We all love a French tip manicure, but what should you try when you get a little bored of the two-tone style? TikTok thinks it has the answer in oyster French tip nails. Take the classic look and add a little bit of extra swirly detailing on the tips and you’ve got yourself the perfect mani for summer!
The look is incredibly simple to master either at home or in a salon, depending on whether you like to do your own nails or pay for professional work. If you’re going to a salon – we went to Paint Nails London at The Beauty Club in Oxford Circus – we recommend asking for French tip-style gel or shellac polish, but instead of the white shade they would usually use on the tips, ask if they have a pearlescent white. If they don’t, they can mix together the white with a silvery chrome to give the illusion of an oyster shade.
For a base tone, we recommend asking for a sheer pink like OPI’s Bubble Bath. You want there to be enough contrast between the white and the base shade to really show off the pearlescent detailing. The trick then is to ensure your nail tech uses a small brush to swirl the pearly polish onto the tips of your nails to give an oyster shell-like effect.
Giving the look a try at home? You don’t need a UV lamp to master the style. We suggest shopping OPI Bubble Bath Nail Polish, £14.90 here, and Essie’s Sip Sip Hooray Pearl White Shimmer Nail Polish, £8.99 here. If you want to add a bit of extra dimension to your pearly tips, dust over a coat of Manucurist’s Glazed Effect Powder, £9 here, before finishing with a glossy top coat.
With wedding season on the approach, this oyster French tip upgrade is the perfect mani for any bride wanting a subtle twist on the classic look. It’s also a great style to try out for summer events as the combination of a neutral pink and a glazed tip works with just about any outfit colour.
We suppose the oyster effect of this mani could be likened to glazed craze started by Hailey Bieber last summer. That original look is basically a combination of neutral, pearly white and chrome colours, and is still incredibly popular today.
“I do one thin layer of a colour,” Hailey explained the product combination in an interview. “I like making my own colours too, so I’ll ask the nail technician: "Can you mix this with this and put clear in it to thin it out?’ Then I rub chrome dust over it. I’m having a chrome nail obsession.”
Since that initial glazed donut look went viral on social media we’ve since seen mocha, cherry and yellow versions of the chrome effect, all started by our ultimate nail guru Hailey.
We wonder if she’ll catch wind of the oyster trend and give it a go for herself!
To book gel nail appointments at Paint Nails London from £45, head here.
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