The French manicure is a timeless classic in the beauty world.

I can lift any outfit and instantly make you feel pretty, feminine and ready for any special occasion.

Increasingly, nail art is expanding with new colorful tricks and techniques being introduced, and we're not just talking glittery acrylics.

Nail wraps, crackle polishes and newspaper print nails are among the new wave of artist designs that are taking the beauty world by storm. And the best bit? You don't need to spend a fortune on having falsies put on to achieve the looks.

None of us have the luxury of having salon perfect nails, but if you want to achieve a quick and simple manicure, then here a quick step-by-step guide.

1. Apply a base coat to the nail and let it dry.

2. With white polish draw two small vertical lines at either side of the tip and draw a thin line along the tip of the nail. The two lines make it easier to keep the line even. A handy hint, keep the brush flat and make sure there is no excess on the nail to avoid dripping.

3. Once you have your basic line on each nail, go back and make it as dark and defined as you like.

4. When it has dried add a couple of coats to add color and pigment to the nail.

5. When dry, add a clear nail polish for extra shine and protection from chipping.

If you struggle to achieve a straight-ish line on the nail, either use paper tape or French manicure stickers for a rough guide.

Following on from the spring/summer season's love affair with color, it is so easy to use this classic style to change it up a bit with a twist.

Instead of using the traditional base coat pink and white tips why not go for something a little more colorful and daring.

You can combine any contrasting or complimentary colors you’d like and chose a different combination for each finger and really follow the block color trend.

Follow the same technique as the above, but empty out your collection of polishes and have fun creating your own personal manicure!

A little tip...my nails at the moment are red and bubblegum pink, but instead of a red body, pink tip I've gone a little different and drawn a diagonal line across from one top corner down the nail. You can make the line as fine or big as you’d like.

It's eye catching and is a great tip for shorter or longer nails.

Publications: Febstore