Between soap nails and ‘nonicures’, as manicures go right now, the vibe is very much less is more. Out are the brash, 3-D tips and attention-grabbing prints and in are minimalist details and barely-there colour palettes, centring upon imperceptible milky tones, soft pink nails and and the subtlest of nail art.
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The latest of which comes courtesy of The White Lotus star Michelle Monaghan, who recently debuted a micro-french manicure, which was created by celebrity nail artist, Betina Goldstein. What separates this from your classic French manicure is the teeny-tiny line of polish; instead of a solid or thick white tip, it’s painted as thin as possible on the edge of the nail.
Adding more intrigue than your classic monotone manicure but without feeling too bold, Monaghan’s nails nod to the minimalist mood shift. ‘I think these minimalist designs have stood the test of time and are still gaining popularity because they’re so wearable; they don’t clash with your clothing and a micro-french manicure grows out so effortlessly if you get the base shade right, so you can go a little longer between manicures than if you have a bold design,’ shares celebrity nail artist, Georgia Rae. ‘It’s a subtle way to have a little fun with your manicures, switch up a more classic look and try colours you wouldn’t ever wear as a block shade,’ she adds.
How To Create A Micro-French Manicure
The art of mastering a micro-french manicure at home starts with the right tools. ‘You’ll need to neaten up your cuticles with an orange wood stick and cuticle nipper; use a nail file to refine your nail shape, a nail polish remover, cotton rounds, a base coat, a sheer nude shade that complements your skin tone, a tip shade of your choice, a thin liner nail art brush and a glossy top coat,’ adds Rae.
‘Start by tidying up your cuticles and filing your nails into the desired shape, wipe the surface of your nail with nail polish remover to ensure you have a clean base as this will help with application and longevity,’ she shares. ‘Next, apply your base coat followed by one or two layers of your nude shade waiting 5-10 minutes between each coat. Decant a little droplet of your chosen tip shade onto a palette, coat the liner brush in the shade and gently trace the edge of your nail to create your micro-french tip. Wait for these to dry and finish with a glossy top coat.’
You can also experiment with different colour palettes. ‘There are so many twists on the classic you can try. I saw a design recently which I can’t wait to try this spring; a base shade with a more pink-y glow and a baby pink tip which was fun. A change in nail shape can also make a design look drastically different,’ she says.
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Amelia Bell is the Senior Site Beauty Editor at ELLE UK, developing beauty strategy, writing, editing, and commissioning, and overseeing all beauty content for the site. Amelia has a particular interest in sustainable beauty practices, exploring the skin-mind connection, and decoding the latest treatments, tweakments and runway trends. She also has bylines for Women’s Health, Refinery29, British Vogue, Harrods Magazine, and more.
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