How to give your nails the beautiful shape you want. Create a round nail shape

I finally took the time to not only trim my nails, but also photograph the entire process.

Above you can see the set of tools I use.

In fact, I don’t need all the files at once; most often it is enough to have only three items: a not too rough file (to remove the length of the nails), a grinder (for the free edge and end of the nail) and a polisher.

Pictured are the interchangeable files and sanders that I usually use: Young Nails – Purple Combo File/Sponge(240 grit), Jessica - Dry/Damaged Nails(240/400 grit), Deborah Lippmann - Eco-file, EzFlow - Gray Wolf(150/150 grit), EzFlow - Sand Shark 2(220/280 grit), Flash Shiner.

Before moving on to the process itself, I will focus on what grit is. Grit is the abrasiveness of the file. The higher this number, the less rough its surface.

For natural nails, in order not to damage the free edge of the nail, files with a grit of 180 and higher are most often used. The thinner the nails, the less rough the file surface should be. Very dry and thin nails with a short length can be shortened even with a buff for polishing.

I want to highlight separately that when shaping nails and changing their length, in addition to files and other tools, the background against which everything will happen is very important. It is most convenient for me to work on a dark surface, in soft natural light, without bright light sources that can create glare on the nails and visually change their shape.

Here's what my nails look like before:

Before we begin to shorten our nails, I will show the difference in the length of the free edge of the nail on the index and ring fingers. It is from the index finger that I begin to remove the length. Since the nail bed on it is the longest, it will become the nail whose total length (from the cuticle to the end of the nail) will need to be guided in the future. If you start to shorten the ring nail first, you can accidentally reduce the length to such an extent that you will have to file everything down to the root on the index finger, and at the same time it will still be longer than the nail on the ring finger.

Before I start filing anything, I usually use a file instead of a ruler to get a rough idea of which nails need to be shortened further.

Most often, in order to remove the length of nails without polish, I use a file. Young Nails - Purple Combo. I really like it because it combines a file and a soft sander in one.

I file my nails with small movements from side to side, with light pressure. In this way, you can minimize the discomfort in the process. It is very important to ensure that the nail itself is always perpendicular to the surface of the file. This is how you can get a square shape of the free edge, which will become the basis for a soft square.

I remove nail dust using a regular, simplest Kabuki makeup brush. I bought it on ebay for a couple of dollars. I learned this method of dealing with nail dust from a teacher during a manicure course, which has already been discussed in detail. If you try to simply blow off the dust, it will then settle on all nearby surfaces. And if you don’t remove it at all before finishing working with the file, then in the process it will be difficult to control the length and shape of the nails - very quickly all your hands will be white and nothing at all will be visible behind the dust.

I remove the length, focusing on the center of the nail, and not on the highest point of the cuticle - this is especially clearly visible in the photo above. On this nail, the cuticle is asymmetrical, and if you file away from it, the free edge may not be perpendicular to the center of the nail, and then the nail itself will look shifted at an angle.

After I have completely removed the length, I make sure to compare the nails on the ring and index fingers.

As you can see in the photo, three nails (on the index, middle and ring fingers) have the same length from the cuticle to the end, and the little finger is almost two millimeters shorter.

After I have completely removed the length on all the nails, I examine my hand, holding the brush out in front of me. This is how you can best see if some corner accidentally turns out to be higher than the rest.

Now a comparison of the two hands so that the difference is better understood.

I’ll take a little break from the further process and on my left hand I’ll show you how to remove the length on nails coated with varnish.

This method is suitable for those who find it difficult to maintain the same length of nails from the cuticle to the end, without being distracted by the length of the free edge.

To work with varnished nails, you must first apply a quick-drying dark varnish as close to the cuticle as possible, which is applied in a thin layer, without pearl or glitter, so as not to visually distort the shape of the nails. For these purposes I most often use OPI - My Private Jet.

The process itself is no different from what I showed above, but now you need a different, much coarser file. In this case I use EzFlow - Gray Wolf, designed to work with artificial nails, but thanks to the varnish that protects them, 150 grit is no longer so scary)

And, at the end, again look from the side at the entire hand in order to immediately notice if some corner is higher than the rest.

After this, the varnish must be washed off. When giving the final shape, it is most convenient to work with bare nails.

In the photo above, I wanted to show that I don’t file the corners of my nails on the sides and they remain completely straight (you can check this by applying a file). Thanks to this, the free edge of the nail has a deep bend.

The photo shows that the nail on the index finger has already rounded corners, but on the middle one they still remain sharp and absolutely inconvenient in everyday life (they can hurt or break). This shape of nails also has a right to exist and suits many people, but for me it is completely unwearable, so below I will show you exactly how I remove the corners.

