From the Beauty Closet

White Out

11 years ago by

White nails have always been a little fascination of mine. I think they look chic, clean and simple but I also think they are tricky to pull off…

(Flashback to elementary school when all of my friends and I painted our nails with Wite-Out. Sorry Mom!)

I was excited to see white polish backstage at the spring Chanel show and knew it was time I let go of those Wite-Out memories and give it a try (it made it’s debut on my hands in this DIY video)….

Drumroll…

Here is my official, exclusive, at home white nail polish manicure step-by-step guide!!

1.Trim and file your nails to the desired length. I think white looks best on medium to short length nails.

2. If you are prone to ridges, grab your nail buffer (or ridge filler) and go over each nail before applying your base coat. Let dry.

3. Before you apply your first coat of polish, select what TV show you would like to watch on Netflix (I highly recommend Friday Night Lights, Season 1, Episode 3. Tim Riggins has to run in the rain!) and hit play. If you are anything like me, you have a very hard time sitting still and letting your nails dry and this will provide a good distraction.

4. Apply the polish! Let your first white coat dry completely before adding your second coat. This will help with even coverage.

5. Once your second coat is completely dry, apply your top coat and enjoy some Tim Riggins.

(Okay, yes, this is really just a guide to manicures in general…)

What do you think of white nails for spring? Oui or no?

PS : You can get Chanel Eastern Light nail polish here!

78 comments

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  • White is such a fearless color. It almost makes the statement: nothing can touch me!! Anyway, I love white but I think white nail polish make my hands look fat. Tears. Can you suggest any other colors for Spring?

  • Oui oui oui! I wear white nail polish of the time. My favorite is Alpine snow by OPI, you girls should really try it out!
    Paris-NYC Fashion Blog
    The Deep Blue Cory Fashion Blog
    The Deep Blue Cory Facebook Page
    Xoxo Cory

  • i did the chalk white nail colour in high school too! hard to pull of, but so cool :)

    http://littleaesthete.com/

  • I like white on other people’s nails, but they look too much like white out on my own hands. Also, maybe the trick is to finding a good white polish. If it’s too opaque, it looks odd.

  • I recall pulling out the Wite-Out look a few times in school as well before I discovered that nail polish did indeed come in white as well. I like white nails! I usually wear them late spring, early summer. I don’t know why exactly–I just do!

  • Ah oui, j’avais remarqué tes ongles sur la vidéo du t-shirt customisé, ça fait vraiment beau et frais!

    http://www.laurablogmode.com

  • OUI! LOVE the white out nails! But I would add that it might look better post a day spent on the beach? (and don’t forget the spf!)
    Steph
    http://www.agorique.wordpress.com

  • Hi Alex!

    I was about to do exactly the same, until I realized that I threw my white polish nail away a few months ago because it was too old. So now I’m at a loss, staring at all the other polish nails without knowing which one to take! :)

    Anyway, I love your posts!

    A.

  • Je crois que j’aime bien… Mais d’abord sur les autres, on verra plus tard ! (huge risktaker…)

    Check out my new outfit post :
    http://hidinginheaven.blogspot.fr/2013/04/the-one-with-leopard-coat-theory.html

  • Je suis fan du vernis blanc ! Et je ne connais pas cette série, je cours me faire une manucure devant ;)

    xx.

  • Coucou Alex,
    C’est très joli.
    Et à l’approche de l’été (on a du mal à y croire en France il faut bien que tu le saches !), c’est parfait.
    Ongles courts obligatoires, sinon c’est moche.
    En passant un petit coup de coeur : la laque couture YSL coloris Bronze Pyrite (limited edition), une merveille

    Des bises
    Loulou

  • Oui Alex!!… I lie the ring you have, is it comfy to wear?? I’d be always afraid of losing it…

    Un grande bisouu!!

  • This is my color next week, I cannot wait to see how it comes out.

    xo
    http://pinksole.com

  • Ca peut être très chic les ongles blancs, personnellementj’aime beaucoup

  • I love the white out nail look. It looks terrible on me though.

