How to do a Strawberry Shortcake French Manicure

Strawberry shortcake is summer’s signature dessert, and there’s no time like the warmer months to display beautifully manicured hands and feet. Add the sweetness of the season’s tastiest treat to your summer beauty routine with the strawberry shortcake French manicure. It’s a fun spin on the classic nail style. You can have it professionally done, but it’s simple to do yourself at home, too.

Things You'll Need

• Cream-colored nail polish
• Berry-colored nail polish
• Clear nail polish
• Scotch tape

Instructions

1. Begin with clean, dry nails. Apply a bottom coat of clear nail polish to each nail in smooth strokes. If you are giving yourself a manicure and a pedicure, do your feet first, Allow your toenails to dry before polishing your fingernails.

2. Put on toe separators so that the colored polish you’re about to apply won’t rub off on your toes if you’re doing a pedicure, too.

3. Paint your nails with a coat of bright, berry-colored polish. This step is reminiscent of the strawberries in the dessert this style is named after. Allow to dry before adding another coat.

4. Apply a strip of tape to your nails so that just a sliver of nail tip is exposed above the tape’s edge. This sections off the white tips the French manicure is known for and allows you to paint a clean straight line.

5. Gently sweep cream-colored nail polish across the exposed tips of your nails. Allow to dry and repeat as necessary until the cream is opaque and you cannot see the colored polish beneath it. This step is reminiscent of the whipped cream that tops a freshly-prepared serving of strawberry shortcake.

6. Allow to dry fully.

7. Gently remove the tape from each nail.

8. Apply one coat of shiny clear top coat to each nail and allow to dry. You're all done. Enjoy the results of your French manicure!

Tips & Warnings

• Apply a thin coat of clear polish to your strawberry French manicure every other day to keep the finish shiny.

• Avoid doing a lot of work with your hands if you want to keep your manicure looking fresh and lovely.