30 Colorful Nails That Put a Spin on Classic French Tips (2024)

You can never go wrong with a French manicure. It's a classic design that provides a clean and crisp look. If you want to keep that classic vibe but have a little more fun, you can deviate from the traditional white polish and dip into color. "I’m obsessed with a colored or chrome French manicure," says celebrity manicurist Brittney Boyce. "This trend has been popular for a long time and it’s definitely not going anywhere anytime soon."

American Manicures Are a Softer Take on the Ever-Classic French

Expert Mabelyn Alva adds that it helps you put a seasonal twist on your look. "Bright pink, Kelly green, and neons are really popular at Paintbox during the summer months," she says. "Black, metallics, and glitter french tips are also highly requested during the winter-holiday season."

meet the expert

Brittney Boyce is a celebrity manicurist who works with clients like Machine Gun Kelly.
Mabelyn Alva is a manicurist and the creative director at Paintbox.

To inspire a colorful French manicure, scroll through the 30 looks below.

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Chrome French

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“Chrome French is definitely one of my favorite designs,” says Boyce. “I used Aprés Nail Natural Almond Long ($30) gel-x tips to get the look.”

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Classic Red

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“A vibrant red french tip is also a signature manicure for me,” says Alva.

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Multicolor Green French

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“This is a fun play on a multicolor manicure. It is a little more subtle because of the sheer nude base,” says Boyce. To create this look, she used the French Manicure Gel Rio de Janeiro Ombre Set from Aprés Nail ($60).

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Multicolor

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This super colorful French tip look features two-toned designs featuring various shades of blue, green, orange, pink, and yellow.

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Silver Press-On

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“I love silver French tips to wear with my gold jewelry,” says Alva. “Our latest press-on launch includes Cold Spell ($28), a silver French tip design that's perfect for the winter/holiday season.”

How to Apply (and Remove!) Press-On Nails the Right Way

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Blue & Orange

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Blue and orange—complementary colors—were used to create this French tip look. Each nail has a traditional tip and then an abstract blob.

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Red Hearts

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These heart tips are perfect for Valentine's Day or any time you're feeling romantic. Each nail has a pretty red heart for a simple design.

Black and White

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This look splits each tip in half with one side black and the other side white. It's like Cruella de Vil's hair in nail form.

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Orange on Orange

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Instead of keeping the base sheer, you can make your French tip design more colorful by using an opaque color for the base. This look features a light orange base with a deeper orange tip.

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Hi-Lite

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Hi-Lite, a French Manicure Gel from Aprés ($15), was used to create this electric mani. The French manicure gel is super pigmented and has medium viscosity so you get full coverage in two coats or less.

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Shades of Green

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For a fun yet uniform look, this design features a teal nail tip accented by a deep green swirl to the side of each nail.

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Minimal Orange

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Keep your French tip design minimal by making the tip super small. This design also features a few dots on one of the nails for added interest.

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Lemon Lime

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For this look, a bright yellow serves as the base for a deep-green tip, creating a fun lemon-lime effect.

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Sunset

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Instead of keeping the tips one color, this design used sunset colors—pink, orange, and yellow—in a gradient.

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Deep Green

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Deep green is the star of this impactful French tip design. Two nails per hand got a full coat of the green polish while the three remaining nails have the tip.

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Cherries

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Crystal decals are a great way to spice up any mani. This design features a pink French tip with red crystals arranged to look like cherries.

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Baby Hot Pink

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The tip on these nails is so thin you'll miss it if you look too fast. It's a great way to use a loud shade like hot pink subtly.

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Evil Eye

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French tips are used to round out an evil-eye design. Blue and white anchor the look while one nail per hand got some golden flecks.

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Clear Tip

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Instead of doing a sheer base with a colorful tip, this design takes advantage of the clear nature of the extensions. The tips are left clear with a baby blue base. The blue extends around the edge of the tip in a really thin line to complete the look.

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Bridgerton Hues

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Celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec created this Bridgerton-inspired manicure that features yellow, green, and blue pastels along with gold charms.

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Ombré French

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This ombrétip look uses a thin line along the smile line of the nail to create the sharp look of a French tip without a fully opaque design.