  • I think white nails look nice with a little tan (a little!) or just evenly light skintone, but my hands tend to get red (the same thing happens with my cheeks) when it’s hot or cold, and all types of light nails polish – nudes, baby blues, whites, off-whites.. they all look pretty bad. But if I’d wear white nails, I’d add one or several accents, maybe something graphic – lines / chevrons, maybe – with a bright color.

  • Pauline April, 10 2013, 1:30 / Reply

    Personnellement je pense que le summum du chic reste la couleur chair quand la peau et l’ongle ne font plus qu’un !

  • Sur des ongles un peu bombés, le beige sur les ongles peut vite faire “cagole” tout comme le blanc d’ailleurs! Mais chez certaines c’est vraiment élégant en effet!

  • I just saw your nails in the video and thought they look super chic and cool. I tried it some days ago, but somehow I didn’t like it on my hands, my skin is pretty fair and it just didn’t look right for me, but maybe I should go let a professional do the job, cause it really was quite tricky to get the color on right, I really had the same flashback with the White Out :-/ xxx

  • Je valide, j’aime beaucoup.
    Et, tu as raison, mieux vaut regarder une bonne série pendant la manucure, sinon, le beau vernis s’en va, quand il n’est pas sec et que l’on recommence à pianoter sur l’ordinateur ! Et je sais de quoi je parle :)

  • Je suis également très attirée par ce type de couleur … blanc, rose pastel , bleu pastel , beaucoup plus que les couleurs vives qui en plus sont souvent difficiles à assortir ensuite avec les vetements …

    http://www.isatoutsimplement.org

  • Mathilde April, 10 2013, 1:41 / Reply

    C’est très joli comme manucure ! Petit bémol pour la bague, je trouve que ça boudine ton doigt alors que tes mains sont toutes fines.

  • VERASOI April, 10 2013, 1:44 / Reply

    Mais bien sûr du Tipp-Ex !!! Avec pour ma part quelques décos au Stabilo !!! Le Must. Merci pour ce merveilleux souvenir !

  • J’adore les ongles blancs :) Le vernis blanc est une de mes dernières acquisitions vernis :)

    Xx
    http://www.Lauralexo.com

  • oh, this is so cool.. did this back in the 90s, if I may say! ;)

    xo Cam

    @somekindofstyle

    http://some-kind-of-style.blogspot.de

  • Emeraude April, 10 2013, 2:10 / Reply

    J’aime beaucoup le vernis blanc, merci pour l’info.
    En ce moment je porte un beige sympa, assez couvrant ce qui est rare, c’est MAVALA “Saporo” N° 186.
    J’alterne avec ESSIE N° 32 qui est un rouge framboise.

  • Je trouve cette nouvelle nail mode très jolie, mais je n’arrive pas à franchir le pas…!

    xx
    Théa

  • I agree with how Chic they look but yes you do needs hours for it to dry!

  • I really like the white nails look when I see it in magazines and on blogs, but I haven’t braved it yet as I’m not sure if I can pull it off! That said, you did inspire me to go for red nails a little more often with your post a short while ago!

    Katie x

  • I think it an be very beautiful, but my nails have such a horrible shape I’m not sure if this is a thing I should do…xx

    http://www.creativityandchocolate.com

  • I remember when white nail polish was trendy one summer in the mid-nineties. I felt so stylish with my cut-offs, tan legs and white toenails, but my mom took one look at my feet and said they looked trashy. I still like the way it looks (possibly in a nostalgic mom thought it was slutty, but I’m a rebel kinda way) but alas, that tan is long gone and I don’t think I could pull it off now.

  • C’est une des meilleures couleurs de vernis selon moi! Idéal pour le printemps. Le blanc d’O.P.I. est également à tomber.

  • All knowing nail GURU Alex!

    How long is the ideal time to let a coat of nail polish dry? (obvs roughly, depending on the type of polish). No matter how many episodes of New Girl I have lined up I always seem to do the next coat before I really should!

    I’m thoroughly enjoying expanding my knowledge of the wondrous world of nail maintenance – and you’ll be pleased to know taking much better care of my nails too!

