Home » Beauty » Tips and Toes »  A French Manicure French manicure was a rage in Europe for many years. How does one get this exclusive, Parisian look?

The first thing to do is to exfoliate. Rub a small amount of exfoliating scrub on your hands. Massage gently. Rinse with water and dry thoroughly. Keeping your hands wet or damp could cause dryness in the cold weather.

Use a nail file or an orange stick to file your nails. This must be done gently. Always move the file in the same direction and not to and fro. Keep your nails flat across the top with smooth, rounded edges. Don't use rough nail files. Choose one with a fine surface that moves easily. File flat with well-rounded edges.

Rub in some rich cream into your nails and cuticles which will help nourish and soften them. Wrap in a warm towel for ten minutes. Then, gently push your cuticles back. Rubber hoof sticks are ideal for this purpose. Don't use sharp devices as they can hurt you. Wash your hands with warm water and pat dry.

French manicures always have a base coat applied over the entire nail. The base coat helps strengthen your nail and fill in uneven ridges. Your nail then has a smooth finish to it. Allow your nails to dry well.

Now apply a coat of transparent nail polish over your nails. Wait till it dries well. Now paint your tips with white.

The original French manicure frowns on long, pointed nails and on nail colour. Short nails, a natural sheen with white tips, is what it's all about. Though nowadays these two colours are often substituted with two bright colours.