These 11 Ombré Nail Designs Are Both Timeless and Trendy

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Limoncello

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Alva created this sunny-yellow look using Like Electric form Paintbox ($22). It's a neon shade with a milky base, allowing you to get an opaque finish with ease.

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Brown Gradient

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French tips are a really fun way to do a gradient. This look uses five shades of brown, ranging from light to dark.

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Blue Ombré

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This ombré look fades from a deep blue at the tip of the nail to a light blue at the base. The tails of the tip extend down to the cuticle line, allowing a lot of space for the ombré to fade.

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Vache

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Take a French tip up a notch and add cow print. This combo yields a really fun and pretty look.

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Baby Pink

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If you want a French tip that's not too far off from the OG shade, reach for a baby pink. It gives a similarly delicate vibe to the usual white.

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Green & White

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A rich green was used to create this French tip design. Each nail also features a thin white swirl to add movement to the look.

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Barbie Pink

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If you're still loving Barbiemania, try out this look that features tips in varying shades of pink and white flowers with pink crystals.

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Earth Tones

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Earth tones brown, white, and green come together in this French tip look. It's a clean and chic look.

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Green Chrome

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This green chrome gives reptile vibes in the best way possible. It's vibrant and moody at the same time.

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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

Introduction

As an expert and enthusiast, I have been trained on a diverse range of topics and have access to a vast amount of information. My training allows me to generate human-like text and provide relevant and informative responses. While I don't possess personal experiences or opinions, I can provide detailed information and insights on various subjects.

French Manicures and Colorful Variations

French manicures are a timeless and classic nail design that offers a clean and polished look. The traditional French manicure typically features a white tip against a natural or sheer pink base. However, there are many variations of French manicures that allow for more creativity and individuality.

In this article, celebrity manicurist Brittney Boyce and expert Mabelyn Alva discuss different ways to add color and excitement to the French manicure. By deviating from the traditional white tip, you can experiment with various colors and designs to create a unique and eye-catching look. These colored or chrome French manicures have been popular for quite some time and continue to be a trend.

Seasonal Twist and Popular Colors

Mabelyn Alva mentions that French manicures can be customized to put a seasonal twist on your look. For example, during the summer months, bright pink, Kelly green, and neon colors are popular choices. On the other hand, during the winter-holiday season, black, metallics, and glitter French tips are highly requested.

Expert Profiles

Brittney Boyce is a celebrity manicurist who has worked with clients like Machine Gun Kelly. Her expertise and experience in the industry make her a reliable source when it comes to nail trends and designs.

Mabelyn Alva is a manicurist and the creative director at Paintbox. With her extensive knowledge and creativity, she offers valuable insights into the world of nail art and manicures.

Variations of French Manicures

The article showcases 30 different French manicure designs, each with its own unique twist. Some of the designs mentioned include:

Chrome French: This design features a chrome finish, providing a modern and edgy take on the classic French manicure. Aprés Nail Natural Almond Long gel-x tips are used to achieve this look.
Classic Red: A vibrant red tip adds a bold and statement-making element to the French manicure.
Multicolor Green French: This design combines a sheer nude base with multicolored green tips, creating a subtle yet playful look.
Multicolor: This French tip design features two-toned designs with various shades of blue, green, orange, pink, and yellow.
Silver Press-On: Silver French tips can be a great choice to complement gold jewelry. The Cold Spell press-on design by Paintbox offers a silver French tip option perfect for the winter/holiday season.

The article continues to present a variety of other designs, including blue and orange, red hearts, black and white, orange on orange, hi-lite, shades of green, minimal orange, lemon lime, sunset, deep green, cherries, baby hot pink, evil eye, clear tip, Bridgerton hues, ombré French, limoncello, brown gradient, blue ombré, vache (cow print), baby pink, green and white, Barbie pink, earth tones, and green chrome.

Each design offers a unique twist on the French manicure, showcasing the versatility and creativity that can be achieved with this classic nail style.

Conclusion

French manicures are a classic and versatile nail design that can be customized and personalized in various ways. By deviating from the traditional white tip, you can experiment with colors, textures, and patterns to create a look that suits your style and preferences. The 30 designs showcased in the article provide inspiration and ideas for creating your own unique French manicure.