Glazed French Manicure: The Dream Nails of a Minimalist
Few things are more elegant than a glazed French manicure: the dream nails of a minimalist. Ever since famed manicurist Zola Ganzorigt created glazed donut French tips for Madelyn Cline, this look has been all over TikTok and Instagram. Nail artists worldwide quickly figured out how to do the look. Then they created new versions, too.
What is a glazed French manicure? You could describe it as a more subtle take on the classic French tips. There’s less contrast between the traditional pink and white. Moreover, the creamy glaze adds a chrome-like shimmer to the surface.
How hard is it to do a glazed French manicure at home? It's not hard at all! You only need a few supplies. What's more, the look is doable with various nail products, including lacquers, gel polish, and dip powder. Let's talk about what you need to do glazed French tips.
What You Need to Do a Glazed French Manicure
You don’t need much for a glazed French mani. Here are our suggestions:
- Chrome nail powder is essential to get the pearl-like gleaming finish unless you have a polish with the right amount of shimmer (like the one below).
- Opal polish like the Lavis Pearl gels provides the perfect iridescent finish without the need for chrome powder.
- Sheer neutral polish like Lavis Jelly gels that deepen in color as you add layers.
- Creamy white polish for the tips – check the Whimsical Collection for the ideal shade.
- Alternatively, try shimmery French White or Kyoto Pearl.
- A nail lamp to cure gel polish.
- If you prefer to do the design with lacquer instead of gels, LDS nail polish is 9-free and non-toxic.
- French mold if you would rather do a dip powder manicure (and you’ll need the associated liquids, too).
Remember to gather up your manicure tools, too. The more flawless your fingertips look, the better you can pull off this manicure.
How to Do a Glazed French Manicure
Begin by trimming, shaping, and buffing the nails to perfection. Push back the cuticles and remove debris and oil with a lint-free wipe. Nail prep is crucial to getting flawless results.
Steps for a Glazed French Manicure with Nail Lacquer
If you're using nail lacquer, there are fewer steps, and you won't need a nail lamp. However, you'll need to wait at least 5 minutes between coats to ensure the polish is completely dry. Otherwise, it's likely to smudge. On the bright side, the manicure will set quickly and last longer if you finish with a fast-drying top coat.
- Apply a sheer neutral color for the base. There’s no need to stick to pink if you prefer tan, coral, or off-white. The key is to choose a soft shade.
- Brush on the white tips. Use nail tape or a stencil to make the curve just right. Remove the tape or stencil before the polish dries.
- Dab on a thin layer of chrome powder to get the glazed effect. You don't need to burnish or polish the surface because you don't want a mirror finish – you want an iridescent shimmer. You can achieve a similar effect with a pearl-like polish instead of powder. If you're concerned that the polish is too opaque, add one part clear top coat to two parts shimmer polish to thin it.
- Wrap up with a glossy top coat and celebrate!
Steps for a Glazed French Manicure with Gel Polish
Next, if you’re doing gels, apply a base coat and cure it. Then brush on a sheer base color and cure it as well. This shade could be pink, beige, or even white as long as it’s not opaque.
Paint on the white tips. If you struggle to get the perfect smile line, use a stencil or nail tape to help. Remove the tape or stencil before curing the polish. (If you wait to pull it off after the polish is dry, you may end up with a raggedy edge.)
Top the nails with a light layer of chrome powder or a sheer, pearlescent polish. Finish with a glossy top coat, and voilá!
How to Keep a Glazed French Manicure Looking like New
Nail lacquer lasts about a week, and gels between two and four weeks. When you properly prepare the nails, it helps avoid lifting, peeling, and chipping.
Moreover, the manicure lasts longer if you nourish your fingertips with cuticle oil and protect your nails from soaking in water and exposure to chemicals.
If you have a chip or smudge, you may be able to fix it by reapplying the top coat. Otherwise, use a tiny amount of nail polish remover to blur the spot, then reapply the polish.
Variations on the Glazed French Manicure
Experiment with nail shape and color combinations to find what you love most. There’s no need to stick with almond nails if you want to try a retro Nineties look with square nails instead.
Remember, French tips don’t have to be white. Why not play with variations like chocolate and caramel cream?
The shapes don’t have to be half-moons, either. They can be thinner, thicker, or abstract.
There are just two consistent factor factors for this look. The first is the glazed appearance that comes from the chrome powder or iridescent polish on top. And the second is the recognizable French manicure style. Therefore, you have a lot of room to get creative!
Conclusion
We hope you found the inspiration you need to try a glazed French manicure. Not only is it trending right now, but the soft shimmer is absolutely delicious on anyone. It even wears well with casual or formal outfits.
What's also nice is that this style is easy to do at home. It can give you a sense of pride in your nail art abilities, and it's fun to show off.
While you're here, please take advantage of our deals to stock up on all the nail art supplies you need today. Remember, we offer complimentary gifts plus free shipping on orders over $100!
