The American manicure is experiencing a resurgence and we couldn’t be more excited. This subtle, nude style comes from the same family as the French manicure, but with a calm atmosphere.
Many of our favorite ‘It’ girls, like Margot Robbie, Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez, have all been spotted with American manicures on their nails. Thanks to the natural, flattering colors, this style fits perfectly with today’s understated, clean-cut girl aesthetic. It fits just as well on the red carpet as on a day at the office.
If you’ve ever looked at a French manicure, with stark white tips contrasting with the pink nail polish, and thought to yourself, “That’s way too much…” then the American manicure might be for you. Read on to learn everything you need to know about this cool, modern style!
What is an American manicure?
An American manicure is a nail polish application technique in which the tips of the nails are decorated with colors that mimic a healthy, natural nail. It’s the ‘no makeup makeup’ approach applied to nail polish. Anna Parvatova, nail stylist and creative director of SNS Nails, considers it a variation on the French manicure.
While it is not clear who invented the American manicure or when it started, Parvatova explains that its recent popularity is largely due to who has worn the manicure: “It has really grown in popularity in recent years as celebrities and, most notably, Victoria’s Secret models began sporting it prominently.”
To achieve this style, manicurists use off-white or ivory nail polish for the free edge of the nail and peach or nude nail polish for the base. The polish selected for the job is usually transparent, allowing natural nail texture to shine through.
After the tips are painted, the nude base color is usually applied over the entire nail, including the tips, blending the colors together and creating a gradual transition.
The soft colors should be close to the wearer’s natural color. The best American manicure nail polish colors for someone with a deeper skin tone may not suit someone with a lighter skin tone, and vice versa.
As with most nail styles, there is plenty of room for variation in other aspects of your manicure. You can get a traditional American manicure with regular nail polish or combine it with UV-cured gel polish, dip powder, acrylic and more. You can even combine it with a Russian manicure, which despite the similarity in the name actually refers to the nail preparation technique.
How to get an American manicure
Would you like to try the American manicure? Here’s how to recreate it at home, or how your manicurist can make it happen at the salon.
Choose your colors
Before you can start creating your manicure, it’s important that you have the right nail polishes on hand. If you have fair skin, a peach pink base will work best, while someone with a deeper skin tone will achieve the same effect with a pink taupe.
Some great polishes for the American manicure are Essie in Limo-Scene, Deborah Lippmann in Naked and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Instant Coffee for the base. For the tips, we recommend China Glaze in Coffee First, People Later.
Soak the cuticles
The first step in any manicure is preparation. To really pamper yourself, soak your nails in a bath of warm water. This will also help soften your nails and cuticles, making shaping easier. After a few minutes, pull your hands out of the water. Use a cuticle removal cream or an orange stick to gently remove or push back your cuticles.
Shaping and base coat
You can trim your nails if necessary, but otherwise use a nail file to gently shape them. “In keeping with the subtle appearance, American manicure nails should be shorter and have less pointed tips,” Parvatova advised.
Ovals are the classic choice for an American manicure, but you can also try an almond or square shape to create a contrast. Parvatova emphasized the importance of taking the shape of your own finger into account when making a decision.
Once you’re done shaping, use a dry cloth to remove nail dust and dry your nails.
Apply the tips
Apply a thin layer of base coat and once it dries, apply beige or white to the tips of the nails. If you are confident in your nail polish application skills, you can paint your tips freehand by simply swiping the white over your natural tips. Be sure to wrap the color around the edge of the nail to prevent chipping and ensure your manicure lasts longer.
If you are still starting out, you can apply a piece of tape to cover the nail bed so that only the free edge remains visible. This will serve as a guide, allowing you to paint the points more evenly with a clearer delineation line.
Polish
Once the color of the tips has dried, you can now apply your base nail polish. Make sure there is not too much nail polish in the brush, then start applying gently, as close to the cuticle as possible, and pull it up in one motion, all the way to the tips. If necessary, follow up with a second stroke to ensure your entire nail is covered. That said, one coat of nail polish is usually enough, even if you use a very sheer color.
Top Coat
Finally, once your nail polish has dried, apply a thin layer of top coat to seal the look, add a flattering shine, and make your nail polish last even longer. Once the top coat has dried, a generous amount of hand cream or cuticle oil will help nourish the skin around your nails and give your manicure more flexibility.
Ask for an American manicure in the salon
American manicures may be trendy these days, but there’s still no guarantee that your manicurist will know exactly what you mean by them. That said, with proper communication you should have no problem explaining what you want, even if your manicure is unfamiliar.
Let your manicurist know that you want a very subtle version of the French manicure, with pure nude colors and with the base shade over the off-white tips. To ensure you get exactly what you want, have your manicurist confirm your color choice before painting your nails.
American manicure vs French manicure
The French manicure is the original classic, a stark style that exaggerates the color of natural nails. Compared to the American manicure, it is a lot more noticeable. To continue with our makeup analogy, a French manicure is like a soft glam look, compared to the true nude look of the American manicure.
Although the difference mainly has to do with the colors used, there can also be a slight variation in the application technique. “Well-executed American manicures even show a subtle blending between the tip and the rest of the nail, as opposed to the sharp separation between the two that characterizes French manicures,” Parvatova explains.
Over the years, the popularity of the French manicure has had its ups and downs. Nowadays it’s polarizing; some consider it a timeless, flattering and glamorous style. For others it is dated, overdone and tasteless.
The American manicure is less talked about, perhaps because it’s newer or because it flies under the radar. If you choose to get an American manicure, others may assume that your nails look natural or that you are only wearing a thin coat of clear polish.
American manicure vs Russian manicure
Although they may sound like they are similar or even related, the terms American manicure and Russian manicure refer to two completely different things.
An American manicure is all about the choice of nail polish color and application style. With the Russian manicure it is purely a matter of how the nails are prepared. Closely related to the ‘dry manicure’, the distinguishing factor in a Russian manicure is that the nails are prepared without soaking.
With the help of an electric nail file, the manicurist exfoliates the cuticle and gives the nails a new shape. The polish is then applied not only near the cuticle, but also under the eponychium, the thick layer of skin at the base of the nail.
Manicurists who favor this technique believe that soaking weakens the nails and that the dry preparation is healthier. However, opponents of the technique believe it is too aggressive, potentially damaging the eponychium and leading to infections.
If you want to take part in international diplomacy, you can try a Russian-American manicure made using both techniques. However, it is important to choose a manicurist who is highly trained in Russian manicures, is diligent about hygiene and sanitation, and knows how to remove the cuticle without damaging the eponychium.
FAQ
What’s the healthiest manicure you can get?
A traditional manicure with regular nail polish is probably the healthiest option, as it can be removed easily and without damage. To ensure that your manicure is even better for your nails, choose nail polishes with nail-strengthening formulas and nourishing ingredients.
What color should I use for an American manicure?
As a base color, choose a nail polish shade that is slightly pinker than your skin tone. This means you can choose a darker shade if your skin is deeper, or a lighter shade if your skin is lighter. For the tips, beige or off-white is best, but even a white shade works as you paint the base color over the tips.
How much should I tip for a professional manicure?
Just like in a restaurant, you should tip between 15% and 20% if you have done a good job. Consider tipping even more if your manicurist goes above and beyond!
