Swap the traditional white French for a sweet and girly pink.

• French tip nails have been a classic manicure design since the 1970s, and one of the best ways to update the look is by changing the color of the traditionally white tip.
• Pink French tips offer a playful charm to the otherwise serious, stark white tip, without compromising the natural look of the timeless design.

A classic French manicure takes its inspiration from nails in their natural form, topping a nude or sheer pink base with an opaque white tip. In the early aughts, a square nail with a thick white tip reigned supreme. But after the trend reached saturation, French manicures fell out of style. As all trends do, they’ve officially resurfaced on the nail beds of stars like Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber, albeit with a refreshing twist. While recreating the early 2000s French is a fun and iconic callback, the trend has evolved in many ways since its last heyday.

Nails of all shapes are seen sporting French tips these days. Almond nails dominated the past few years, but square tips are making an undeniable comeback. The classic white tip can be swapped for a whole rainbow of colors and myriad shapes and sizes: wide, thin, sleek, or chunky, ombré, or asymmetrical. Add a chrome finish or a 3D accent, and you’ve got yourself a French manicure fit for the 2020s.

Pink French tips are one of the more playful iterations. They turn the classic French on its head, topping off a nude or pale pink base color with a darker pink tip. Of course, you can keep the French tip as basic as you’d like—or you can add fun embellishments to play up the jovial pink hues. Some go-to ideas for pink French tips? Cherries for a fruitful look; bows as a nod to coquette style; and hearts to nail that Valentine’s Day vibe. Whether you’re trying to channel your inner Barbie or are reaching for a pastel in hopes of ushering in spring, you’ll find plenty of inspiration ahead.

Cherry French

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For an extra hit of sweetness, add playful cherry art to a baby pink French manicure. If you look closely, you’ll notice each cherry is shaped like a heart. Daisies and sparkles add additional whimsy.

XL Mix-n-Match

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Who says you have to pick one design for your pink French tip nails? This mix-and-match set features checkerboard, aura, and heart designs with 3D embellishments, all pulled together with the coordinating color scheme.

Baby Pink

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Like a traditional French, this look features a sheer nude base that leans a little pink. And unlike a traditional French, the usual white tip is swapped out for a hot pink one.

Sparkling

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If glitter is your thing, don’t shy away from it. This full glitter ensemble features a lighter pink base and a hot pink glitter tip. Its conservative length and shape ground the look, but the glitter brings that playful levity right back in.

Valentine Swirl

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Adding a bold red border to your pink French tip makes it that much more romantic, and making said tip winding and asymmetrical adds a sense of whimsy. Hand-painted white dots and heart designs are the cherry on top.

Microfrench

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Switch up the classic French with a more opaque, salmon-hued base coat, topped off with a saturated, baby pink tip. A square nail and thin line offer an ode to the early aughts, when traditional French nails reigned supreme.

Pink Gradient Ombré

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A light pink base coat with a hot pink tip is a classic combination, but this look switches things up by making some tips ombré and others more defined. If you want the same silhouette as the model, ask for an almond shape at the salon.

Cat Eye Accent

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What better way to make an accent nail stand out than with a cat eye finish? The pink heart in the same shade as the pink French tip ties the look together. The high-gloss finish of each nail is also worth mentioning.

Pink Daisies

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A pink French tip becomes all the more playful when you add in decorative daisies. Dotting the center of the flower in the same color as the pink tip creates a cohesive finish.

Matte Magic

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Pink is absolutely a more delicate and “girly girl” color, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a bit of edge. In fact, a muted matte texture helps tone down this neon pink manicure.

Half and Half

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Why limit yourself to one shade of pink when two tones of it go together so beautifully? This manicure splits the classic French tip in two, with one half baby pink and the other a hot pink. For added interest, the line is more of a squiggle than a proper arch.

Hot Pink Ombré

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A hot pink ombré tip is glamorous to begin with, but it becomes all the more so with a layer of chrome over the top. Admittedly, this isn’t a traditional French tip, but its two-toned nature still offers a nod to the look.

Confetti Tips

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An ombré pink tip becomes extra festive when topped with confetti-like glitter. This would make a perfect birthday manicure.

If you want to add a design to your manicure, consider leaving your nails a little on the longer side and opting for a square, almond, or coffin nail shape. This will offer the most space for nail art.

Glitter Glam

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If you’re the type to put on full glam just to go grocery shopping, this look will be right up your alley. A dusty base is offset by a pink glitter tip. A classic oval nail and deep French tip are only fitting here.

Flower Power

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A light pink base with a hot pink tip, plus accent nails with floral finishes—it doesn’t get more sweet and feminine than that. This mani is perfect for spring, even if florals aren’t groundbreaking.

Pink Camo

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For an abstract take, alternate pink and red asymmetrical tips. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, when you might look at the shapes and think they’re half-hearts, but wouldn’t look out of place any other time of year.

Deconstructed French

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This playful manicure is almost like a deconstructed French manicure, which is an innovative take on the classic design. The white tip is turned on its side, while the base is half nude and half baby pink.

Skittle Gradient

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A nude base is the perfect backdrop for a gradient look. It starts off with a soft and light pink tip on the pinky finger, with each subsequent finger featuring a slightly darker shade of pink.

Starry Skies

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To make your pink French manicure really shine, take a cue from the night sky and add some silver star accents. You can hand-paint each design, of course, or consider silver decals for an easier approach.

Abstract Drip

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Since you’re already updating the classic French by turning the white tip pink, consider redefining the signature arched shape, too. Here, there’s a pink-and-red combo that makes the tips of your nails look like lava lamps.

Negative Space

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French tip designs are by nature minimal, but if you want to kick things up a notch, consider playing with borders. Using negative space in a manicure gives the illusion of more nail space, which is especially helpful on shorter nails.

Thermal Pink

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Thermal nail polishes, which change color based on your body temperature, are fabulous for easily creating a French tip look. Why? Because the tips of your nails are usually cooler than the rest of your nail (meaning they’ll be darker while your base is light, which is the exact vibe of a French tip).

Understated Ombré

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Rather than creating a stark line, this understated ombré seamlessly blends bubble gum pink and baby pink shades. The squoval nail shape further emphasizes the diffused look of the gradient design.