Perhaps you have been doing manicures all your life without thinking about which shape would suit you best. Or, on the contrary, you have found your ideal one and no longer see the need to experiment. In any case, it is useful to find out what modern nail shapes are, and which of them are especially relevant now.
What are the different nail shapes?
An ideal manicure consists of many important points, but the primary one is choosing the appropriate nail shape. Even the most fashionable and ideal option by all standards may categorically not suit you, or... On the contrary, your option may be just the one that has been out of trend for several seasons in a row. In the question of how to choose the shape of your nails, it is important to consider some factors:
- Square long nails are more durable than round or almond shaped nails. If your work requires you to work a lot on the computer, it is better to give preference to a square shape.
- Round and oval nails will help create a more sophisticated and feminine look.
- The popular almond shape is not recommended for those who lead an active lifestyle or play sports - such nails are very easy to break.
- For short nails, it is better to choose a round or square shape. For longer ones, it is fashionable to give preference to elongated or pointed ones.
- If you have wide fingers, nail shapes such as oval, almond, or ballerina are suitable options.
- For women with long and thin fingers, the ideal nail shape would be square.
- One of the rules of nail art is that the shape of the tip of the nail should follow the contour of the cuticle. Based on this, you can choose the ideal option for yourself.
What nail shape is in fashion now?
Choosing a nail shape is a matter that requires special attention, because this is the basis of a successful manicure. First of all, it is important to focus on the natural shape of the nail plate and the shape of the fingers, but the fashion trends of the season must also be taken into account. Thus, the most popular nail shape this season is the stylish and elegant almond-shaped, more suitable for medium and long lengths.
Red manicure for short nails
Among the fashionable recommended shades for designing short nails: pink, ruby, tomato, scarlet, lingonberry. If you want to create a really stylish red manicure, then you can choose a French manicure with a red “smile” and a transparent/beige/pink base. A red manicure with a shiny accent on the cuticles or stamping is the best choice for short nails. Gradient? This kind of nail art will best reveal and emphasize the classic style.
Almond nail shape
The graceful and sophisticated almond shape of the nails will be the perfect extension of long, thin fingers. At the same time, it is also suitable for naturally plump fingers - with its help it can visually lengthen them. The name fully corresponds to the appearance of the nail - it is a round elongated nail with a pointed soft tip. The almond shape, unfortunately, is completely unsuitable for short nails, but for long nails it is the ideal solution.
The almond-shaped shape of long nails allows you to realize a wide variety of design ideas - both a single-color idea and various creative options. French on almond-shaped nails looks interesting and sophisticated. It’s easy to make this nail shape even on your own at home:
- the top of the nail is cut off so that a square shape with sharp edges is obtained;
- then, using a highly abrasive file, the corners are filed off so that the nail turns out to be slightly pointed and symmetrical with the cavity;
- Using a low abrasive file, the nail shape is polished and the upper corner is smoothed.
Almond shaped nail design
The elegant and fashionable almond shape of nails will allow you to realize a wide variety of design ideas. There are actually no restrictions - any option you like can be safely implemented. But, according to stylists. The most successful manicure for almond-shaped nails is:
- elegant and laconic nude manicure;
- catchy geometric design;
- gradient or ombre;
- design with silver - foil, sparkles, glitter, shimmer, rhinestones;
- neat drawings.
Oval nail shape
If you have long, thin fingers, then the oval nail shape is what you need. For short, chubby fingers, this solution will also be suitable, but only if the nails are long. The oval shape is very similar to the round one with one difference - the tips of the nails slightly taper at the edges, the outline of the nail resembles the outline of an egg. It looks very gentle, elegant and aristocratic on both long and short nails.
Oval nail design
The main advantage of this solution is that a manicure on short oval-shaped nails looks no less elegant and sophisticated than on long ones. Popular nail art options are:
- manicure for oval nails using the cat's eye technique;
- plain design - matte or glossy finish;
- textured decor using sand, broths, powder, microbeads;
- elegant gentle French and moon manicure for oval-shaped nails;
- manicure with a pattern for oval nails;
- brilliant decor - rhinestones, sparkles and other ideas.