    Thank you Alex!! <3

  • Hi Jo! Great question :) I try to give it 5 minutes between coats and at least 15 to dry totally afterwards. Hope this helps! xo

  • A tip for those that want a “grown up” white look – try Essie Marshmallow. It’s perfect! You’ll still feel like you rocked the white trend, but it will be slightly more subtle.

  • Hi Alex,

    Were is your lovely topfinger ring from?

    Tami

  • Hi Tami! Thank you! My ring is Cynthia Rybakoff http://www.cynthiarybakoff.com/ :)

  • I saw the white nail polish yesterday and was hesitant in purchasing it because it did remind me of white out! But now, I think I’ll buy it! It looks so clean and chic! Thanks Alex!

  • Rooh j’adore les ongles blancs ! Surtout si la finition est legerement nacrée, c’est juste parfait :)

  • Oui, bien sur !!

    I’ll give them a big yes :) I wear them last year, whole summer and I can’t wait to wear them this season as well. I have this feeling, they don’t really suit wintertime, they might seem a little pretentious… But for spring/summer – perfect :) I’m really glad they are staying for another season, because this may mean they’ll become a classic one day, and I wouldn’t mind that at all ;)

    Bisous,
    Aleksandra
    of Make It Doublee
    http://makeitdoublee.blogspot.com/

  • Love, love luurve it! P.s I think I love your gold ring even more! Where can I get it from?! Merci!

  • I use Lippmann’s “Like a Virgin,” which is a pretty, sheer white. Doesn’t look anything like white-out. You can also layer it on top of Lippman’s “Amazing Grace” for a more opaque look, but the sheer layer softens the white effect.

  • Really like how it looks but I feel like it emphasizes the wrinkles and veins and stuff on my hands. LOL. I usually opt for something more transulucent pale~

    http://newbornfanatic.wordpress.com/

  • me gusta y yo quiero !

    gracias!

    xx

  • Sydney Fashion and Style Hunter April, 10 2013, 9:21 / Reply

    I too have the white out memories of white nails…..I haven’t embraced white nails yet but you have inspired me to try it. xx

    http://www.sydneyfashionandstylehunter.blogspot.com.au

  • Jane with the noisy terrier April, 10 2013, 9:46 / Reply

    Such a great Spring/Summer look. Especially with a bit of a tan and a crisp white button down shirt. Have you tried it with a matte topcoat? Makes your nails look like bisque china, really chic. Or try a white-on-white French manicure with a white nail topped with a matte topcoat and a gloss topcoat across the tips.

  • I love that idea Jane! Thanks!!

  • Baaaah… le vernis blanc pour moi c’est un peu comme les tallons ou les bottes blanches: NO way!
    J’y arrive pas… Peut être un jour ;)

    http://suelleninmontreal.blogspot.ca

  • I love the idea of white for nails! And I’ve bought the polish, but I’m a bit nervous to try applying it myself. Like black, it seems like it needs to be done perfectly to look good.
    xo

  • Absolutely striking!

    Love the white, a bold statement.

  • …et puis tu peux le suggérer à Garance. Ce sera parfait avec les chaussures blanches sur lesquelles elle fait une fixette depuis un moment. Ah ;-)
    Bises
    xxx
    Loulou

  • ” Before you apply your first coat of polish, select what TV show you would like to watch on Netflix” — hahaha! You’re adorable.

    I’ve always loved light colored nail polish, pale pink, paler pink, pale beige..and white. They’re really clean and minimalistic. Nails should look tidy so I’m not really a big fan of outrageous nail art, like those loooong nails with beads and crystals.

  • Hi!,
    I really like the idea of white color on my nails. It is such a great Spring/Summer look. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing tips.

  • It looks good on you, I’m thinking to give it a try! The high-school story sounds familiar… :)

    http://www.timelessdifference.com

  • Emmanor April, 11 2013, 5:01 / Reply

    Le blanc est vraiment la couleur qui ne convient pas à ma carnation, d’ailleurs je n’en porte jamais en vêtements, je préfère le blanc cassé, plus doux et plus subtil.

