The popularity of the French manicure is undeniable. Maybe it's because of the versatility that is offered by a French manicure. They allow you to have groomed and polished looking hands without having to worry about picking a color. Picking a color is one of my least favorite things about getting a manicure, especially at a nail salon. I always end up picking a color that I don't like once it's on my nails. Then I either have to live with the unfortunate color or embarrassedly ask the manicurist to change the color. That's the beauty of a French manicure. There really aren't that many decisions to be made. Sure you may have to choose between white and off white for your tips, or possibly have to choose between blush and beige for the base color; compared to having to choose between wild orchid or pink palm, that decision is for amateurs.

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.

French manicures also last longer than traditional manicures with colored polish because you cannot see chips as easily. They are also easier to touch up without being too noticeable.

Also, I like that I don't have to think too much about the color of my nail polish when choosing my outfits. Nothing is worse than having someone point out that my hot pink polish clashes with coral dress.While French manicures may look almost natural, they are the most difficult type of manicure to have done to your nails. Most salons charge more money for a French manicure, than a regular manicure with one solid color. Some salons use an actual paint brush, with very fine bristles to apply the thin white coat to the tips of the nails. Other salons will very quickly apply the white coat without much attention to detail. Then they will come back before the polish has dried and remove the excess color with an orange stick wrapped in cotton.

This is interesting to watch. I always get nervous when the manicurist paints half of my fingernail white. I'm thinking to myself, great, I could do a better job at home blindfolded and I'm paying her my hard earned money to make a huge mess. But then, she is always redeemed when she had cleaned off the excess and my nails look great. Watching her perfect this skill with ease, I was enticed to try this process at home. I made a huge mess; I think that next time I will leave this skill to the professional.

Sometimes nail technicians at salons will use acrylic tips when providing a French Manicure. This is usually done when the actual nails are not long enough to get the stunning white tip look. The technician will place long tips on your fingernails, cut them down to your requested size, and sand them down so that tip blends with your actual nail. They will then apply an acrylic foundation that hardens your nails to make it smooth and even, then proceed with the French Manicure techniques. After painting your nails with a base shade, the technician will then add the white paint to your faux tips and finish them off with a drying spray.

For a French Manicure without acrylic tips, prices usually range from $10-$15. You can expect to pay around $30 at a salon for a French Manicure using the tips. The kits to do it yourself at home are sold at any drug or department store for around $8. If you decide to go to a salon, you can rest assured that nearly any nail salon will be trained in the French Manicure application.

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.