A micro French is a regular French manicure made tiny: a very thin line of colour along the tip instead of a thick white band. On short nails it looks clean and modern, and it hides the free edge that can look uneven when nails are very short.
What you need
- A sheer pink, nude or milky base colour
- Your tip colour (white, beige, caramel, taupe or a soft pastel)
- A thin striping or detail brush, or the polish brush wiped almost dry
- Polish remover and a small clean-up brush
- Glossy top coat
Step by step
- Apply base coat and one or two thin coats of your base colour. Let it dry well.
- Wipe most of the tip colour off the brush. You want very little polish.
- Rest your hand on the table. Start at one side of the tip and pull the brush across in one smooth stroke, following the curve of the nail.
- Keep the line thinner than you think: 1 mm is enough on short nails.
- Clean up any wobbles with the small brush and remover.
- Seal with top coat, capping the tip.
Tip: Turn the finger, not the brush. Rolling your finger slowly under a still brush gives a smoother curve.
Free Short Nail Shape Guide
Five shapes that suit short nails, a quick ‘find your shape’ checklist and how to file a neat shape. Free printable, A4 + US Letter.
Get it freeColour ideas
- Warm caramel on milky nails: soft and autumn-friendly.
- Taupe on sheer pink: very office-friendly.
- Soft white on nude: the classic.
- Navy or burgundy on a clear base: smart for winter.
- Two shades, one on each hand, for something playful.
Short Nail Manicure Planner ยท $5
Nail profile, at-home manicure checklist, manicure log, polish tracker, press-on sizing and a 30-day care tracker. 10 printable pages.
See the printable
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