American Manicure is the most chic nail art trend of the fall

Pale pink nails topped with arches of deep white along the tips have long been known as French manicure. After briefly falling out of favor, the classic look had its rebirth, and nail artists began tweaking it with patterns, bright colors and creative patterns. These fun revisions now have a new name in the world of nail art: American manicure.

The name isn’t actually new, but it has taken on a new definition. Manicurist Tom Bachik first heard of American manicure in the 1990s, after graduating from nail school (now he can be found decorating nail tips). Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez e Olivia Rodrigo). At the time, the American manicure was basically a French manicure with the tips painted a less intense white and a more natural base, which enhanced the skin tone. “A great way to achieve this was to first polish the white, then apply the neutral shade all over the nail, including the white,” remembers Bachik. “It softened the look.”

At the time, Bachik also heard people refer to monochromatic French manicures as American manicures. For example, baby blue nails with navy blue tips. Either way, he believed the term was a 1990s marketing tactic. However, with nail art trends popping up every day in 2021, thanks to social media, call manicure americana the alternative to the classic French manicure just makes sense.

“These days, American manicures are mostly done in subtler tones,” he says Allure nail artist Lolly Koon. «A pure, natural colored base – or simply a transparent layer – is painted to resemble the actual nail more. This change enhances each individual’s complexion in a more subtle way than the flashy pink of traditional French manicure, ”explains Bachik.