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Whether you’re an avid trend watcher or like to switch up your manicures based on the season, decision fatigue is real. Having to come up with a new manicure with nail art every two to three weeks can feel like a never-ending task on your to-do list. Thankfully, there is a look currently circulating that will make your life infinitely easier. Enter: “naked” french manicures.
“Naked french manicures give a luxurious yet soft and natural look to your nails,” Sarah Chue, celebrity nail artist at Exclusive Artists, tells POPSUGAR. The look is the exact antithesis of trends like coquette or kawaii nails, and falls more in line with the minimalist, “clean girl” aesthetic that took TikTok by storm in 2023.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-wear manicure that still feels on trend, Chue explains exactly what naked french manicures are, how they differ from the original version, and how to get the look ahead.
What Are Naked French Manicures?
“Naked french manicures are similar to the modern American french tip,” Chue says. However, instead of a diffused-white shade used on the tips, this trend leans warmer, using a cloudy eggshell shade that mimics the look of a natural human nail. The look is trending because of its versatility, which Chue says is its superpower. “They’re a classic look that you can never go wrong with and that will never go out of style,” she says.
How to Get a Naked French Manicure
The colouring is the main difference between the naked french manicure and the traditional version. The former isn’t as stark as the classic style. “This is more of an enhancement of your natural nail,” Chue says. “With a naked french, the differentiation of the colours used isn’t as blunt.” The difference becomes even clearer once you see the recommended nail polish colours to get the look.
“You can achieve a naked french manicure by using a sheer, translucent pink colour as the base, then applying an off-white for the tip,” Chue says. In particular, she recommends Orly’s French Manicure polish in the shade Sheer Rose (£13) for the base and Sheer Nude (£14) for the tips.
Looking for some naked french manicure inspiration? We rounded up a few for you to save for later.
