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With an endless number of designs, colors, and finishes, it's easy to take a more-is-more approach to nail art. But sometimes, we need a break from it all. A chic and soft palette cleanser that works any time of the year. Enter the soothing balm that is the vanilla French manicure.
Similar to the traditional French, it features a white tip on top of a nude nail. So what makes this so different? It’s all in the shades. We're swapping stark whits for subtle shades of cream, beiges, and tan.
“Vanilla French nails are a more natural take on a French mani,” says nail artist Mabelyn Alva, who is the creative director for Paintbox Nails—which has it’s own version of the trend as a press on. “It’s a subtle way of adding something to your natural nude manicure and also elongates the nail with the soft design on the tips using milky white or beige.”
See below for some of InStyle’s favorite takes on the vanilla French trend.
Milky Way
We love this milky white nail transformation to the moon and back. The milky opaque base gives just the right amount of contrast with the French tip.
Terrazzo Shake
In keeping with the French vanilla trend, these terrazzo tips have the perfect creamy, off-white shade. It's like melted vanilla ice cream.
Velvety Vanilla
We love this vanilla French for so many reasons, but we’ll keep it simple. The soft-pink undertones in the base work beautifully with the velvety, dimensional tip.
Scales and Tails
Another ombré-inspired look, these white tips stay on our French vanilla theme while adding a special snakeskin-like twist.
Glazed and Gorgeous
No, the glazed donut nail look isn’t going anywhere—and why would we want it to? These chic, shiny nails are perfect for any occasion. This look uses a neutral chrome that adds sheen without a drop of color.
Caramel Swirls
If these nails were an ice cream sundae, they wouldn’t need a cherry on top. The dripping caramel lines are just enough.
Lines in the Sand
This look has all the elements of a vanilla French (off-whites, gentle beiges) with a twist. The ombré look takes away the harsh French line, and replaces it with a cascade of shade. Plus, the thin line effect adds an extra element to make this look even more intriguing.
Minimalist French
Instead of an opaque tip, this look features a soft white-to-beighe gradiant where the smile line is accentuated with a razor-thin line.
Strawberry Vanilla
You can never have enough pink. This muted pink base with a pink-tinted tip is the perfect French manicure for someone who lives the pink lifestyle 24/7.
Hazy Glaze-y
Ombré. Glaze. French Vanilla. Yes, if you combine a bunch of trends, it will look absolutely gorgeous.
Vanilla Chrome
Literally everything is better with chrome. This look features a soft white on the tips and a neutral base topped with champagne chrome powder, which adds a wash of warmth to the look.
Sideways Stunner
Give your French Vanilla some extra dimension by shifting things over to one side. This perfectly unbalanced look will make the style stand out.