27 French Ombré Nail Designs That’ll Never Go Out of Style

If you’re looking to ease into the trend as a manicure, but bold colors are a little too much for you, fear not: A fresh twist on the traditional French manicure, the “French ombré,” has taken over Instagram, and we’re seriously swooning.

Like a French manicure, French ombré manicures also typically stick to neutral shades of pink, white, and varying nude tones. As opposed to the traditional line of demarcation below a bold, white tip, a French ombré has a natural fade element instead. The end result? A gorgeous modern twist on a true classic. Ahead, see 27 of our favorite French ombré nail looks on Instagram right now.

French Fade

In this classic take on a French ombré manicure, the vibrant white tip gradually darkens to a pretty petal pink near the cuticle. The color-coordinated scrunchies are a nice touch, too.

Short and Glossy

Just because you don’t have long nails doesn’t mean you can’t rock an ombré manicure. We love the gradient effect and high-shine topcoat on these short, natural-looking nails.

A Little Glitter

Adding a holographic glitter accent nail to this nude pink and white French ombré manicure certainly kicks it up a notch.

Subtle Sheer

The shape, the colors, and the glossy shine of the gel are all stunning in the most subtle way, making for a natural-looking but polished nail.

Pink and White Coffin French

These long, coffin-shaped nails feature a bright, salmon-pink base and begin a fade midway to eggshell white that’ll look good year round.

Short and Sweet

This short and sweet rounded set is perfectly understated, with the ombré effect starting high up, closer to the cuticle.

A Pop of Color

A spin on the “traditional” French ombré, this gorgeous mani takes the ombré technique to the tip with neon colors that add a pop of fun.

Powdered and Perfect

You can achieve a French ombré manicure with dip powder, too. We’re loving this look and the midway fade.

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Slight Sparkle

Look closely and you’ll see the light reflecting off the perfectly applied iridescent sparkle polish on each ring fingernail. It’s a fun accent you have to look closely to appreciate.

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Short and Square

French ombré is sometimes referred to as “baby boomer nails,” because during the baby boom (1946-1964) many women opted to paint their nails in shades of pink and white, like this manicure here. The square shape of this set adds some edge to the sophisticated trend.

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Perfectly Polished

The expert-level fade here makes this set of rose-toned nails look like a traditional French manicure, but when you look closely, you can see the airbrush-like transition. It’s a solid option for those not ready to commit to full ombré quite yet.

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Almost Invisible

This fade is so subtle that you have to really look closely to see—and we love it. Ask your technician for a barely-there ombré manicure. Two coats of Essie’s High Maintenance should do the trick.

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Confetti Kiss

In keeping with the classy, subtle theme of the French ombré, these adorable yet eye-catching dots placed at the nail base add the tiniest bit of festiveness to an otherwise demure look.

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Winter White

Another beautiful example of a classic, gradient, and glossy French ombré manicure, this one has especially frosty white tips

French Ombré With Bling

A little bling will always take your manicure to the next level, even something as simple as a single placed gem.

Chic Press-Ons

Achieve the French ombré manicure of your dreams in a flash with these press-on nails that look just as good as if you sat in the salon.

Dusky Blue

You aren’t limited to pearly whites for a stunning ombre set, and you can opt for a dusky blue fade that mimics the sky at dawn. Try Essie’s Allure and As If! polishes to achieve this look.

Butterfly Accent

Make your French ombré manicure a little more playful with sticker decals. Here, an a cute gold butterfly upgrades this look.

Simple Snowflake

During the winter, make your nails feel festive by adding a sophisticated snowflake design to a nude and white French ombré mani.

Classic Fade

You can never go wrong with a classic French ombré manicure. To create this look, use The Gel Bottle polishes in Petal and Daisy.

Caviar Accent Nail

Enhance the glamour of your French ombré manicure by adding tiny gems to one finger, also known as a caviar manicure.