Nail Makeup

Nail art

French tips and half moon nails at home

Both designs are about one clean curve: the smile line at the tip or the moon at the base. Here is how to paint each, with or without guides.

French tip

A classic French manicure pairs a sheer pink or nude base with a white tip. The line between them, the smile line, follows the curve of the fingertip. On a squoval or square nail the curve is gentle. On rounder shapes it can be deeper.

French tip

Squoval shapeAbout 40 minutes with drying

  1. Base coatOne thin layer.

  2. Sheer nudeOne or two sheer coats for an even base.

  3. Tip, one sidePull white from one corner toward the middle.

  4. Tip, other sideRepeat from the other corner so they meet.

  5. Top coatSeals the tip and softens the smile line.

You need: Base coat, a sheer pink or nude, an opaque white, a thin brush or guide stickers, top coat.

Freehand smile lines

  1. Wipe most of the white off the brush. Too much polish floods the line.
  2. Start at one corner of the tip and pull the brush toward the middle, following the curve.
  3. Repeat from the other corner so the two strokes meet in the center.
  4. Fill in any gap at the very tip, then let it dry.
  5. Tidy the line with a small brush dipped in remover, then add top coat.

Turning your finger while the brush stays almost still is often easier than moving the brush around the curve.

Using guides

Curved guide stickers or a strip of tape give a clean edge. Put them on only when the base color is completely dry, press lightly, paint the tip, and peel the guide off while the tip is still wet. Peeling after it dries can pull the tip off with it.

Half moon

A half moon puts a curve at the base of the nail instead of the tip. The moon can be a lighter shade, a contrast color or even bare nail. The drawing uses a nude moon under lacquer red.

Half moon

Round shapeAbout 40 minutes with drying

  1. Base coatOne thin layer.

  2. Moon colorPaint the whole nail in nude and let it dry well.

  3. Main colorPaint red above the curve at the cuticle.

  4. Second coatA second coat over the red only.

  5. Top coatOne coat over the whole nail.

You need: Base coat, a moon color, a main color, round guide stickers or a steady brush, top coat.

Painting the moon

  • Paint the moon color over the whole nail first and let it dry well. This is easier than painting a small curve.
  • Paint the main color from the tip down to just above where you want the curve, then shape the curve with the side of the brush.
  • Round guide stickers placed at the base give a perfect curve. Use them the same way as French guides.
  • Keep the moon size the same on every nail. Holding your hands side by side and checking them together helps.

Easy variations

VariationHow
Color FrenchSwap the white tip for red, black or any shade
Thin FrenchPaint a very thin tip line, which hides small wobbles
Bare moonLeave the moon unpainted over a clear base coat
Outlined moonTrace the moon curve with a thin black line

For dots, stripes and gradients, go back to simple designs. To take any design off gently, see removing polish.