The Vanilla French Manicure Is a Delicious Twist on a Classic

Craving something sweet? The nail world has practically transformed into Candy Land, what with the popularity of Hailey Bieber’s ubiquitous glazed donut nails in strawberry, chocolate and even candy cane varieties… or shall we say flavors.

If you’ve already had your fill of the chrome-enhanced, frosted glazed trend and are in the mood for something equally yummy, may we interest you in the Vanilla French manicure? It’s the latest confection from celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt who whipped up Hailey’s viral nails and is ready to start a new trend with a delicious twist on the classic French manicure. 

The Trend

The French manicure will never go out of style; sure, it ebbs and flows in popularity, but the white-tipped manicure is here to stay regardless of the trend cycle. The Vanilla French manicure retains the same DNA as the traditional French manicure with a neutral base and lighter tip, but more closely resembles the "American" French manicure, which is slightly softer than the original and uses an off-white shade at the tip instead of a stark white. 

Ganzorigt said her clients actually directly inspired the new trend; feedback is an important part of her creative process. “I like to talk to my clients about what they want, their vision and [let them] suggest color or nail designs,” she tells Byrdie. “That’s how I created the Vanilla French nails.” The design already has the celeb stamp of approval, with Kylie Jenner and Adele giving it two (painted) thumbs up in recent weeks.

The look is a breath of fresh air after fall’s deep, dark manicures and the holiday season’s bright reds and shimmers. “It’s more toned down and softer compared to traditional white French nails and it makes it more natural-looking,” says Ganzorigt. “After getting those all dark colors and festive nails, everyone wants something neutral and simple. Vanilla French nails are perfect.”

They truly go with anything, looking just as good with a matching sweatsuit as they do with a formal gown—no wonder Kylie is a fan. It’s also an easy way to dip a toe into the French manicure world; if the traditional pink and white feels like too much for you, the Vanilla French is the perfect starter style—not to mention an ideal pairing with the whole “vanilla girl” aesthetic. 

How to Get Vanilla French Nails

Much like the viral glazed donut nails, Ganzorigt uses OPI products to create her Vanilla French manicures. “My favorite products to get the look are Put It In Neutral for the base and Funny Bunny for the tip,” she shares. (Funny Bunny, a soft white, was also the star of the original glazed nails.) “Depending on the skin tone, I’d suggest changing the base color.” If you have a pink undertone, she likes the classic manicure go-to Bubble Bath. If you have a yellow undertone, Bare My Soul for a neutral base. 

You can cook up your Vanilla French manicure in two ways: Paint your entire base with the neutral shade, then apply the tip color and apply another coat of the neutral over the top to soften the white. You can also paint the white first, then apply the neutral base shade over the top; it all depends on how soft and subdued you want the tips to be. Then grab your coziest sweater, spritz on a sweet gourmand fragrance and snuggle up in your vanilla wonderland.