Social networks, including pages on Instagram and Tik Tok, were flooded with photos of a newfangled manicure made using Italian techniques. The style is no more than five years old, and Italian design acquired its mass popularity only recently. Masters assure that in this completely simple way you can lengthen your nails by one and a half times. The technique is suitable for fashionistas with short fingers or too wide nail plates. Let’s try to find out what is the secret of fashionable nail art and what design is best to combine it with.
Manicure Features
It is believed that Italian manicure appeared due to the reluctance of women there to spend time caring for their hands. Therefore, they wear the overgrown design, periodically adjusting it with sanding files. Manicure using the Italian technique does not involve the use of acrylic or other additional products. It's all about the visual effect, which is created using non-standard application of varnishes.
Italian manicure includes the following steps:
- After preparing the nail plate for the designer coating, a neutral-colored varnish (1-2 shades lighter than beige) is applied to the surface of the dried base.
- Then a varnish of a more saturated shade is used: burgundy, red, malachite, brown, blue, purple, orange and other colors. The coating is applied as close to the cuticle as possible, but with an interval of 1 mm.
- Gaps are also left on the sides of the nail plate, as if the manicure is already a week or two old. Thus, the nails visually become more elongated and the fingers become longer.
At the same time, the gaps should be left moderate so that the manicure looks professional.
In addition, manicure does not match every shape. The best option for Italian technology is considered to be the “soft square” shape. It is also acceptable to use the design on square and oval nails. This design is not suitable for almond-shaped and pointed nails, and there is no need for it. After all, tapered nails themselves look longer than square ones.
"Italian" French manicure
The agreed upon technique can combine different designs and styles of nail design. However, in each case, the peculiarities of the coating in Italian technology should be taken into account. So, a French manicure, for example, must be performed in the shape of the letter “U” so that the lines on the free edge of the nail plate end at the boundary of the gaps left. Stripes can be drawn to the cuticles, with edging with a moon manicure.
However, it is better not to emphasize the gaps with side vertical stripes, but to use transparent or beige varnish as a base. The technique is also suitable for the V-shaped French nail design, which, due to the formed cone, will visually lengthen the nail plate.
Lunar manicure
Moon manicure can enhance the effect of “Italian” nails like no other, if it means a transparent semicircle in the cuticle area, combined with dark varnish. In this case, masters recommend choosing a lighter tone as a base, and any dark one for the main coating. A double transparent stripe at the base will make the manicure more saturated. By the way, the lengthening effect in combination with an emerald shade is amazing.
Fashion stripes
Don’t forget that vertical stripes, fashionable this season, can equally effectively lengthen the nail plate. The main thing in this manicure is to create a contrast between the pattern and the main color. In a similar way, diagonal lines will help increase the length. They do not have to be done using colored varnishes. The stripes are made from beads and rhinestones. However, there is one important point - they should not be large. The smaller the dots in the design, the neater and more impressive the nail art will look.
nude palette
The shortcomings of a wide nail plate and short length are perfectly hidden by the pastel shades of the beige palette. In addition, these colors belong to the trendy range, so the manicure will look neat and sophisticated. A beige base can also be combined with a geometric print. But the main rule is not to use horizontal lines and shapes, and not to overdo it with accents. It is permissible to use thin threads, cobwebs and foil strips in the design. You can also draw a geometric print consisting exclusively of thin, neat lines in a contrasting color.
Tips from the masters
However, besides the obvious designs and styles, there are other ideas that suit the Italian technique and help lengthen the nails. These include:
- Sequins, mirror coating and glitter. All polishes with pearlescent gloss or cat-eye style visually lengthen the nail plate.
- Vertical drawing. In addition to vertical lines, the design can use any images located along the nail: a flower on a stem, waves, zebra or tiger stripes, vertical marble patterns and other patterns. It is also worth paying attention to the vertical gradient. Moreover, the longer the stretch, the more pronounced the effect.
- Geometric triangle. If you draw a shape with a wide part at the base of the nail and sharpen it towards the free edge, the nail will also appear longer.
- Small prints. In addition, miniature designs reduce the size of the nail plate. And large ones, on the contrary, will make the manicure too expressive.
- The combination of contrasting colors, contrary to popular belief, also lengthens the nail.
In addition, if you have small, wide nails, it is better to abandon designs with acrylic sculpting and forging. Any voluminous manicure will weigh down the nail plate.
Photo of Italian manicure
One way or another, we must not forget about the small gap near the cuticle and the gaps on the sides of the nail. And in order for the merging of the side edges with the skin of the fingers to occur unnoticed, a hygienic manicure must be performed perfectly: without burrs and damage to the capillaries, without rough skin and growths. Moreover, the darker and brighter the varnish chosen for an Italian manicure, the more carefully you should treat your fingers.
