faux French mani

The French manicure is a classic and time-tested nail look great for any occasion, but I wanted to spice mine up a little by using not-so-classic shades to recreate it. This is the faux French mani that can add some edge to any outfit.

You might be thinking this will take forever to complete, but I created a pic-torial for y'all, with which you will achieve this look in 6 simple steps.

First, paint your entire nail whichever color you desire. The design works best with opaque shades, so choose your shade accordingly. Also, you want the "tip" to be darker or more opaque than the polish you choose for your entire nail.

Next, apply a second coat if needed. Make sure you let each coat dry completely before moving on.

So, now that your nails are completely dry, take your tip color and get the brush fairly clean. You want very minimal product on it in order to get a cleaner line. Starting from the outer corner of one nail draw a line close to the middle. Then go to the other corner and connect the line in the middle. Using two motions to create the line makes it sharper and easier to control. Repeat this on every nail.

Lastly, you can use nail polish remover and a q-tip to clean your edges and any nail polish that has transferred onto the skin. Once everything is dry, add a coat of clear nail polish to set the look.

I also wanted to include some color combinations in this post to give you an idea of what shades I would combine. For the nude French, pictured above, I used an essie Nail Color that I cannot find the name of and Love & Beauty by Forever 21 Nail Polish in Pewter. Here are some other shades I would combine.

The shades I used in the pic-torial are Zoya Nail Polish in Mason for the base- a shimmery berry magenta- and e.l.f. Essential Nail Polish in Violet Velvet for the tip- a deep purple with some shimmer. I really like this combination for fall because of the purple shades. I think it looks great with black clothing!

The next combo I'd wear is some blues. For the base I would use the essie Nail Color in Aruba blue- a royal blue with slight shimmer. As for the tip, I couldn't choose between two shades, so I decided to include both. In the middle is e.l.f. Essential Nail Polish in Sea Escape- a charcoal black with royal blue shimmer- and on the right is Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer in Navy Baby- a dark navy.

Another nude combo I like is L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Polish in Eiffel For You as the base- a light to medium creamy taupe- and e.l.f. Essential Nail Polish in Smoky Brown for the tip- a cool-toned creamy dark brown.

The last combination I came up with is probably my favorite because it reminds me of a pair of Christian Louboutin's! I think either color could be used for the tip or base so this one is up to you! Swatched is the Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Bloody Mary- a true, neutral creamy red- and wet n wild Fast Dry Nail Color in Ebony Hates Chris- a pure creamy black.

Obviously you can use any shades that you think look great together, I just wanted to give a few suggestions! I hope this has inspired you to look through your nail polish collection to create your favorite faux French mani! I'd love to know your favorite combinations and other nail trends you are creating this fall!

Always stay happy and healthy! :) Tschüss, Katharina