How Getting a French Manicure Can Brighten Your Day
The luxury of getting a French manicure can brighten up even the worst day. This concept is demonstrated in the movie ‘Legally Blonde’ starring Reese Witherspoon. In the film, main character Elle Woods is relieved to find a nail salon after having a particularly rough day. And she just might be onto something. Getting pampered by a professional can help you relax and feel special. If you’ve never had a manicure, then you’re really in for a treat.
The first thing that will happen is your hands will be soaked in fragrant, warm water or even warm oil for about ten minutes. After that, your hands will be dried and heated lotion will be massaged into your hands and nails. Then, the manicurist will expertly shape your nails to a perfect square, oval or squoval depending on your specifications. For those not in the know, a squoval is a combination of a square and an oval.
After your nails have been perfectly shaped, the base coat will be applied. The base coat is clear and not only hardens the natural nail but prepares your nails for polish. After the base coat is dry, your white tips will be painted. The manicurist will likely use stick on stencils or guides to paint a perfect white tip. After the white polish dries, a sheer overlay will be painted on. This is the classic French manicure. There are lots of variations on this theme that your manicurist can likely do for you.
One variation on getting a French manicure is to have your tips painted a surprising shade like black and keeping the rest of the nail bare. The entire nail is then covered with clear polish for a shiny finish. The reverse French manicure is popular, too. You can paint your nail white and paint the tip a darker color. It’s a trendy way to draw attention to your hands. Then, there’s the most natural way of getting a French manicure. For this variation, a whitening pencil is used under the nails to turn the tips white. Then the nails are painted clear or a sheer shade. Whether you choose a classic French manicure or a more trendy version, you are sure to love the end result!