New stylish manicure on very short nails
A recent trend has been designs that imitate the beauty of natural stones: marble, quartz, emerald. Looks elegant when complemented with gold glitter, rubbing or foil stripes. This design complements very short nails most advantageously; on them it looks like a work of art. However, according to the experts, simply dark and beige tones with sparkles and texture patterns will add beauty to mini nails.
Square nail shape
When considering various ideas for yourself, it is important to take into account that the square shape of nails visually shortens the fingers, so it is absolutely not suitable for chubby hands. But it is an ideal option for sophisticated, graceful “musical” fingers. It was originally conceived as an idea for a delicate French manicure, but now it is widely used for all sorts of stylish nail art options.
The main advantage of the square shape of nails is its strength - such a plate is much more difficult to break than a round or almond-shaped one, but many face another problem - the fragility of sharp corners. Therefore, a soft square nail shape with smoothed corners is more preferable - it looks less aggressive and is more practical. The square shape is suitable for any length, even the smallest.
Square Nail Designs
The square shape of nails, according to many stylists, looks very tough and aggressive, therefore, when choosing design options, you should give preference to more delicate and sophisticated ideas. At the same time, a long square nail plate is a huge space for implementing the most sophisticated and varied nail art ideas.
The most successful ideas for designing square-shaped short or long nails are:
- plain manicure in soothing colors;
- volumetric design made using sand, broths, gel and other textured design options;
- French for short or long square-shaped nails;
- manicure in geometric design;
- nail design using foil;
- matte manicure for square nails;
- nail design with rhinestones;
- various designs on square nails.
Cat claws are a popular and bold shape.
Cat's claws appeared a few years ago, and since then they have not lost their popularity. This option is characterized by a sharp narrowing of the free end towards the edge until a sharp corner is formed at the end. As the name implies, these nails are shaped very much like cat claws tapered to the end.
In order to make cat claws for yourself, you need to have strong and fairly hard nail plates, but it is best if they are extended or secured with acrylic.
They are presented very advantageously, boldly and a little daringly, so with this form you need to be careful not to look vulgar.
Stiletto nail shape
Fans of catchy and shocking experiments will certainly appreciate the nail shape called stiletto. The nails look long and narrow, this idea is very eccentric and not very practical - the nail can easily be broken. To avoid such a nuisance, it is better to do a manicure for stiletto-shaped nails with gel strengthening, or you should use extensions.
The beautiful shape of stiletto nails looks shocking and bright, it is suitable exclusively for long lengths. It is often preferred by those who like to be the center of attention. A long, sharp nail looks more natural on thin fingers. Those who have chubby hands are not recommended to wear such a uniform - due to the contrast, the fullness of the fingers will only be visually enhanced.
Nail design with stiletto shape
Manicures for stiletto nail shapes are often very catchy and shocking ideas that attract maximum attention. The most popular design option is sharp black nails, which are often preferred by informal youth. A stiletto manicure in bright red colors, with a variety of design and decor options, looks bright and catchy on the shape of nails.
A catchy and shocking nail design is not always appropriate - for example, sharp black nails do not fit very harmoniously into a business look. For the stiletto nail shape, you can choose lighter and more neutral design options that are suitable for a specific occasion - this could be a calm, monochromatic manicure in pastel or nude colors, an elegant French manicure, or delicate lunar nail art.
The most stylish gentle manicure for short nails
- The color of the sky, tea rose, lavender, ripe strawberry, caramel, cappuccino, orange, mustard - these delicate shades will be especially relevant for short nail lengths. They look beautiful, and most importantly, stylish on both tanned and light skin.
- If you choose a geometric design and use neutral colors or sparkles to create the shapes and patterns, the design will become a personal, completely new nail art.
- Pastel coating and negative space with sliders or art design on several nails are another option for a non-standard approach to creating a delicate manicure.
