Sported by models at fashion week and tons of celebs (like Dita von Teese, Ciara and Jessica Biel, to name a few), the half-moon manicure is one hot trend you will want to try out yourself. More fun than a French manicure, the half-moon manicure is created when the circular moon shape of your nail bed is painted in a contrasting shade to the rest of the nail. For added luxury, the tips can be the same colour as the crescent or another shade as well.
Whether you get this done professionally in a salon or not, it’s important to let your nails grow out a bit before you try this (especially if you have small nails). You will probably want your nails to be in a long oval shape that mimics the round, half-moon shape while leaving enough room for another paint colour (or two). They could be a bit straighter across if you’re not a fan of almond shaped nails, but try to keep them as rounded as possible.
Before starting make sure you have moisturized your cuticles thoroughly and pushed them back as far as your can without any pain.
Put on whatever you choose for your actual nail colour first. Use two coats or more until satisfied. When it’s dry, use French manicure stickers as your guide to paint in your half-moon where you want it. When the polish is dry these stickers should peel off without taking of any of the colour underneath and leave you with a clean edge. Wait at least 10 minutes before removing these the stickers, which you should be able to find at most local drug stores. Protect with a glossy, clean topcoat to preserve you’re trendy new look.
Not sure what colours to use for this unique mani? Anything goes!
You can start by trying the opposite of a regular French manicure by doing your crescent in white and the top in a pink or peach colour. It’s classy and safe for work in a more conservative environment.
Go bolder by painting your nail bed in a more unnatural colour, like black or dark red and painting the rest of the nail in a lighter colour, like a sandy beige or white. Also consider doing the tips in the same colour as your half-moon if you’re nails are long enough to fit it all in comfortably.
Consider getting really funky by trying out some bold spring colour blocking. Try a peach nail bed and mauve nail. Mix a blue or purple crescent with a deep, rich red. Go bright and summery with coral and yellow, or fuchsia and green. The options are endless!
You’re also not limited to the natural size of your crescent. You can paint your half-moon in nearly a third of the size of your nail or simply do a thin line around the base of your nail. The choice is yours but give this current nail trend a try!
