If you’ve ever wished you could have longer nails, the Italian manicure is here to turn your dreams into a reality. As much as we love the ever-classic French manicure, this competing European mani is stealing our hearts. While the French manicure is by no means a thing of the past, this trending Italian manicure technique is a new solution for those wanting to achieve an optical lengthening effect on their nails.
The Italian manicure is stealing the internet’s attention with the simple, elegant, sophisticated, and easy-to-wear design. The best part? It’s super flattering for those with short nails.
Julie Kandalec, celebrity nail artist and educator, co-owner of Star Touch Agency, tells Glamour that the Italian Manicure has actually been around since she first took her State Board exam may years ago and was originally called “a slim line mani.” According Kandalec, this trend is especially good for people who “have trouble keeping the polish off their skin on the sides.”
What is the Italian manicure?
The trend works by visually lengthening the look of the nail using a single nail polish shade. The trick is to start applying the polish as close to the cuticle as possible without touching. After finishing applying color, use a super-thin nail brush soaked in nail polish remover to draw a miniscule line around the edges of the nails. This creates the smallest amount of space between the sides of the nails and the polish, which creates the illusion of more elongated nail beds (i.e., longer-looking nails). Insider tip: Before applying any color, it’s essential that the cuticle is properly removed (either cut or pushed back, depending on your preference) to make the most of all the space on the nail. Keep your cuticles hydrated and make your mani last by applying a cuticle oil.
Rebecca Isa, creative director at Zoya, is a big fan of the Italian manicure. According to her, “It is one of those subtle techniques that makes the hands look instantly more elegant.” Ultimately, the goal is to make your nail look more slender and longer with this simple and effective mani. “It’s less about a specific color or design and more about placement and proportion.”
Isa adds that “by leaving a very slim margin along the sidewalls of the nail, the manicure creates the illusion of a longer, narrower nail bed, which is especially flattering on shorter nails or wider nail shapes.”
How to wear the Italian manicure
There are plenty of ways to style your Italian manicure to your liking. Because you’re aiming for a longer-looking nail, an almond-, squoval-, or square-shaped nail works best. Since it’s a single-color trend, you can choose any shade you like. Just note you should use only one at a time.
“The key to an Italian manicure is precision,” says Isa, adding that instead of “painting polish all the way to the outer edges of the nail, leave the tiniest sliver of natural nail visible on each side. This visually elongates the nail and creates a more tapered effect.” Whether you are choosing a creamy nude or a bold red, make sure to “keep a clean-up brush dipped in remover nearby so you can perfect the edges and keep the sidewalls crisp.”
Keep scrolling for more ways to wear the Italian manicure trend.
Glazed donut nails
Hailey Bieber really was on to something when she first wore glazed donut nails. We love the effect that the chrome powder gives, so to give your nails a cool and elegant touch, try a nude, pearly color.