  • love this, and even more love the fact that you are obsessed with tim riggins from friday night lights..was a great show. =)

  • Vanessa la belge April, 11 2013, 6:38 / Reply

    Ok c’est vraiment pas mal en fait.. J’avais en horreur le vernis blanc avant de voir la vidéo du T shirt “OUI NYC” et cette photo.
    A essayer… Merci Alex !

  • minimalistic chic, at its best!

    http://hypemyhip.blogspot.com/

  • Cécile April, 11 2013, 7:32 / Reply

    haha, I barely ended the first sentence that I immediately thought of the Tipp-Ex too ! I think we all did the same at school

  • great tip, just yesterday I left my red, pink, blue nail-polish and switched to body, it really is beautiful and clean!
    http://fashionissue-byzanetbel.blogspot.cz/
    xx

  • Love white nails! I had mine done with Essie Blanc back in December and loved how clean and fresh they looked. There’s a photo in this post http://ibeheld.com/come-into-the-garden-maud/ but have to admit I can NEVER get white nails looking so good when I do them at home!

  • Love white nails, Love Tim Riggins in the rain even more! xx

  • Ah bah voilà ! Il suffisait de lire le post suivant… et un nouveau désir à combler, UN!

  • Hey there! Love the blog and read it daily! I have a little suggestion: put Alex’s entries in a different color print than Garance’s…it could be a subtle yet distinct difference – maybe navy instead of black. I like how you mix it up with entries from Alex but it feels weird to be thinking something is off and then get to the end and realize that it is Alex not Garance. They both have a distinct voice so I would advocate making the color or the font different. Just a thought… No need to post this with the other comments but I wasn’t sure how else to make the suggestion. Take care and keep up the good work!

  • Caticat April, 11 2013, 4:14 / Reply

    no…je trouve que ça fait Ty-pex, mais du beige j’aime bien…

  • Où peut-on trouver Tim Riggins ?

  • I have a warm skintone, so white might not be for me. Maybe a cream polish?? I never saw one yet.. would love to try it though :)

  • Ça fait déjà 2 ou 3 ans qu’à l’approche de l’été j’arbore du blanc au bout de mes doigts, et malgré les blagues douteuses ou les remarques du type “tu as mis du blanco sur tes ongles” j’y reste accro!:) J’utilise toujours le alpine snow d’OPI et dès que ça commence à être un peu sec (mais pas encore dur), j’applique le “quick-dryer” de Mavala, une merveille pour les filles pressées! Bises!

  • Yes!!! Par contre c’est vrai que c’est un peu la galère pour les impatientes comme moi… Mais c’est tellement beau quand on arrive à avoir un blanc parfait <3

  • 3rd step is the best [and the most important] :)

    (I would add that watching a basketball game is not the best idea if you don’t want to smudge everywhere…)

  • White nails: Oui, monsieur!

    The trick to making it look tres chic (and not Wite-Out nails) is to keep it glossy on medium-length nails. For skin tones with color, use other shades of white like cream white, off-white, or grayish white.

  • Love it! Looks fantastic on you, you have just the right tone for it–not too light OR too dark (yes imo there is such a thing! White nails make me look laguna orange, for instance.) I think high gloss topcoat. is essential to making them not too like wite-out. And as someone mentioned above, just a little bit sheer (without being streaky). All of which = so so hard together!

    Hate getting manis professionally done–either they a) cost an arm and leg or b) are sloppy, or c) are both. But then if I do it myself I can’t sit still long enough. But you’ve inspired me to try again!

  • Les ongles blancs pour l’été (ou même l’hiver^^), j’adore! mais malheureusement, sur moi, le rendu est toujours très moyen… les autres couleurs, je les applique sans problème. alors que le blanc, il donne tjs une impression de ‘manucure faite à l’arrache’… comprends pas… faut que je me perfectionne!

  • the thing about white polish is that it’s both prim & proper and totally punk rock. i absolutely adore it. but you do need a good one. love it.

  • omg i did the white out in school too!!!! probably more than once in second grade when i was like 7 and then again in fifth grade hahaha.

    anyhow i’ve already got my white nail polish via essie but i find its not white enough or dense enough its ok i’ll keep searching

    as always garance, you’re great!
    chris

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