Types of Manicures For Natural Nails

Manicures are an enjoyable way to treat yourself and show off your personal style, as well as an ideal way to explore color or nail design trends without making a long-term commitment.

Given all of the choices, selecting an ideal manicure can be challenging. Here are five essential types to keep in mind.

Basic Manicure

Basic manicures typically involve polish applied directly onto your nails and sealed off with top coat, for less than $30. They should last anywhere from three days to one week depending on how often or hard you work with your hands.

Cleaning and soaking nails, filing them down, cuticle shaping, applying base coat and nail polish before leaving for drying may take anywhere between one to two minutes.

Choose any color you’d like for this type of manicure and, when it comes time to remove, you will require just a small amount of acetone on cotton pads to take off the polish. Too much acetone could damage your nails so be mindful when applying. A professional nail tech will know exactly how to safely take off polish without damaging nails; perhaps by using softer files or non-abrasive wooden cuticle pushers.

French Manicure

The French manicure is a timeless classic for women with natural nails, featuring a white tip paired with an undulated natural-looking base and known for being both chic and sophisticated. Many style icons have worn it over the years.

This style works best on long or medium-length nails, though shorter nails may also work. When applying French manicures it’s essential that the nails are prepared correctly – using a high-grit nail file and moisturizing cuticles with oil like the Lotus Half Moon Zebra File 180/180 Grit can ensure smooth nails ready for the French tip!

An effective way to create the ideal, flawless smile line is with French manicure guides, which are small stickers you can apply before painting on the edge of your nails. They will allow you to achieve a crisp white line while keeping polish from smudging during application.

Shellac Manicure

If your nails tend to be naturally strong, a Shellac Manicure might be just what’s needed. Lasting for up to 21 days and applied like nail polish but then cured under UV light for curing purposes, it produces a durable hard coat much like that seen with gel manicures.

Before applying the polish, your nails are filed and shaped. For optimal results, this type of manicure should be performed every two weeks to extend its longevity and avoid damage to natural nails from buffing processes associated with acrylic nails or regular polish.

It is essential that when receiving a Shellac manicure, you use high quality hand cream and cuticle oil with essential nutrient levels to keep both nails and skin hydrated and extend its longevity. Furthermore, avoid picking at the polish as this could weaken natural nails; should some pieces come off, schedule an appointment with a technician so it can be professionally removed.

Press-On Manicure

While home gel nail kits and stickers provide plenty of ways to achieve that cute, polished look you desire, press-on nails are another fantastic alternative. “These nails are ideal when traveling is not an option and for those who would rather forgoing chemicals or UV rays,” notes Elle.

Press-on nails are prefabricated artificial nails designed for temporary wear that can be attached to natural ones with special glue or high-strength nail sticker tabs. Elle reports that selecting the appropriate size is key to having a successful press-on manicure: they must fit seamlessly onto your natural nail bed size and shape, according to Elle. Likewise, pushing back cuticles as usual for optimal wear time.

To safely and quickly get rid of them, Elle and Good Housekeeping Institute beauty Lab Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek recommend immersing nails in an acetone soak or applying an appropriate nail polish remover such as KISS Products Nail & Cuticle Remover (2021 GH Beauty Award Winner). Both should help them come off easily without harming natural nails.