for our hands?

The result of not using sunscreen on hands? Dark spots, dry and rough skin, wrinkles, cracks and dark knuckles. Do you want them? Of course not! Then to ward off these ageing signs, wear SPF daily on your hands every time you go in the sun. You can either apply a separate broad-spectrum sunscreen or find a hand cream with SPF 30+ for minimalist skin care.

4. Exfoliate for rejuvenation

Exfoliation is an all-around win. It helps improve blood circulation, remove dead skin cells and promote skin rejuvenation on the hands. Result? Your hands will look more youthful, glowing and rejuvenated. Timely exfoliation give a good start to your hand care procedure.

GlamUp Gallery Says,

Exfoliating once or twice a week followed by anti aging hand cream is great to form a hand care routine. Exfoliating too frequently can cause skin irritation.

5. Homemade hand mask for dark knuckles

Dark knuckles on the hands look so ugly and irritating. While people say that frequent washing and using bleaching products can help lighten them, these habits can actually worsen the problem rather than treating. To treat dark knuckles naturally, you can try a DIY homemade hand mask.

What? You don’t homemade hand mask recipe? Here it is.

Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with a few drops of lemon juice. Apply the paste to the dark knuckles and rub for 10 minutes, then wash it off. Repeat it daily to notice the visible result soon.

Don’t Miss: 10 best face mask recipes you can make at home to get glowing skin

6. Use a nail brush to kick out stubborn dirt

That dirt and bacteria hiding under your fingernails look so irritating and put a big question mark on your hand hygiene. While frequent cleansing is great, it often fails to clean under fingernails. Hence, it is best to use a nail brush to remove anything left behind after the regular wash.

Using a nail brush might seem like an extra step in your hand care routine. But it does not take long to use the nail brush. Simply scrub back and forth, under and over the nails and you are good to go. Also, it is a good step in your nail care routine too if you want your bare nails to look their best.

7. Apply cuticle oil

Give your cuticles the little TLC they deserve whenever you have some spare time. Massage your nails and surrounding cuticles with a small dose of cuticle oil. It will help soften and hydrate the cuticles, making you free from the risk of infection, ingrown and hang nails.

8. Wear hand gloves

Cleaning supplies like detergent powder, soap, bleach etc. are the worst enemies for the soft skin of your hands. While these are the basic necessities and their use is inevitable, you can wear protective hand gloves to prevent their damaging effect. After all, prevention is better than cure. So, the next time you do dishes, laundry, gardening etc. don’t miss wearing rubber hand gloves for extra care.

GlamUp Gallery Says,

Cold temperatures and low humidity in winter mean less moisture in the air, leading to dry and chapped hands. To prevent your hands from drying out, wear hand care gloves whenever possible.

9. Nail your hand care routine with DIY Manicure steps

Frankly speaking, your hand care routine is incomplete without manicured nails. Your hands are soft, clean and smooth but what about your nails? Are they impressive enough to catch attention? No? Then, give yourself a DIY manicure at home or book a salon appointment for nail art to give your nails the needed attention they deserve. Also, it will make your hands look well-groomed and beautiful.

So, what are you waiting for? Just go and get your nails done now! Guys, you too can go for a manicure and opt for transparent nail paint. After all, why should girls have all the fun? Hand and nail care are for everyone.

Hand Care Tips:

Keep a hand cream beside hand wash. This way, every time you wash your hands, you will remember to moisturize your hands.
Carry a small box of hand cream with SP30 or more in your handbag. It will help level up your hand care game even on the go.
In winter when the temperature drops down and dry air is all around, your daily moisturizer or hand cream will not be enough for the best hand care. You need a humidifier at home to hydrate your skin at its best.
Use a hand balm after moisturizer to treat excessively dry or damaged hands in winter.
Avoid hand dryers and try to dry your hands with a paper towel or naturally. Hand dryers can cause dryness, making your hands dull and damaged. How? Artificial hot air rapidly coming in contact with your hands can steal the moisture out of your hands.
Follow a hand care routine regularly to keep your hands at their best. You can do this twice a day, in the morning and at night or throughout the day whenever you wash your hands.

Synopsis

It is our little effort to help you build a hand care routine with some hand care tips. So, amp your self care regimen now and let this hand care guide serve you as the inspiration you needed to give your hands the TLC they deserve.

Also Read: 13 Best Men Grooming Tips – A Complete Guide For A Better Lifestyle!