To do this, I use a sander with a soft foam base (pictured is the back side of the file Young Nails). With gentle movements, from the edge of the nail to its center, I make several passes along the end of the nail to remove traces of sawdust and then proceed directly to rounding the corners. This should be done with the same movements, but only grabbing the corner of the nail, moving gradually in one direction, without pressing hard on the grinder, in order to maximize control over the process and the degree of rounding itself.

This way it's easy to get neat rounded corners without changing the shape of the free edge, so the result is a soft square without sharp corners.

After both hands are ready, you can compare the length of the nails again, just in case.

Now the final stage begins, which once saved me from splitting nails, and I don’t even know how many polishing buffs Flash Shiner I've already used it for a year and a half.

First, before final polishing, without pressing the buffer, I walk the gray side along the end of the nail several times, moving from side to side. It is very important not to put pressure on the buff, as, despite its soft surface, it can cut off excess and ruin the shape of the nail.

Using the white side of the buff, I first polish the end of the nail and the corners (with small movements from side to side), and then move on to the free edge and the top of the end of the nail, using movements from top to bottom.

It is thanks to polishing the end that my nails do not peel off.

This is how the end of the nail shines after polishing.

After all the manipulations, the free edge of the nail has a square shape, and the corners have a semicircle shape, which visually softens the overall appearance.

At the end I will show the result on both hands.

Any girl wants to look attractive and strives to maintain her appearance in well-groomed condition. Her self-esteem and self-confidence depend on this. That is why it is important to maintain a combination of clothing, hairstyle, accessories and manicure, because all this forms a unique and inimitable female style.

A nail technician can choose the most suitable shape, but this can also be done at home. Using the tips collected in this article, we’ll try to figure out how to make the nail shape ideal for each type of brush without leaving home.

Nail filing tools

For a home manicure, you need to acquire some tools. They can be purchased at any perfume and cosmetics store.

To properly file your nails at home, you will need the following tools:

Nippers for removing cuticles and other skin irregularities;
Manicure scissors;
Ceramic, metal or glass file;
Wooden stick. Needed to remove dirt under nails and smooth cuticles;
Nail brush. Helps in cleaning nails and hand skin from dirt;
Nail polish remover. In case it is necessary to remove the remnants of an old manicure;
White correction pencil. Tints nails from the inside;
Cuticle cream. Softens and slows down its growth in the future;
The buff is soft, used for polishing nails.

Using the tools listed above, you can create different beautiful shapes of marigolds.

How to shape using a nail file - instructions for filing nails

First of all, let's decide on the choice of file. If you just want to carefully file the natural shape of the nail plates, take a ceramic or glass file; they are ideal for sanding the finished surface. Ceramic nail files will also take good care of damaged or peeling nails. Metal files are more suitable for changing the shape of manicure extensions, as well as for pedicures of men's feet.

Before you start filing, it is important to keep in mind a few useful rules that will help create the shape of your nails.

Good lighting. If it is not possible to see very small details, it is better to use a magnifying glass;
High quality of the tools used;
A picture of the result in your head. Before the filing procedure, visually imagine the finished result;
Dry surface. Water and other moisture are not allowed;
Short nail rule. The length of the future manicure is determined by the shortest nail;
We don't drink too much. File only those plates that have grown two millimeters from the nail bed;
Slowness of the process. If you file quickly, the nail may peel off;
Hand treatment. It is advisable to use wax to avoid roughness.

What are the different nail shapes?

Nature has made sure that it is impossible for people with identical nail plates to exist. We are all unique, and this is worth remembering first of all when choosing the design and shape of a manicure.

It is necessary to take into account the size and structure of the arm, hands, personal preferences, the health of the nail plates, as well as lifestyle.

For example, the pointed shape of nails is not suitable for everyone, as it will create certain difficulties when performing manual types of work.

So, what are the types, shapes of nails and their names:

Round form;
Oval shape;
Clear square;
Soft square;
Oval square;
Almond shape;
Pointed shape;
Stylet;
Trapezoidal;

Below we will consider each of the forms in more detail.

Round form

This style is an ideal choice for those with short nails who prefer an active lifestyle. This form of short nails is considered the most practical of all subsequent ones. To give the nail a comfortable round look, first align the plates to the same length. Then we file all the fingers into a square. Then, moving from the center to the edge, you need to file the ends of the plates, rounding the corners. If everything worked out correctly, the short nail will follow the shape of the fingers.

Oval shape

A universal type of manicure that suits most girls, and therefore is the most popular. The length of the claws can be varied if the rule of short nails is followed. To create an oval shape, you need to file the corners giving the plate an oval shape. Finally, sand and polish the corners. The result is a rounded plate that looks impressive with any design and varnish.

Clear, soft and oval square shape

This look is not suitable for every representative of the fair sex. Only the owner of an elegant, thin hand with long fingers can fully appreciate the dignity of such a manicure. There are three types of “square”: clear, soft and oval.

