French decorated nails: learn to do

Classic, delicate and timeless, the most famous choice among women who go to the salon to do it are French decorated nails. The light style with a white stripe only on the tips of the nails continues to be a success and today brings a greater variety to those who prefer stronger tones.

Currently, there is no longer any rule for the concept: there is the traditional, the two-line and even the inverse and they can be decorated with the most diverse colors and textures of enamel. According to manicurist Márcia Marinho da Costa, from Esmalteria Nacional Vila Olímpia, in São Paulo, the colored version is a derivation of the technique, known as inglesinha.

For being traditional and practical, French decorated nails match any moment. From the most formal parties to the common day-to-day of women. In addition to being a great choice of decorated nail for brides.

In addition, those who have trouble making the perfect line can choose another technique to adhere to nail art: with stickers and stamps made from the enamel itself, for example, it is much easier to get the design right. There are several ways to make your nail beautiful and ready for any occasion.

How to make traditional french nail art

For those who prefer to do their nails without leaving home, the good news is that although it seems difficult, with practice, the technique becomes easier to do. Follow the tips below to make your own francesinha at home:

1. Prepare your nails: cut (if necessary), file and cuticles;
2. Apply the nail polish of your choice to the base. If you choose to combine colors, the ideal is that the first one is lighter, to allow the coverage of francesinha;
3. Apply the second coat of base polish;
4. With the nail polish completely dry, draw the strip to the desired width. If you prefer, outline beforehand with a thinner brush. A good way to ensure accuracy is, with an inclined finger, draw the strip vertically, following the nail design;
5. If necessary, apply a second layer on the francesinha strip, taking care that it does not exceed the limit outlined before;
6. Finish with a top coat to ensure the nail polish lasts.

Did you find it complicated? Watch the video below on how to apply the technique step by step:

Other techniques to make francesinha step by step

Watch the videos to learn different ways to make francesinha enamel and practice the one that seems easy to follow:

Frenchie with sticky tape

For those who have difficulty getting the line right, it is worth trying the help of a sticker. Today, the main nail polish brands sell a set of stickers suitable for francesinha, but if you prefer, adopt the “do it yourself” technique and cut adhesive tapes to the correct size for your nail. The idea is that it follows the shape of the tip of the nail, to be glued to it, with the width of your choice.

Paint the entire area between the adhesive and the tip of the nail and apply as many layers as necessary. Remember that the nail must be completely dry, as it ensures greater adhesion of the adhesive and allows the glue to be removed without damaging the enamel.

See how to do it in the video below:

reverse francesinha

A derivation that is making the head of women is the inverse francesinha. The technique used can be either with adhesive or by hand, just change the strip of place: from the tips of the nails, it goes to the region closest to the cuticles. It’s a way to innovate without straying too far from the original practice.

Learn how to do it with the video below:

Tips for perfect French decorated nails

There are some tips that can help you make a flawless francesinha. See below and take notes to improve your technique:

• File your nail to get it into the perfect shape. According to Márcia, the ideal is for the nail to be square;
• Before starting the enamel, prepare the nail with base, and finish the decoration with a top coat for finishing;
• Let the main nail polish dry before starting the francesinha line. This prevents the trace from damaging the underlying enamel;
• If you choose Inglesinha, choose a darker color than the base for the line. This way you won’t need many layers of nail polish to achieve good pigmentation.

Inglesinha or colorful francesinha: get inspired by the color mix

The most modern women can use and abuse nail art derived from the traditional francesinha: the colored version, also known as Inglesinha. It mixes different tones, colors and even textures. Just combine two nail polishes and adopt the relaxed result she proposes.

To stimulate your creativity, see the tip that Márcia gave, counting the combinations that are the most popular in the salon:

• Pink with a white tip;
• Black with a matte finish with an extra shine tip;
• White with a silver tip;
• Blue with gold tip.

Photos: francesinhas in different colors

Get inspired by the photos below and modernize your French nail art!