3-in-1 Nail Tutorial: French Tip, Water Effect, and a Pop of Colour 💅

Love having acrylic nails and want to try your hand at something creative? This week, Meg put together a single-nail tutorial that combines three looks into one: a crisp French tip, a clever water droplet effect, and a bold pop of colour. It’s playful, vibrant, and a great way to push your nail art skills further.

We’ve put together a step-by-step guide so you can recreate Meg’s look at home using Naio Nails and Urban Graffiti products.

The products you’ll need

Step 1. Base French tip

1. Apply Flower Girl only to the top of the nail (or nail bed if you are doing this on a client), stopping at the smile line.

2. Keep the coverage neat so the bottom of the nail remains clear. Cure.

Step 2. Water droplet effect

1. Turn the nail over so the underside is facing up.

2. Use Urban Graffiti Top Coat to place small droplets on the underside of the nail.

3. Cure to lock them in.

4. When viewed from above, these droplets give a realistic “water effect” through the clear nail.

Step 3. Jelly tint

1. On the top side of the nail, apply Pink Grapefruit Jelly to the lower half (the part you left clear in Step 1).

2. This creates a translucent pink wash over the droplets, making them look suspended in the nail. Cure.

Step 4. Adding fun details

1. Use Flamingo Fizz to outline the smile line with dots.

2. Extend the design by painting a few curved lines down one side of the nail and filling them in for a playful twist. Cure.

Step 5. Outlining and extra smile line

1. With Spill It, outline the Flamingo Fizz curves to make them pop.

2. Add an additional, finer smile line above the original to build depth. Cure.

Step 6. Final shading and details

1. Use Glastonbury Nights to add subtle shading and a few final details for contrast.

2. Keep it light-handed so it doesn’t overpower the other colours. Cure.

Step 7. Seal and finish

1. Apply a full layer of Urban Graffiti Top Coat to seal in all the details and add shine.

2. Cure for a strong, glossy finish.

The final reveal

The result? A single nail that shows off three effects in one design: a crisp French tip, a clever see-through water droplet effect, and playful pops of colour layered in with curved accents and shading. Juicy, fun, and packed with personality - this is the perfect nail to try if you want something totally unique.