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Looking to make short nails appear longer? The Italian manicure might be the easy fix you\u2019ve been hoping for. Gaining traction on social media, the technique is prized for doing just that, as well as making nails look cleaner and more expensive.<\/p>\n
Ahead, we\u2019re breaking down everything to know about it, from what it is to which nail shapes it flatters most.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Italian manicure isn\u2019t a specific polish color or shape, but rather a technique that\u2019s all about how the polish is applied. \u201cInstead of taking the color all the way to the side walls of the nail as you normally would, you instead leave the tiniest gap on either side,\u201d explains nail artist and OPI partner Anouska Anastasia. She deems it a \u201csuper simple step that visually makes a huge difference,\u201d going so far as to call it an \u201coptical illusion.\u201d<\/p>\n
As its name suggests, the technique is credited to Italian nail artists. Anastasia notes that techs have used the technique for years, but it\u2019s recently exploded on social media as people have realized just how flattering it can be.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you\u2019re not painting right to the edges, your eyes instead focus on the narrower block of color, which makes the nail look longer, slimmer and more elegant, even though the actual size hasn\u2019t changed at all,\u201d says Anastasia. \u201cIt\u2019s basically contouring but for your nails! Such a clever little trick.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Anastasia says the technique can work on pretty much any nail shape, she personally thinks almond and oval nails really let the effect shine as they already have that naturally elongated silhouette. \u201cThat said, if you\u2019ve got squoval or even square nails, it still gives the illusion of a slimmer nail, so really and truly anyone can give it a go. It\u2019s one of those techniques that\u2019s universally flattering.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n