7 Popular Nail Shapes And How To Achieve Them
Usually, when I set an appointment at the nail salon, I have it all planned out in my head how the nail technician is going to do my nails. However, the thing is that whenever I step inside, I no longer want that design. I no longer want that shape, either. It is a little embarrassing, but my sign is pisces so can you really blame me for being like this? Well, with that said, I want to share with you guys an embarrassing occurrence with my nail tech.
So, as I said, I have the tendency to change my mind in the very last minute. But this one time it was not my fault. It was my boyfriend’s fault. I was telling him how I want to do my nails and he said, “Why don’t you try out black? It will look good on you, trust me. Also, I really love black on you.” And of course, he gave me that look that I can absolutely never resist. So that was more than enough to make me change my mind.
When I sat down to get my nails done and told the tech the color I opted for, she asked me, “So, what shape do you want?” And I simply said, “Rounded, please.” Then, she looked at me weirdly and said, “So, just rounded? Why don’t you try out something like oval, almond or stiletto?” Well, needless to say, she caught me a little bit off guard. I brushed it off and awkwardly said, “Whichever then, please.”
When I went home, the first thing I googled was trendy nail shapes so that I could keep up. And here’s what I found:
1. Square Nails
This one is probably the most popular shape of nails. Want to know why? Well, because it is super duper easy to maintain as well as to create. Square nails are not prone to breaking mainly because the length of the nail follows the natural shape of the nail bed. You can create this look with the help of a file. Just trim them down to the length you want and then file them straight across. Make sure to get rid of any residues that might be stuck under your nail. Square nails look best in people who have long nails and have wide nail beds.
2. Oval Nails
The thing about the oval nail shape is that it gives your hands some sort of unique elegance. It was widely popular a few decades back. This look is quite easy to maintain too, as the nails don’t have any edges that could snap. To achieve this look simply file your nails around the sides until you reach the desired effect. Make sure to file in one direction and not to do it back and forth since that can cause your nails to break. This type of nail shape is ideal for people who have short fingers as it makes them appear longer.
3. Squoval Nails
Yes, squoval. That is a perfect mixture between square and oval nails. For people who don’t want their nails to be too edgy, they can try out smoothing the edges a little. What you need to do first is file the nail into an oval shape. After that, file down the tip of your nail to achieve a close-to-square look. The round edges make the whole maintaining process much easier as the nails won’t break down easily. The best thing about this shape? They look fantastic on any types of fingers. YAY!
4. Round Nails
If you’re looking to find something that doesn’t require much work, then round nails are the answer. What you need to do to achieve this look is firstly shape them like a square and then file them following the actual shape of your finger. It is really just as easy as it sounds and you will be done in a few minutes. Round nails suite any type of nails, so that is not something that you need to be worried about.
5. Almond Nails
Can you guess where this shape got its name from? Yes, from an actual almond. This look is quite similar to the oval shape, however, the tip of the nail is more pointed at the very top. To get this look then simply find where the middle of your nail is and then file the nail in both sides until you create a more pointed look. This look is perfect for short nails as it makes them appear longer.
6. Stiletto Nails
This one is more daring, but it is also my personal favorite. It is difficult to maintain, I’ll be honest with you. And it’s all ‘thanks’ to the slender, sharp shape. In order to get the stiletto nails look, then you need to grow your nails quite long, as the whole shaping process will for sure shorten them down a little bit. Just like you’d shape the almond nails, try and find the middle of the nail. And then file the sides of it until you create some sharp talons that everyone will be jealous of. To be honest, this type of nail shape is made for every type of fingers as long as you can pull them off and feel comfortable in them.
7. Ballerina Nails
This type of shape is often referred to as ‘coffin shape’, too. I know, a little creepy but it looks absolutely gorgeous. This type of shape looks like a refined version of stiletto nails. What you need to do is firstly shape your nails like stilettos and then file the tip of the nail straight across until you reach the desired effect that you want. It is fit for any type of hand and fingers really. P.S this shape looks extra beautiful painted in dark hues such as maroon, magenta or even royal blue.
There you go. Now that you’ve got the hang of this, you won’t be embarrassed at the nail salon like I was. Almost all of these looks are easy to pull off. Even if you don’t plan on painting them, it is a good idea to keep nails neatly shaped and moisturized. Hell, it will have you feel as if you have your life together. Cheers, darling!
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