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

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

Meet the expert

Chrome French

“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.”

Classic Red

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

Multicolor Green French

“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).

Multicolor

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

Silver Press-On

“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.”

Blue & Orange

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

Red Hearts

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

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.

Orange on Orange

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.

Hi-Lite

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.

Shades of Green

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.

Minimal Orange

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.

Lemon Lime

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

Sunset

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

Deep Green

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.

Cherries

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.

Baby Hot Pink

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.

Evil Eye

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.

Clear Tip

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.

Bridgerton Hues

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

Ombré French

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.

Limoncello

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.

Brown Gradient

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

Blue Ombré

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.

Vache

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

Baby Pink

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.

Green & White

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.

Barbie Pink

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

Earth Tones

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

Green Chrome

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