If you’ve scrolled nail-Tok lately you’ve probably paused on fingertips that look suspiciously air-brushed: the French arcs are still lighter than the nail bed, but the smile line has vanished into a silky haze. That’s the foggy French—also called the blurred French—a minimalist nail trend that swaps the white stripe for something cloud-soft.
Wait, Haven’t We Seen This Before?
Yes, we did. The method isn’t new; backstage manicurists have been washing French tips with sheer polish for years to stop them flashing blue under studio lights (American manicure, anyone?). TikTok gave the look a new identity in 2025: #FoggyFrench and #BlurredFrench hashtags climbed fast after creators posted how-to clips that pushed millions of views.
Why It’s Catching On in 2025
The look arrives on the heels of soap nails, watery nails, clean-girl manis and other “healthy nail” riffs. Those trends primed feeds for finishes that read clean, natural, and camera-friendly. Foggy French ticks all three boxes while adding a little soft-focus drama.
How to Get the Foggy French—Salon or DIY
Show your nail tech one reference photo and ask for a soft French with a sheer veil over the tip, no sharp line, sealed with a glossy top coat. Stick to oval, almond, or short squoval shapes for the most natural blur, though a square edge works if you want a more editorial look.
Doing it yourself is just as straightforward: lay down a clear base, paint an opaque off-white tip (Essie Blanc or CND Vinylux Studio White both work), let it dry, then sweep a single thin coat of a sheer milky shade like OPI Funny Bunny or Essie Marshmallow over the whole nail. That pass blurs the line. Finish with quick-dry top coat and a hit of cuticle oil to lock in the shine.
Variations Worth Trying
Switch the tip color to pastel lilac or buttery yellow, then blur it with the same milky overlay for a quiet-luxury gradient. Want subtle chrome? Rub a pearly powder into the blurred edge before topcoat; it adds sheen without killing the soft focus.
Bottom Line
Foggy French is just a smarter French manicure—same structure, softer finish, easier maintenance. Whether you book it at the salon or blur it yourself, it earns its screen time by looking clean, modern and deliberately understated.
SEE ALSO: French Nails Trend
Karen Butterfield
Sunday 20th of April 2025
I have been doing this for years. I always hated the bright white so we softened the white with a very light pink.
The Pink Issue
Sunday 20th of April 2025
@Karen Butterfield, trendsetter vibes 👏❤️