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Don't get too attached to your lip gloss nails, because there's already a new manicure trend taking over: vanilla French nails. The timing is ideal given our fixation with TikTok's Vanilla Girl aesthetic. And unsurprisingly, vanilla French nails are currently taking over precisely because they deliver the creamiest manifestation of the cozy interiors movement to our fingertips.
Another twist to the traditional French manicure? We know, not exactly groundbreaking given all the new French manicure styles that have been making waves of late. But even a classic can become cool when the color is a bit unexpected—as is the case with vanilla French nails.
Coined by Zola Ganzorigt, the celebrity nail artist behind Hailey Bieber's viral glazed-donut nails and candy cane glazed nails, the vanilla French nail trend smacks of sophistication. A soft-focus, milky-thin version of the original, it channels the same fresh, pretty, minimalist vibes that the Vanilla Girl has in spades as well as a neutral palette of hushed hues (think beige, cream, and, of course, vanilla).
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“It is really neutral and elegant-looking,” Zola told Glamour UK. “After this fall's moody dark colors and holiday nails, everyone wants something simple and it’s perfect for that.”
In other words, there's absolutely no excuse not to get onboard with the trend. With A-listers including Adele and Kylie Jenner already fans, and Zola's viral credentials, don't be surprised to see this sweet confection all over your feed this spring.
So what exactly are vanilla French nails? Put simply, they still use all the hallmarks of a traditional French manicure as their blueprint. But rather than a pink base paired with a stark white tip, vanilla French nails comprise more muted shades and a lighter, off-white tip. Not to mention they're laid down to create a more sheer finish than the original.
“A French manicure is so iconic and everyone loves it, but the vanilla French mani is more soft-toned than a traditional white tip,” Zola says.
In fact, she name-checks two OPI Nail Lacquers for the look: Funny Bunny for the crescent, which the brand describes as “a fluffy, snuggly, perfectly polished white for your neutral polish needs.” And Put It In Neutral, a your-nails-but-better, next-to-natural creamy pink for the nail bed.
That said, you can switch up the color of the base depending on your skin tone. “If you have pink undertones, OPI's Bubble Bath would be a great base,” Zola adds. “A yellow undertone like mine would look super natural if you chose Put It In Neutral and Bare My Soul.”
Possibly one of the biggest appeals of the vanilla French mani trend, however, is that you can easily re-create the look at home. Zola recommends, “Prepping your nails with base coat first before applying two coats of your chosen base color.” Then simply paint the tip with two layers of light white and seal everything in with a topcoat. “That’s it,” says Zola. “It’s really simple and easy to do.” Well, Vanilla Girls are minimalist after all.
Then twist your hair into a claw clip, hunker down with a cozy cashmere throw, and light a vanilla-scented candle to enjoy the full effect.
This post was originally published on Glamour UK.
