Reinventing the wheel is tough, but when it comes to a French manicure, nail artists everywhere are putting their own unique twist on the classic. Just this year we’ve spotted ‘ice cream nails’ (a subtle ombré French that melts — excuse the pun — into a glossy pink base), not to mention Kylie Jenner’s ‘deep French manicure’, essentially chunky, ’90s-inspired French tips.
As we head into party season, you might expect frenchies to get louder and glitzier. But if London’s booked-and-busy nail artists are anything to go by, the look is actually becoming even more understated, and one trend is about to flood salons everywhere. Enter: the ‘tucked French manicure’.
Also known as the ‘hidden French manicure’, we first spotted the ‘tucked French manicure’ trend on London-based manicurist Carmelina’s Instagram stories in October. Carmelina explains that it all starts with a simple clear base coat: “After the base coat, add a milky white [nail polish] for the tip, followed by a nude colour of your choice over the top,” she says.
The first subtle tweak lies in the colour of the tip itself. Instead of the stark white hue reminiscent of the early 2000s, a milkier, more gauzy shade of white gives the nail a creamy, soft-focus effect. But it’s the addition of the nude polish that earns the manicure its name, tucking the tip beneath a sheer layer that allows it to melt seamlessly into the rest of the nail — almost like your natural tip growth. Of course, a lick of glossy topcoat seals everything in.
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Georgia, a pro artist at Luna & Wilde nail salon in Belgravia and Brixton, says that the hidden manicure trend has blown up over the last year: “It gives the illusion of a blended and more subtle, sophisticated traditional French mani, which artists and clients are both loving.”
Unlike a traditional French manicure, the extra layers of polish over the French tip itself provide a little more protection against chips. When she did this on my nails, Georgia used The GelBottle’s new Hard BIAB collection. She likes to work with its neutral shades like Teddy, Dolly, Grace and Bonnie as an initial base and then applies the same shade over the French tip.
“After immaculately prepping the nail beds, I apply a bond base directly to the natural nails, followed by a thin slip layer of BIAB and cure it,” says Georgia. “Then comes the French tip, which is painted on and cured again.”
Next, Georgia applies another thin slip layer of BIAB over the French tip to build structure and create the apex. “This allows me to create the desired look of a ‘hidden French’ — a minimalist take on a classic,” she says. Finally, the nails are cured once more and finished with a top coat.
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Not only does BIAB help reinforce weak nails, but it can also be applied in coats to achieve your desired level of opacity. It’s equally effective over a traditional bright white polish to soften the intensity of the French tip and create a milkier tone — perfect if your nail salon has a limited selection of white shades.
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If in doubt, bring along a few nail inspo pictures, but asking for the tucked or hidden French manicure is simple. Just tell your nail artist you’d like a softer, more toned-down shade of white for the tip, followed by a layer of nude polish or builder gel over the top. The look works best with gel polish and a high shine gel top coat.
If you’d prefer to try the look at home, start with a sturdy base coat like OPI Infinite Shine Gel-Like Base Coat. Follow with a cloudy white shade such as Nailberry Nail Lacquer in Almond for the tip (a silicone nail stamper will help you ace it in one press), then layer a nude polish of your choice on top to control how sheer or solid you want the tip to appear — Essie has an excellent range of versatile neutrals that can be built up. Finish with a slick of glossy top coat and you’re good to go.
