Top 10 Nail Designs Having an abundance of nail shapes can be a boon or a bane for the indecisive person. On the one hand—pardon the pun—it might be a simple technique to lengthen your fingers or enhance whatever elaborate nail art you want to wear. But how can one choose a shape in the end without feeling bad about it afterwards? You must have all the information in front of you in order to do it. Think of this as the comprehensive guide to all nail shapes.
The list isn’t as long as one would imagine. According to celebrity nail artist Holly Falcone, the traditional shapes—round, square, oval, and almond—are the most popular ones. Following them are variations that combine two traditional forms into one, like the squoval, or longer nails that are suitable for more elaborate designs, such the ballerina or stiletto. A few fresh styles are also making an appearance and adorning our social media feeds with their geometric cuts and forms. The good news is that you can wear any color or art you like, independent of the nail form you choose.
According to Tweezerman Pro Artist and celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik, “I feel it’s more of a personal preference, so I don’t really let the shape determine the design.” “I do like to create looks that help the nail appear longer and more narrow to add a bit of elegance and softness to the hands, though, regardless of the design.”
You’ll also need a few tools to file your own nails into the shape you choose. To form the nail, Falcone advises finding a nail file with 180 grit. She suggests using a nail file with at least 220 grit to smooth off the edges, such as the Deborah Lippmann Eco File Nail Set, which is our personal favorite. Tom Bachik enjoys using his Tweezerman x Tom Bachik Ultimate Nail Care Set, which includes a buffer, dual-sided file, and a fingernail clipper for trimming.
Beyond the elaborate design or striking color you choose to paint on, there are other ways to showcase your creativity on your nails. It turns out that changing the form of your nails might be the finishing touch to take your manicure to the next level. To assist you, Falcone and Bachik have broken out the ten most prevalent ones below. Make sure to save this link for when you next have your nails done.
Square
A square-shaped nail, in Falcone’s opinion, has a flat tip and is not tapered at the sides. According to her, square nails are among the more resilient varieties and can help people who depend on their hands to carry out everyday duties.
Bachik suggests holding your nail file at a 90-degree angle at the tip of your nail and filing straight across to acquire that sharp, flat edge in order to achieve the square form. He advises holding your hail file straight and filing up and down each side for the sides.
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A nail with a rounded tip is appropriately called a round nail form. According to Bachik, the tip has a half-circle form that is wider at the tip than an oval shape (more on that later) and more rounded than a squoval nail (more on that later). For people whose nail beds appear flatter or who have nails that break easily at the edges, he likes to suggest getting a round, square, or squoval shape nail; these forms leave a lower arch and can assist preserve the strength of your natural nail. For individuals who like shorter nails, Falcone says it’s a durable alternative.
She advises filing along the natural nail tip’s contour to achieve this shape. According to Bachik, to achieve that rounded shape, you should hold your file at a 45-degree angle and file from side to center. Continue on the opposite side of the nail after you’ve achieved that curvature.
Squoval
Although the term “squoval” suggests that we’re talking about a nail shape that is partially oval and partially square, Bachik claims that it’s more like a hybrid of a square and a circular nail. Falcone continues, describing it as having flat tip, rounded corners, and somewhat tapered sides.
According to her, you may use the same filing method as you would for a round nail; just be sure to file the tip straight across for a more uniform edge. She suggests using this design for straightforward manis that only use one shade. This is Bachik’s go-to method for enhancing a natural nail shape, and he claims that anyone who like short nails and leads an active lifestyle will find it ideal. He continues, “It’s a strong, yet stylish look.”
oval
According to Bachik, an oval nail’s shape is comparable to that of an egg. He says, “As you get toward the tip, the shape will be a little narrower than a round nail and the nails need to be slightly longer.”
Falcone continues, “[It’s] an untapered shape with a rounded tip, like a longer round shape.” “File the tip round to resemble the [shape of the] cuticle, then file the sides without tapering at the tip.”
Both experts agree that you can choose more creative nail designs because it has a longer length than a rounded or squoval shape. According to Falcone, it’s the ideal form to draw attention to the traditional French manicure.
Almond
An almond-shaped nail, as the name implies, has a tip that resembles the popular nut’s narrow side. It is shaped like an oval nail and gets thinner as it gets closer to the tip without being extremely sharp. According to Falcone, “this is probably the most popular shape and flattering on anyone.”
“In general, this is my preferred nail shape,” continues Bachik. Supermodels and celebrities have been drawn to this style because it gives fingers an exquisite, elongated feel.
To get that tapered form near the top of the nail, filing nails at an angle of around 25 degrees is the easiest way to do this. To draw attention to the tip, choose traditional styles like the French tip.
High heels
The stiletto nail is well-known to long nail fans. Its tip is extremely small and sharp due to a more abrupt taper at the top, as described by Falcone. “The dramatic shape of the stiletto nail shape has made it extremely popular over time,” continues Bachik. “Excellent if you enjoy a hint of [attitude].” In order to achieve a clean bottom edge and a long point at the tip, he suggests holding your nail file at a nearly level angle.
However, be advised that because to the sharp point’s increased susceptibility to breaking, Falcone claims that this can be a challenging nail to live with. She states, “I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone with a very hands-on lifestyle.”
Dancer
Similar to a pointer shoe, ballerina nails are long and have a square tip. They are sometimes referred to as coffin nails. According to Falcone, the tip is filed straight across for a flat edge, and the sides are filed to a tight taper. “Anyone who wants [to wear it] benefits from it,” she claims. “It is more prone to breaking because it is more tapered like [a stiletto nail],”
Bachik continues, “This is a beautiful shape.” “It has, in my view, evolved into the contemporary almond nail.”
Cut
A sharp, pointed nail with a ridge forming in the middle is called an edge nail.
Lipstick
According to Falcone, a lipstick nail is a long nail with a sharply filed diagonal tip that resembles the form of a fresh lipstick. If you quickly go around your explore page, you’ll notice that a lot of users choose to highlight those sharp corners with abstract geometric designs.
Flare
Flare nails are particularly striking when there’s a lot of drama. The edges fan out as they progressively spread out to the tip. Although these might not be the preferred shape for everyone just yet, experts believe that could soon change. Regarding the shape—jokingly called “duck nails”—she remarks, “I haven’t seen any of these lately, but I wouldn’t be surprised [if I did].” Whatever goes, she continues.
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