‘Baby boomer nails’ are a pretty nail trend to try

Today’s hottest new nail trend was not inspired by supermodels or Hollywood’s latest crop of It girls. Instead, it was inspired by … women over the age of 50 years old. Baby boomers, to be exact.

Yes, really. “Baby boomer nails” are now a thing, and while they are currently beloved in France and Germany, we imagine that they will also be a favorite among American women soon enough.

Curious to know what the heck “baby boomer nails” are?

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Turns out, these are an old favorite that you have probably seen advertised in nail salons for years. Traditionally, they are known as a “pink and white” or “French tips.”

The look is simple, classic and clean: The base of the nail is pink and the tip is white (either bright or muted white, depending on your preference).

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Although they are popular in France right now (Pinterest’s 2018 Global Beauty Report showed that pins of “baby boomer nails” are up by 100 percent in France), baby boomer nails are less akin to a French manicure and more similar to an American manicure. Confused again?

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A French manicure features very defined, stark lines. The pink of the nail is richly contrasted with the sharp white tip. But in an American manicure, the color graduation is more muted. The tip is not sharp white but rather a soft neutral.

So, why are these nails called “baby boomer nails”? Perhaps it’s because this classic, soft look has been preferred by older women who wisely know that clean, healthy-looking nails never go out of style.

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If you want to try this look for yourself, you have two options: You can ask for acrylics or, if you have naturally long and healthy nails, you can have your natural nails sculpted to create this look. Tell your manicurist that you want a gentle pink-and-white effect, and use key descriptions like “American manicure'” or “natural look.”

Baby boomer nails are also translucent and almost ombre in appearance, so you can use these descriptions as well. If all else fails, show a few of these pictures.