French manicures have been a staple for many years, and now it’s time to shake it up with red French tip nails!
Combining the timelessness of french tips with classic red is the perfect way to make a statement with your nails.
We’ve collected some of our favorite looks to inspire you, as well as some tips on picking the perfect shade and style.
Choosing Your Red French Tip Nails Style
There are so many styles of french tips now it can be hard to choose the right one.
Not to mention you can also have different shades of red and different combinations; for example, you may choose to only do French tips on some nails and full color on the rest. Check out Pinterest for some ideas.
If you are getting gel or acrylic, you pretty much choose any shape you like!
If you are sticking with your natural nails, look at the shape of not only your nail but your free edge (where your red french tips would go). Ideally, you would follow the line of your free edge, though if you would like your french tip a little wider you can adjust your polish application.
Red French Tip Nails: Video Tutorial
If you would like to try making red French tip nails at home, check out the tutorial below – skip to 3min 40sec to see the design. Video by Venus Rosa via youtube.
Red French Tips You Can Do at Home
If you prefer to do your own nails but aren’t used to doing French tips, there are a few simple tricks.
- The simplest way is to use tape as a border for your polish.
- You can buy special tape at the drug store, or in a pinch, scotch tape works as well. Just line the tape under your free edge (you may need to trim if you’re using scotch tape) and apply your polish.
- The key with this method is to apply the color first, followed by the base coat and then the top coat.
- This way you can use a cotton swab to clean up the edges, and the combination of the base and top coats together will help to really lock in the color.
Style 1: Short Red French Tips
If you like to keep your nails short, you can still have gorgeous red French tips. You can either paint the tip a bit wider than your free edge, or stick with a thinner tip for something a bit more subtle.
With this method you may want to think about using an off white or light blush as the base color (rather than clear), this will make sure the red tips really pop!
Style 2: Dark Red French Tips
We love a classic apple red shade, but how about something a little darker?
Look at shades like burgundy or oxblood to really make a statement with your red French tips.
Style 3: Red French Tips for Acrylics
If you like the convenience of getting your nails done and not having to worry about them for a few weeks, try acrylic nails!
This will give you the freedom to try any length and shape you want for your red French tip nails. Your nail tech will have some experience with nail art, so be sure to ask for suggestions!
Style 4: Red French Tips for Coffin Nails
Coffin nails have become a popular nail shape. If you’re not familiar, coffin nails are slightly rounded at the side and straight across the top.
If you’re looking to try out something new with your red French tips, coffin nails are the way to go!
Style 5: Glitter Red French Tips
If you are a lover of anything sparkly, you’ll definitely want to try out some glitter-red French tips! You can either find a red polish that already has glitter, or add a clear glitter coat over top.
You can also use glitter on just one or two of your nails for an accent. The perfect way to add a little sparkle to your day to day. Or keep it in mind for the holidays!
Now that you’ve got your gorgeous red French tips, make sure they last! Wearing rubber gloves when you do the dishes or any kind of cleaning is key for making sure your nails stay fresh.
If you are doing your own nails, it’s very important to have a good quality top coat. Given that it’s only the tips that are painted, any nicks or chips are much more noticeable.
Red French tips are the perfect way to step up your manicure game. With so many options, you can try out a few different styles until you find your favorite one. So get out your tape or head to your nail bar and try them out!
