
Genetics mostly determines the size and shape of nail beds.

What determines the size and shape of your nail beds? Soak your nails for about five minutes, dry with a clean cloth, and then use a cuticle stick to gently push back your cuticles. Add a few drops of essential oil or cuticle oil to the water. Before pushing back your cuticles, soak your nails in warm water to soften your cuticles. You can also push back your cuticles to give the appearance of a longer nail bed. Using a sharp object to clean underneath nails can cause slight damage and separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. You can also make your nail beds appear longer by cleaning underneath your nails with a nail brush instead of metal nail tools. Use a nail brush for cleaning instead of a nail scraper If you have difficulty growing your own nails, artificial nails can protect your real nails from cracks and breaks. As your nails become longer, you’ll have a longer white tip, which helps elongate your nail bed. Grow out your nailsįirst step is to let your nails grow out. If it's flat, you're better off shaping your nails square or squoval.While you can’t change the size of your nail beds, there are things you can do to make them appear longer. If it's more curved, try oval or rounded shapes. You can also look at the lunula (the half-moon shape on your nail bed) for nail-shaping guidance. If you keep short nails, a rounded shape is your best bet for low-maintenance style. If they're narrow, try a sharp square shape to widen and strengthen. How do you decide which nail shape is right for you? If your nail beds are wide, try a squoval shape.

File the side walls evenly and taper until you've reached the desired tip. This avant-garde shape is popular among celebrities-Fergie and Lady Gaga are always rocking it! And while it's not favored for the everyday look, this extreme shape can actually slenderize and lengthen the fingers. The pointed nail is a popular style for acrylic and nail art designs, especially in Eastern Europe and Asia.

#Nail shapes for short nails free#
File the side walls straight like a square, then round the free edge into that perfect swooping circle. This shape is flattering for wide nails, and gives the illusion of a thinner nail bed. RoundĪs one of the most conservative shapes of the bunch, the round shape is ideal for men and those who like to maintain short nails. Remember, you still want strong side supports-don't go too file-happy. File the corners until your free edge is rounded and beveled. First begin with a square with straight and even side walls. Square Oval (Squoval)Ĭombining the elegance of the oval with the strength of the square, the squoval is a popular nail shape for most fingers. Once you've got the perfect square, angle your emery board and bevel the nail. To create this timeless shape, file the side walls straight and make sure they're perpendicular to the free edge of the nail. The square is ideal for a bigger nail bed (it tends to make smaller nail beds look shorter and wider). With strong side walls and sharp or rounded tips, this shape is classic French. Then, shape the side walls into a rounded oval, making sure the angles are even on each side. To achieve the perfect oval shape, file side walls straight to make sure they're even. Oval shapes flatter both wide and narrow nail beds, and add length with a graceful tip. The tapered side walls of the oval create an elegant shape for women.
#Nail shapes for short nails how to#
Enjoy!ĭo you know the ideal nail shape for your manicure? Discover five different nail shapes and how to file them.

Nail Shapes: How To Shape Your Nails | Beautylishįor the holidays, we're revisiting some of our favorite festive articles from the Beautylish archive.
