Modern Nude Mani (3 Ways!)

The classic nude and french manicures have been around forever. They are kind of the "little black dress" version of nails that go with everything and are always appropriate. I love that lately people have been doing slight variations on the classic look that keep the same neutral feel but add a bit more of a modern flair that brings the nude mani into the current trends. The good news is that you don't have to be a profession nail technician to pull them off either! Here are 3 of my favorite (and easy to do!) options:

Supplies:
-emery boards and buffing block
-nail clippers
-white nail polish
-nude nail polish
-topcoat polish
-rounded tip guides
-painters tape
-small paintbrush

Start out by trimming your clean nails and shape them with your emery boards to your desired length. Use a buffing block to buff each nail and then apply several coats of your nude polish. This will be the starting point for each manicure. Make sure the polish is totally dry before doing any of the manis that use tape.

The Half Moon: For this look, use your tip guide to block off the rounded area near your cuticle and paint in the area with white polish. Complete a second coat of white if needed, and, when mostly dry, carefully peel off each guide to reveal your design underneath. Finish with a clear topcoat.

It's like a reverse french tip—so cute!

The Half Slash: Cut your painters tape into strips and place them diagonally across your nail to block off the front section of each nail. Use your white polish to fill in the top half of each nail and use a second coat if needed. When the polish is mostly dry, peel off each strip and finish with a top coat once the white section has set.

I love the graphic quality to this look. It's a bit more bold than the others, but still not too crazy that it can't go with everything.

The Polka Dot: Use a small rounded tip paintbrush to create a white dot right above your cuticle. Use a brush that is thick enough to create your desired size dot by simply placing it once on the nail when it's full of polish. That way, all your dots will be the same size and thickness. Allow the dots to dry and use a topcoat to seal.

I think this one is my current favorite. It's actually the easiest one to do (even though it looks so precise), but seeing all those tiny dots when I look down just makes me smile. As you can see, you don't have to be a trained professional to get into some of the current manicure trends and keeping the colors white and nude will ensure that whichever look you pick will compliment your outfits regardless of color scheme. Which mani is your favorite look? xo. Laura

Credits// Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.