Contents
The look is a modern refresh on the beloved French tip.
We don’t know about you, but we plan out our manicures before setting foot into the nail salon. Prepared with a smile on our faces and inspo photos on our phones, the moment of truth is when we turn the screen around to our nail tech, asking—no, pleading—if they can do something similar. And these days, we are majorly into anything ombré, specifically, white ombré nails.
Meet the expert
- Saccia Livingston is a celebrity manicurist to stars like Doja Cat and Karol G.
- Brittney Boyce is a celebrity manicurist and founder of press-on line Lost Angels.
The look takes the classic contrast of the French manicure and gives it a diffused and modern refresh. We tapped into two celebrity manicurists, Saccia Livingston and Brittney Boyce, and they spilled all the tea on achieving the perfect white ombré manicure. See our top 20 white ombré nails, below!
A Touch of Chrome
This ombré set is beautiful on its own, but with the addition of chrome, it's taken to new levels. Livingston says you can get this "classic ombré with a refreshing pearlescent finish" by topping a sheer pink base with a soft white diffused tip, and finishing with white chrome. Get the diffusion by airbrushing on the white, or using a clean makeup sponge to blend the two colors while the polishes are wet.
Pink Details
From pink to blush to white, the seamless blend of colors in this manicure is truly magical, and if you want to get the look for yourself, the easiest application can be done with an airbrush machine. "Apply your base color, mix your white into your airbrush machine, and softly ombré the tips until you achieve desired coverage, then apply your topcoat," says Boyce.
Fading
Take a faded look to the next level with a bit of embellishments. In this look, gold tape and fun crystals elevate the look.
Milky
When we first laid eyes on this milky white mani, our jaws hit the floor. What’s so fun about this is that no blending or buffing is required to get the ombré look because the natural nail bed does all the work for you! After popping on two coats of your go-to milky hue, Boyce tells us you can add nail art by first apply a matte topcoat (this helps keep the chrome isolated.) Then, us black gel polish in a no-wipe formula to create nail art. Rub chrome over the black gel, dust off the excess, and then apply topcoat.
Timeless
Instead of painting your nails one color like pink or white, why not go for a blend of the two, as seen here? Lay down a pink polish, like Essie’s Ballet Slippers, then, gently buff white onto the tips.
Pearl Mani
We are beyond in love with this pearly manicure. The blend of white, pink, purple, and blue is perfection. Follow this tutorial for the exact directions!
All That Glitters
We don’t know what it is about ombré that makes us want to put sparkles and glitter on every single nail, but you have to admit, the combination can’t be beat!
Shimmery
To add even more interest to your ombré manicure while keeping it soft, opt for finely milled shimmer. Chunky glitter can lend a heaviness to you look, so the finer the glitter, the softer the look.
Frosted
This winter-centric look gives us all the frosted vibes, from the milky white hues to the stamped-on snowflakes.
Neutral Dream
This is what neutral dreams are made of! It features a peachy-beige color for the ultimate clean-girl look.
Aura Nails
We will never get over aura nails, and when white chrome is the final touch, we are sold!
Sparkly Ombré
Sparkly white ombré? Yes, please! "Create this look by applying two coats of a milky sheer white base color," shares Boyce. "Use a holographic medium glitter by applying a heavier amount at the tip and start to thin it out so it gradually stops halfway to the cuticle area. Then apply a topcoat."
Angelic
This mani is giving angel in the best way—not quite French and not quite one hue—this perfect ombré set blends two colors together in a stunning manner. Pick out your go-to shades of white and a peachy nude, starting out with the nude hue first and gently stamping the white polish onto the tips.
Brown Accents
In the mood to switch things up a bit? Instead of sticking with the traditional pink and white ombré, why not throw brown with pink undertones into the mix? After starting out with a white or cream base coat, Boyce says to "Mix your favorite brown shade into your airbrush machine and softly ombré the tips until you achieve desired coverage, then apply a topcoat."
Bridal Ombré
Whether you're going to a bridal event for yourself or just want to get a clean nail look that gives off timeless, angelic vibes, you can't go wrong with this stunning chrome-topped ombré set.
Nudey White
Work smarter, not harder—especially when it comes to ombré nails—or at least nails that look like they are ombré! "This perfect neutral nail is easy to achieve with two thin coats of a sheer neutral polish, this gives the look of a natural ombré without having to actually ombré the nail," shares Boyce. "The sheerness from the polish picks up the undertones of your nail bed, creating a very soft pink neutral ombré."
Silver Surfer
This silver surfer mani is major goals—from the sheer glitter ombré effect to the silver metallic accents, what's not to love. Livingston says a metallic shimmer is key to making this look sing.
Ombré for Life
For another classic ombré nail set, look no further than this one, which has the fun addition of a glitter nail (which is definitely not necessary, but super fun). To start, apply a base coat that's similar to your nails, and finish off by buffing in a milky white hue on the tips.
So Classic
What do you get when you combine ombré and French? This beautiful masterpiece! You can still see a faint smile line, but it's diffused, yielding this fuzzy finish.