The Best Nail Shape for your Hands - NailKnowledge (2024)

FAQs

The Best Nail Shape for your Hands - NailKnowledge? ›

Round nails offer durability as they do not have sharp corners that are prone to breakage, and it elongates your fingers and makes them look slender. Round nails also make wide nail beds appear thinner. Almond-shaped nails are tapered with a rounded point at the tip, resembling the shape of an almond.

If you have short palms and short fingers, it's best to opt for rounded oval and almond shapes. For longer palms and fingers, consider dramatic stiletto or coffin (or ballerina) shaped styles. Almond shaped nails tend to suit everyone.

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.

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.

Your best option is Squoval. For the best of both worlds, this universally flattering shape has softer corners compared to square nails.

Nail Shape: Consider the shape of your nails as well. Opt for a slightly rounded or oval shape, as it can give the illusion of longer and more youthful-looking fingers.

According to Huber-Millet the classiest nail shape of all is round or square. 'A square nail shape is a timeless classic that never goes out of style,' it's a great pick for those who love a chic and simple style.

Coffin nails, also known as ballerina nails, are long and narrow with a squared-off tip. They are named after the shape of a coffin, and are sometimes also called "stiletto nails." Coffin nails are a good choice for people with short, wide fingers, as they can make the fingers look longer and more slender.

“If you have a lighter skin tone, the color would differ depending on how fair your skin is, but corals, greens, and red would be good for older hands because it draws attention to the nails,” according to Orly. According to Orly, older adults with darker skin may look best in orange, gold, and gray shades.

Neutral, nude tones work well for all skin tones and can make your hands look more refined and youthful. Light pink or beige hues can be particularly flattering and help to maintain a subtle, polished look that doesn't draw attention to any imperfections.

How do you get skinnier hands? ›

Losing weight is the ultimate way to get thinner hands, and the healthiest way to lose weight is through exercise. The CDC recommends adults get roughly 150 minutes of aerobic activity and strength training over a week. If you're already exercising that much, try to up your routine.

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.

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 Weakest Nail Shape? Because of their straight-edge shapes, square- and coffin-shaped nails are more prone to breakage, Tuttle says.

Oval-shaped nails are considered classic and feminine, being similar to an almond but a bit more blunt. They have softly rounded edges that follow the natural shape of the fingertip, helping elongate nails in both width and length. Square-shaped nails have straight, flat edges and sharp corners.

“I would say a milky pink [think Chanel's Ballerina], due to the trend of quiet luxury,” says Kandalec. “Or if someone is a gel/enhancement girlie, I'd say an autumnal red that's deeper and more brown based versus a classic red [like CND's Classic Lipstick], or a French manicure with thin, classic white tip.”

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.

Squoval. This is a universally flattering nail shape being a hybrid shape of square and oval. It is one of the most commonly requested styles - squoval nails flatter all fingers and because of this, they never go out of style.

The almond shape is known for its elegant and feminine appeal. This nail shape is wide at the base and slender along the sides, that tapers to a rounded peak. It adds length and creates an illusion of slender fingers.

How to know the right nail shape for you? ›

If you have tiny nail beds, a longer nail shape may not be the best idea because you're more likely to experience breakage. If you have wide nail beds, a slimming nail shape, like oval or almond may be hard to grow on your own but is a sound choice for nail extensions because the longer form will elongate your hands.

A bluish shade indicates a cool complexion, while a greenish one shows you have a warm complexion. This makes matching easier, since cool complexions ask for cool shades (any tone of green, blue and purple), whereas warm complexions obviously require warm shades (all tones of yellow, orange, red and violet).

The color of your natural nails can be an indication of your skin tone. If you have a fair complexion, opt for light shades of pink, beige, and white. Women with olive skin tones should choose colors that are in the green family, while those with darker skin should stick to shades of brown, black, or deep red.