French manicures are a popular trend among women in America today. And for very good reason - the French manicure is very universal, and is just as appropriate for jeans and t-shirts as it is a wedding or prom dress. The classic French manicure has a light pink or nude base coat, with the tips of the fingernails painted bright white. Nearly every nail salon in America is familiar with this manicure and provides them to clients on a daily basis. But sometimes women like to add a bit of glamour to the French manicure, and this is easily accomplished by incorporating designs to their nails.

The history of the French Manicure is thought to go back to the mid 1970's when a man named Jeff Pink, president of the popular manicure company Orly, attended a fashion show where he noticed several of the models were using a white pencil to whiten the tips of their fingernails. He immediately realized this could be major fashion trend and brainstormed a way to recreate the look. The result was a kit that contained two shades of polish; a light pink base and white polish to paint the tips of the fingernails. He also included adhesive strips to place at the baseline of the nail so that women could effortlessly create a stunning, perfect look when applying the white paint.

Another great think about the French manicure is that it usually lasts longer than a traditional manicure with color, if only because it shows fewer chips and imperfections.

What is the purpose of having a manicure, if you are just going to put clear polish on top of your nails? Why bother to go through all that time and trouble, to look natural? Well, we women do tons of crazy things, and spend countless hours in the salon trying to make ourselves appear naturally beautiful. Why should manicures be any different? Besides, the polish is not actually clear. The polish is two different colors. A very thin white or off white coat is applied to the tips of your nails and allowed to dry. Then the entire nail is painted with a soft beige or pink color, making the nails very clean and polished looking, but not quite as dramatic as red or pink polish.

Now that I've sold you on the great art of French manicures, I will have to tell you that it is more difficult to give yourself a French manicure than it is to just paint your fingernails one solid color. I do have a quick fix as an alternative. If I am in a hurry, but still want my nails to look great. I will dig my fingernails into a bar of dove or ivory soap. Really and white soap will do just fine. Then, I wash my hands thoroughly. The soap really helps to whiten the tips of my nails. Lastly, I will quickly apply a clear coat of polish. The affects are not quite the same as taking the time to do an actual French manicure, but it works in a pinch.

Now if I have more time on my hands, I will give myself an at home French manicure. It's not as great as getting one in a salon, but still a treat nonetheless. First I will soak my hands and scrub them well with an exfoliating scrub. Next I will trim and shape the nails. Then I will apply a base coat of polish to my nails.

Finally, for those looking for a more extreme approach to nail designs, a popular trend called nail piercing is now available at several nail salons. Nail piercing is usually done on acrylic nails rather than actual nails. This is because once a real fingernail is pierced, it is nearly impossible to repair the nail later without having to cut it down. Using a small ear piercing gun, the manicurist pierces the nail with a tiny earring. These are usually studs or small gems. This procedure costs about $10 extra to your manicure.

In recent years, there has been a new addition to the French manicure family. It's the French pedicure. They have all of the flexibility and versatility of the French manicure. I love that I can wear pink shoes, red shoes, or black shoes without having to rethink my toenail polish.