- In addition, you can simply make a hole near the cuticle of an unusual shape, and a manicure becomes a stylish option for every day.
Sharp nail shape
Many girls are interested in the question of which nail shape lengthens and thins their fingers. Sharp nails, which can be of different shapes, do an excellent job of this task. This category includes the almond shape, stiletto and ballerina, which have become extremely popular this season. Stylists do not recommend the stiletto for visually increasing the length of the fingers - the effect may be the opposite.
Pointed nails look beautiful and catchy - a pointed tip gives the image a more shocking and defiant look, while a rounded tip looks sophisticated and gentle. The only significant drawback of sharp nails is their impracticality. First of all, this form is only suitable for long lengths; they can be extremely inconvenient in everyday life, and they break very easily.
Manicure for sharp nail shapes
There are several options for sharp-shaped nail designs:
- Bright and shocking nail design. Pointed nails are often preferred by those who want to stand out from the crowd, and nail art can contribute to this. Design options in black, red, and acidic shades using a variety of decorative ideas have become trendy.
- Neutral nail design. Flashy and shocking nail art is not always appropriate, and sharp nails in calm shades look no less beautiful. This can be a single-color coating in white, pastel or nude colors; you can use laconic design and decor ideas.
- French on sharp nails. Such ideas in a wide variety of options can be both gentle and laconic, and, on the contrary, bright and catchy.
Stylish manicure for short nails with decor
It is difficult to overestimate the role of decor in nail design. So, charming fashionistas choose foil sliders and just stripes, glitter and delicate shimmer, the thinnest foil and different types of rubbing. Thanks to the harmonious selection of decor and nail technology, a design is created that easily matches the style and wishes of its owner. For example, foil + stamping.
Pointe shoe nail shape
Another version of the nail shape, which is both sharp and square, is the so-called ballerina, or pointe shoe. It is a tapered nail with a square tip and is ideal for any nails and any fingers. Natural or extended nails in this version are worn much better than the stiletto shape - the ballerina does not break as easily and is more comfortable and practical.
Manicure for ballerina nail shape
The graceful and shape of ballerina nails is a combination of shocking, sharp and practical square; the design can be absolutely anything - from catchy and shocking ideas to graceful and sophisticated, including exquisite designs. Ideas such as:
- nail design in minimalist style;
- ballerina shaped nail design in geometry style;
- catchy nail art using bright colors;
- brilliant nail design - rhinestones, sparkles and other ideas;
- various designs on nails.
Newfangled manicure with gel polish for short nails
Gel polish has many shades: light, neutral, bright, dark tones. And all of them are in demand for manicure of short nails. For example, it is interesting and beautiful to combine gel polish with foil, rubbing, rhinestones, sparkles, sliders, stamping and aqua nail art. It is in these types of designs that a creative touch and style can be traced. In addition, new stylistic solutions appear regularly. For example, quite recently they began to combine stamping + sliders + drawing in one design. What is relevant for manicure of short nails.
Nail shape squawked
There is a huge percentage of girls who prefer to wear square nails, but face the problem of brittleness. As a result, the beautiful sharp corners break off and the manicure loses its attractiveness. The ideal solution could be the shape of a squaw nail, which is the same square, but with soft, well-smoothed corners.
The beautiful shape of squaw nails has the same features as the classic square, beloved by many:
- nails squawked, like a square, are stronger than a round or sharp shape, they are much more difficult to break;
- this shape of nails can visually shorten the fingers, so those with graceful, thin hands should wear it;
- Like the square, the squawk nail shape can look tough and aggressive, so if you want to create a delicate and feminine look, you should use graceful and sophisticated ideas for the design.
Pipe nail shape
The name of this nail shape speaks for itself - translated from English this word means “pipe”. This version of the form has very long ends, reminiscent of thin tubes. Anyone who has seen this idea at least once will certainly come to the conclusion that in everyday life this version of nails is extremely inconvenient, but it can successfully become part of a bright and shocking image. The pipe nail shape is applicable only for long nails; short ones are not suitable for this idea.
