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As classic as they come, the French manicure remains one of the most popular nail looks of all time for good reason: it’s chic, goes with everything, and never looks dated. It makes sense, then, that with minimalist manicures dominating as the most popular nail trends of 2025 so far, we’re seeing many nail artists looking for ways to upgrade the humble French tip for the year ahead. We’ve already spotted the seriously glowy tinted French taking off and the ultra-cool chrome French tips, but spring’s latest upgrade might just be our favorite yet.
Enter: the “iced French”.
What is the iced French manicure?
We first noticed this look on the Instagram feed of bridal manicurist Carmelina (aka @hicarmelina), who shared a photo of a chic frosted manicure, which she coined the “iced French”. A fresh upgrade to the original French manicure, Carmelina describes the look as being “clean, minimal, and elevated with a subtle shimmer that gives a cool, frosted finish.”
Similar to the “angel” chrome manicure that emerged earlier in the year, it has an almost ethereal feel to it thanks to the soft, silvery color palette and sheeny finish. “The real magic happens when the light hits it,” says Carmelina. “It glows in the most understated, elegant way.”
How do you create the iced French manicure?
This look is all about layering sheer colors with soft textures, but it’s actually quite simple to achieve. To start, a milky base is needed to keep everything feeling light and dream-like. Carmelina is clear that the key to this look is opting for a milky white color and avoiding a pink base.
Try something like Manucurist’s Green Natural Nail Polish in Milky White, £14. Next, a soft chrome top coat — Carmelina suggests a classic pearlescent shade — for the “signature iced effect”. Ask your manicurist for The Gel Bottle’s Pearl Chrome Pigment, $12.99, or try Essie’s Original Nail Art Studio Special Effects Nail Polish Topcoat in Cosmic Chrome, $13, at home.
Finally, finish with a “delicate French tip” as a nod to the classic manicure with a modern edge. “Any thin brush that you have on hand will work beautifully,” Carmelina says.
Feeling inspired? Here are a few of our favorite iced French manicures for your next nail appointment.
Chiffon French
Gel nail artist Nicole (aka @nailsxbellaluna) has created the most ethereal iced French manicure by pairing a milky base coat with a soft white chrome top coat. Utter perfection.
Cat Eye
Cat eye nails are known for their ultra-high-shine finish, which means they pair perfectly with this frosty trend. Created by Mélo Beauty Lounge, the square nail shape and almost holographic effect make for a seriously cool nail look.
Clean Chrome
Perfectly executed by luxury manicurist Laura (aka @house__of__nails), this looks like a classic French manicure at first glance but is elevated by an icy chrome top coat. It’s an upgraded version of clean girl nails.
Iced Milk
Lauren Kay‘s soft and milky set has a subtle frosted finish that adds interest to a simple (but perfectly executed) creamy French manicure. These would make beautiful wedding day nails.
Sparkling Frost
Make like celebrity nail artist Kim Truong and add a subtle layer of pixie dust shimmer to your set for extra dimension when it catches the light.
Chilled Butter
While the French manicure is characterized by its white tip, you can really play into the “iced” element by mixing up the color. We’re obsessed with the butter yellow shade that Sydney-based nail artist Britt has used here.
Ice Ombré
The ombré French — a seamless blend on the classic tip — is taking over nail salons. Add a modern twist with a dusting of silver chrome powder for an icy, ethereal finish like this look by @kloudy_nail.studio on Instagram.
This story was originally published on Refinery29 UK.
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