What Is a Floating French Manicure?

You’ve heard about a classic French manicure—maybe even the inverted or deconstructed French—but what about a floating French mani? Still low-key and chic, the floating French manicure puts a jazzy little spin on the OG by creating a gap of space between the natural nail base and the painted tip. The use of negative space feels more modern and edgy, but doesn’t tip the scale into anything too crazy. 

“You can play with the colors and the location of the art to have your own fully custom look,” says Tom Bachik, celebrity manicurist and imPRESS ambassador. “It also gives you the opportunity to incorporate other trends into the design, such as with ombre looks or multi colors. Current trends are always evolving from recent popular looks, and French is consistently trending in different ways.” 

Want to give this mani a go? We’ve got the full tutorial. 

RELATED: How to Give Yourself a Salon Manicure at Home: Step-By-Step Guide 

How to Do a Floating French Manicure 

Along with looking great and matching basically everything in your wardrobe, the floating French mani is also pretty easy to pull off. Here’s what to do. 

Step 1: File and Shape

Take care to prep your nails before reaching for any paint. Create a uniform length and shape across all your fingernails and tidy up any stray cuticles. 

“Floating french nails can be worn with any shape and length, but it works particularly well with short squoval nails or medium-long almond nails,” says celebrity manicurist Mazz Hanna, CEO of Nailing Hollywood. “The curved line of the floating french elongates the fingers while still giving off a subtle, delicate vibe.”

Step 2: Choose Your Base Color 

Once nails are prepped, you can apply your base color. Hanna says you can use any base or tip color for the floating manicure, similar to what you’d do for a traditional French. 

“The trend focuses more on the placement and thickness of the floating line rather than the colors used,” she says. That means you could stick to a classic pink and white color scheme, or weave in a brighter hue, experiment with metallics, or try an ombre like Bachik mentioned. 

Step 3: Apply Your Floating French Tip 

Once you’ve got your base painted, go back in with a fine nail brush and carefully draw a curved line toward the tip of the nail. Do not color it in like you would a typical French mani; instead keep the negative space. Some people like to create a double line—either at the very edge of the nail or lower on the nail—so do what works best for you. 

Step 4: Seal with a Top Coat 

To ensure your manicure lasts for a while, apply a top coat, or use a gel polish and cure it under a UV light.