What once was a ’00s staple (remember duck nails?) is now back on the fingertips of nearly every celebrity: the French manicure. The lined look that dominated the early aughts has slowly but surely become the must-have style for beauty lovers embracing the Y2K wave, along with claw clips, mini shoulder bags, and low-rise skirts.
French manicures, invented in 1975 by Jeff Pink, then CEO of nail-care brand Orly International, were supposed to be a natural-looking alternative to the popular reds of Hollywood polishes. According to Who What Wear, the nude and white combo was meant to decrease the amount of time needed between wardrobe changes—eventually making its way to Paris to use on models in runway shows. From there it became known as the French manicure, taking Paris by storm and eventually making its way onto the fingernails of style icons like Paris Hilton.
Nowadays, there are plenty of French manicure styles that deviate from the standard flesh-colored formula. Instead, people are opting for colorful and out-of-the-box French manicure designs. Graphic art, stickers, and gems are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wearing the mani of the moment. If sticking to the classics is more your thing, there are countless nail-art brushes and stamps that promise a clean, crisp French manicure line. #NailTok—TikTok’s unofficial nail-art sphere—has countless videos of pro artists and rookies alike painting polish directly onto silicone molds and stamping a French tip outline onto their nail beds.
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Here, some of our favorite French manicure looks to inspire your next salon appointment. Get ready to screenshot.