French Tip Toes Trend Nail Inspiration, Pedicure Ideas

(Image credit: IG @tessnaiils | IG @bombshellnailslondon | ILNP)

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Classic French
Shimmer French
Milky French
Flirty French
Icy French
Subtle French
Playful French
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I realized the French pedicure was back while I was people-watching at the Ritz in Naples two weeks ago—specifically when I noted that every well-dressed woman I passed seemed to have the exact same French tip toes. Poolside, at lunch, gliding through the lobby in leather Hermès sandals: clean nails, sheer polish, and that unmistakable white tip.

At this point, I'll acknowledge that I was thinking too hard about other people's toes—but can you blame me? I love clocking the quiet luxury trends the ultra-rich casually collect, if only for investigative beauty journalism. (And, fine, for spectacle.) But this French pedicure wasn't the one I remembered. Instead of the stark white-and-pink contrast that used to feel like a default vacation choice, this one was softened and pared back. The bases were milky or barely there, and the tips were much thinner. It looked expensive in the way the best things do: not flashy, just impossibly chic and polished. Which, frankly, is the point.

After years of hyper-long nails, high-contrast designs, and manicures that look incredible on Instagram but punish you during grow-out, the pendulum is swinging back to refinement. And if you want to make it feel more current, you can still…just skip the elaborate nail art. Try a softer tip shade, or add a chrome or glassy finish instead.

Ahead, the best French tip toe nail designs that will carry you through the last stretch of winter—and straight into spring, just in time to break out all your sandals.

Video courtesy of @beauty_secretslb

The Safe Bet

There's a reason the classic French tip never fully went away. It's the pedicure version of a crisp white button-down or your favorite pair of jeans. This time around, to make it more modern, ask for a thinner tip and a sheer base—it changes everything.

Manicurist

Pale Rose

A Little Shimmer

A shimmer base catches the light as you move in a way that reads glossy and expensive. It's also one of the easiest ways to make a neutral pedicure feel elevated without committing to a full design.

Mooncat

Moondust

Clean and Milky

The milky French pedicure is the one that made me stop and stare in Naples. It looks softer than the old-school pink base, and it's wildly flattering on everyone. It's also extremely forgiving as it grows out, which is honestly half the appeal.

Static Nails

Coconut

Flirty French

Valentine's Day nail trends can get cheesy fast, but French tip toes make it easier to keep things cute without going full-on theme. Swap the white tip for a soft red, blush pink, or even a deep berry. Or, add a few little hearts like @lechatnails. It's romantic, but still wearable long after February 14.

TGB

Red Hearts & Twinkles Studio Nail Decals

The Icy Upgrade

Hailey Bieber, you deserve your flowers. The chrome nail trend is not going anywhere, and with a million iterations stemming from the OG (hi, glass nails and glazed donut nails), it's a safe bet to elevate any French pedicure.

LONDONTOWN

Starry Chrome

Quiet Details

This is the kind of nail art that perfectly suits this trend: the kind you don't notice until you're close up. Keep the base a sheerer color and the tip thin and clean, then add one tiny star (or another shape)—tucked near the corner of the nail.

Chanel

Le Vernis in Phénix

French, But Fun

A colored tip is the easiest way to switch things up without abandoning the signature French detail. Keep the base sheer, and add a little pop of color. For winter, an icy blue, for spring, a butter yellow.

Death Valley Nails

Stone Cold Fox

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

Siena Gagliano is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she writes and edits reported features, trend stories, and expert-backed shopping roundups. Before joining the team full-time, she was an editor at Cosmopolitan, where she specialized in SEO-first beauty content and commerce strategy. Her bylines have also appeared in Allure, ELLE, Bustle, Well+Good, Popsugar, and Women's Health, covering everything from the best products for brighter, glowier skin to the science behind face mapping. Curious about the behind-the-scenes magazine life and her go-to beauty picks? Follow her on Instagram at @sienagagliano.