Browsing through Tumblr one day, we chanced upon a photo of a monochromatic black french tips combining two textures—matte and gloss. Labeled "The Perfect Manicure," our mouths were literally agape at the simple genius—black on black spells chic all over. So between a handful of polishes, a bottle of polish remover, a couple of failed attempts, and many hours of watching DVDs later, we present you with our four-step tutorial on how to perfect these gorgeous tips.

The perfect manicure? We think so!

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OUR TOOLS:

Because matte black polish is hard to come by, we chose to use Orly's Matte Top—a clear topcoat that turns any base to matte. The great advantage is that you can use the same polish over different colors for the same effect.

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STEP 1: BASE COAT

Squared nails look best with the look so before applying any product, file your tips with an emery board. As with any polish look, start off with a clear base coat.

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STEP 2: BLACK POLISH

Next, coat your nails with two layers of black nail polish (we used Essie in Licorice), making sure to clean the edges using a cotton bud dipped in nail polish remover.  

STEP 3: MATTE LAYER

Because you're going to be applying many layers of polish, you want to make sure nails dry in between coats. Once the black polish is fully dry, paint on one layer of Orly's Matte Top and allow to set.

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STEP 4: GLOSSY FRENCH TIPS

With a steady hand, swipe a thin line of a glossy top coat like Sally Hansen's Super Shine. For really high contrast, you may choose to use two coats for this step.

The result? Nails that combines the best of both worlds—matte on the body and gloss on the tips, the perfect chip-resistant combination. Try the look for yourself and post your photos on My Style > Nice Nails!