This Is How To Recreate Khloé Kardashian's Favorite French Manicure

First comes first — no matter what type of nail you’re doing, you’ll want to start off by cleaning your nails. Meaning, wash your hands and then use a cotton ball dipped in nail polish remover to get rid of any leftover color.

Next up, you’ll need a nail file to get your desired shape. If you’re following Kardashian’s lead, this will be a stiletto style for your French mani. According to celebrity nail artist Elle Gerstein, “You don't want to go straight on, you want to get that file going from underneath on a diagonal."

To create a smooth surface for the polish, buffing the nail plate is key. Plus, because a buffer stimulates blood circulation, using one will help your nails grow.

To make sure you remove all the dust from filing and buffing, soak your hands in warm water. And while your cuticles are still soft, use a tool to push them back, like Tweezerman’s Dual Sided Pushy.

Now that you’ve properly prepped your fingers, it’s time to polish them. The first layer you’ll apply is the base coat, which will give your French manicure a smooth, even appearance.

Now is the fun part — applying your preferred polishes to the tips of the nails. In most cases, two to three layers of the polish will suffice. Kardashian prefers both round curves (some nails slightly more to the right than others) and angular V-shaped styles for her manicures.

After your last coat of polish on your tips is done drying, reach for a top coat. This final layer of product will speed up the drying process, while also helping to keep the nails from chipping.