I Tried the Hailey Bieber-Approved "American Manicure" and Got So Many Compliments

Let me start off by making one thing very clear: I have never received more compliments on my nails than when I had an American manicure. If you haven't heard of the trend yet, let me explain. It's similar to a French manicure, but, well . . . better (in my opinion). Rather than a classic white and pink French or a clear base with a stark white tip, the trend incorporates a much more muted contrast. The base is softer and blends more into the edge, which is a milky, cloudy white.

Looks alone were enough to convince me to try it out for myself, but when I saw Hailey Bieber sporting an American manicure earlier this summer, I knew it was my sign to get my butt into the salon. I'm someone who loves a pared-down, effortless look, and everything I saw online about the trend screamed that it was perfect for me.

I was lucky enough to get my nails done by celebrity nail artist Natalie Minerva, who absolutely made my American manicure dreams come true. Minerva has worked with celebs like Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, and Dojo Cat, so obviously having her do my nails was, like, the highlight of my life. Keep scrolling to read about my full experience, and find out how you can get the look for yourself at the salon, or at home.

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Natalie Minerva is an OPI global ambassador and celebrity nail artist based in Los Angeles.

I'm a builder gel girlie through and through, so once we were done e-filing away the old color, Minerva used OPI's brand-new Gelevate (the brand's version of builder gel), in OPI Flawless ($25) for the fill. From there, Minerva used OPI Bare My Soul ($21) gel color for the base, and then she went in with OPI Funny Bunny ($21) for the tip.

Because we wanted the look to be more diffused and less stark between colors, Minerva also added an extra-thin coat of the OPI Gelevate For the Fill of It ($25) before going over everything with the OPI Super Gloss Top Coat ($21). After adding a bit of cuticle oil, I was ready to go — and that's when the compliments began, and frankly, never stopped.

It was my first time testing out OPI's new builder gel, and I was impressed. I usually get my nails done once every four weeks, and although I typically opt for Russian manicures, this one still lasted me a full month. The gel didn't lift, peel, or chip, and the color was absolute perfection. "American manicures are maybe my new favorite simple look because it's a toned-down, 'cool girl' version of the French manicure," Minerva says. "It feels fresh while still being minimal, and it's a set that can honestly pair with any outfit or look."

The trend was easy to pair with all of my outfits — as Minerva predicted — and the compliments didn't stop rolling in from friends, family, and literal strangers on the street. I've already decided this is going to be my new go-to manicure — it's simple, chic, but still fancy. If you've been contemplating trying an American manicure, this is your sign to do it.

Renee Rodriguez (she/her) is a senior staff writer and social producer for Popsugar. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for the PS TikTok and Instagram accounts.