As important as it is to choose a great colour for your gel polish manicure, selecting the right shape for your nails can be the real difference between a good manicure and a great one.
While you may think it’s as simple as going for the most on-trend shape or the most practical, the right shape can enhance the look of your whole hand for a 10/10 look.
Here are the top 7 nail shapes and how best to style them so that you can find the perfect shape for your next mani.
Round
Best for: short nails with a wide nail bed
Round nails are the classic nail shape and a great fit for natural nails. They’re easy to create at home and a great length and shape for those of you who like fuss-free nails that are less likely to break. The round edges of the nail also create the appearance of a longer nail, making your hands look more slender in the process.
Almond
Best for: short, wide fingers – helps to lengthen the appearance of nails and hands
With their wide base and slim sides, almond nails are a popular choice when it comes to nail shape. A natural look that makes your fingers look longer; but you’ll have to grow your nails first as this shape is suited to longer natural nails. If you’re still after this look but have short nails, you can try our nail extension products like Gum Gel, Hard Gel or Builder Gel.
Oval
Best for: small hands; medium-long nails
Similar in shape to almond nails but with a rounder nail tip, oval nails aregreat for medium length nails and are ideal for both short and wide nail beds. The shape is great for smaller hands as it elongates the nails to give an illusion of longer fingers.
Square
Best for: long fingers; slim hands
A stylish and slightly different look, square nails have straight edges and are squared-off at the tip. They’re also one of the most practical nail shapes out there and low-maintenance, however it’s a look suited to longer nails – so if you’ve got short digits, we’d recommend nail extensions before trying this shape.
Squoval
Best for: short nails with low maintenance
Think square nails but slightly curved at the edges. No matter what size your nails are, squoval nails are a great choice as they follow the outline of your cuticle. They don’t require much nail length, so those of you with shorter nails can work with this shape.
Coffin/Ballerina
Best for: long Acrylics/nail extensions
A classic shape for those of you who love your nail extensions. The coffin or ballerina shape works on long and strong nails, with the tip squared off to give the appearance of a ballerina’s shoe. You’ll have to grow your nails quite long for this look, so extensions are definitely the way to go.
Stiletto
Best for: long Acrylics/nail extensions
The classic look for the most glam nails around. The elongated shape is pointed at the end and great to enhance shorter fingers or to simply go all out. Not the most practical, but the most striking; best created when using nail extension products like Gum Gel.
Now you've chosen your shape, it's time to get started! Remember to pick up your Bluesky Nail File and Nail Buffer to help shape your nails, and take a look at ourour tips for prepping your nailsto get you on your way.
FAQs
When choosing a nail shape, it is important to consider your hand type and personal style. If you have short nails, you may want to choose a round or oval shape to help elongate your fingers. If you have wide nail beds, you may want to choose a round or squoval shape to help make them look narrower.
How do I know what nail shape is best for me? ›
When choosing a nail shape, it is important to consider your hand type and personal style. If you have short nails, you may want to choose a round or oval shape to help elongate your fingers. If you have wide nail beds, you may want to choose a round or squoval shape to help make them look narrower.
What is the healthiest nail shape? ›
Pointed (Arrow Head)
Best for short, stubby finger, this shape elongates and slims. Of all of the shapes, round and square are best for nails that are sturdy and healthy.
What nail shape is best for aging hands? ›
Opt for a slightly rounded or oval shape, as it can give the illusion of longer and more youthful-looking fingers.
What is the most requested nail shape? ›
The Fan Favorites
Coming in as one of the most popular nail shapes out there is the squoval nail shape. A blend of the square and oval nail shapes, squoval nails make for an elegant look. Keeping the straight square edge with soft rounded edges, this balanced shape might be your new favorite staple.
What is the classiest nail color? ›
Nail polish popularity ebbs and flows with the tides of trends, but the most enduring shades are the classics: red, nude, pale pink, sheer white, and opaque white.
What nail shape makes your fingers look skinny? ›
Almond. "An almond-shaped nail is slim on the sides and wide on the base, coming to a rounded peak," says Deborah Lippmann. "This shape will lengthen and make short fingers look slim." To get the look, file the sides and make sure the tip is narrow, so the free edge mimics a peak shape.
What is the most seductive nail shape? ›
A fashionista's favorite, the almond nail shape is basically an elongated oval shape with slightly tapered sides and tip. This nail shape can elongate and slim your fingers and nail beds, making it an ultra-chic and sexy nail shape for just about anyone.
What is the most attractive nail? ›
Red conveys a direct attraction and is associated with sensuality and erotic interest. Black, one of the favorite colors, is considered particularly trendy and is therefore also associated with attractiveness.
What nail shape is most likely to break? ›
What Is the Weakest Nail Shape? Because of their straight-edge shapes, square- and coffin-shaped nails are more prone to breakage, Tuttle says.
Dark polishes, particularly stark black, run the risk of making mature hands appear less youthful, especially when it comes to cool-toned shades like deep navy, bluish reds, and wine purples. These exacerbate any skin dullness or dark spots caused by sun damage that you might be worried about.
What nail color makes you look younger? ›
"Orange is a youthful, bright and uplifting colour, and it helps draw attention away from signs of ageing hands with age spots, visible veins and wrinkling skin," says celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann from her eponymously named polish brand.
What is the best nail shape for over 50? ›
As a combination of square and oval shaped nails, squoval shaped nails are highly recommended for older women as they are an appealing of the classic oval and trendy square shapes that are both said to enhance the youthful and slender look of your hands.
What nail shape is trending in 2024? ›
Trending nail shapes for 2024
Almond: Almond-shaped nails are characterized by their rounded tips and tapered sides. This shape elongates the fingers and creates a feminine and elegant look. 2. Coffin: Coffin-shaped nails, also known as ballerina nails, feature a square shape with tapered and pointed tips.
What is the toughest nail shape? ›
square nails
this timeless nail shape is also one of the strongest. because it respects the full width of the nail, those who wear a square shape often notice that their nails withstand bumps and stress much better than their curved or rounded counterparts.
What nail shape reveals your personality? ›
If your nails have circular edges with rounded tips, you have a round nail shape. If you have Round Nail Shape Personality, your unique personality traits may be being calm and collected. You are not easily flustered or stressed. You tend to take things in stride.
How do I choose the right nail? ›
First off, a good rule of thumb for picking screws or nails for your project is this: The length should be twice the thickness of the wood you're driving through. So if you're driving through a one-by-four board, which is ¾” thick, then you should opt for a 1 ½” long screw or nail.
How do you know what nail color suits you? ›
Understanding your undertone colours
Finding the ideal nail color starts with understanding your undertone. To determine your undertone, observe the veins on your wrist. If your veins appear blue or purple, you likely have a cool undertone. If they have a greenish hue, you probably have a warm undertone.
How do I choose a nail design? ›
Check the latest trends but don't get too caught up following what's popular online. If you can rock the nail design and it looks flattering on you, go ahead. But if you find that it doesn't suit you well, let go and try other designs. Sticking with the classics also isn't a bad idea, since they're versatile.