The difference between them can be seen in the photo

Video Master class on how to create a shape on natural nails: oval, square, almond-shaped, soft square. In the video, the filing of the shape is shown on painted nails for better understanding.

How to file square nails?

To begin with, it’s worth growing them well. Two or three millimeters from the edge must be present.

It is worth starting to work with a nail file from the sides. By placing the file perpendicular to the nail plate, you need to carefully remove the excess so that the nail does not appear too wide. Then you should place the file horizontally relative to the nail itself and make careful movements from left to right or from right to left. In this case, you need to move only in one direction so that the square shape is even and the tip does not delaminate.

To give the square a slightly oval shape, the sides of the plate should be slightly rounded.

For a soft square shape, you just need to lightly go over the ends with a nail file.

The video below describes how to create a square nail shape and how to properly file your nails to create this shape.

Almond shape

This manicure will best decorate sophisticated women's fingers. The beautiful and fashionable almond-shaped model has been on magazine covers for decades.

Creating such a form is not that difficult. You just need to file the edges of the nail a little, holding the file at a small angle relative to each of them. This type of nails is easy to care for and looks great in both a business and romantic style.

Master class video - how to make an almond-shaped nail with a nail file.

Pointed manicure

Such nails are chosen by bold, luxurious, self-confident women. This style is suitable for girls with short or chubby fingers. Visually it will stretch, creating the image of an elongated hand. A sharp nail shape is created by defining the center of the nail plate. It is worth cutting without reaching the end of the middle. The end result should be a long, pointed claw.

Stylet

Recently, this type of nails, the stiletto, has been in fashion. Although this type is not very practical in everyday life, it is ideal for those who want to stand out. There are several types of stilettos: faceted, pike, Gothic, sword. These types are mainly used for extensions, but some women practice it on natural nails. The technique for creating the shape is the same as for pointed claws.

Trapezoidal

The flared tip is the main distinguishing feature of this style. This can be achieved using special thin files, filing away the volume closer to the nail bed. The wide tip of the nail can be beautifully enhanced with the help of a pattern. A very wide trapezoid can only be achieved by extending the nail plate; you can achieve this shape with natural nails only if your nails initially have a wide nail shape closer to the nail edge.

Other forms

The variety of nail shapes is currently so great that it defies any classification. The world's leading fashionistas annually introduce various innovations into this area, not wanting to stop there. At the moment, the ballerina nail shape (also known as the pointe shoe nail shape) is popular.

The pipe is gaining momentum, the shape looks like a tube, this shape has an ideal appearance when extensions are made; it is possible to create a pipe using a nail file, but it is difficult and not on all types of nails.

The stylish and elegant shape of a beveled nail or, more simply, the shape of a fondant, is just as relevant and interesting.

The shape of a beveled nail is most often formed by extensions; using a file, you can create such a shape only on long and very strong nails. By carefully filing the side edges, creating an even side edge parallel to each other, we obtain the desired width of the nail plate. Then we file the top edge of the nail at an angle of 30%. The slope of the cut must be left approximately the same on each nail in order to obtain the most elegant version of the fondant shape.

Every fashionista can choose what she likes.

How to choose the right shape for your nails

To find out which nails are right for you, you can turn to the table for help:

Nail shapes	For which nails is this shape ideal?
Oval	Wide short fingers; Wide nails.
Round	Short nails (by giving your nails a rounded shape, you will protect them from brittleness); If the nail hole is rounded.
Square	Long and thin fingers (with square-shaped nails, long fingers look even more delicate); The nail hole is square in shape.
Pointed	Short fingers (a pointed shape will visually add length to the fingers); Small fingers.
Rectangular shape with rounded edges (between oval and square)	Wide nail bed; Short nail bed.

By applying these parameters to yourself, you can easily determine which image will work in your favor.

Nevertheless, we should not forget that no one forbids experimenting with your image; the article shows only general trends. Perhaps you will find a nail shape that does not fit into the established standards, but will look perfect on your hand.

To summarize, it should be noted that now we know everything that is necessary in order to create a beautiful nail shape on our own. To learn how to file your nails into the shape you want, watch training videos and follow the masters. Mastery will come to you along with invaluable experience.

We hope that the article helped you understand the basic principles of choosing a nail shape and the technique for filing each shape.

The shape of your nails depends on preference and personal style, but there are some things you should know before going for square or round nails.

Depending on the size and shape of your natural nails, determine the filing shape that will provide some visual advantage. Like fingerprints, the size and shape of nails are unique to each person.

If you look at a friend's manicure, you will notice that there are no nails identical to yours. The nail bed can be long or short, wide or narrow. It is unique in its anatomical features for each person.

What shape should I make my nails?

Light oval with straight sides

Slightly round the tip of the nail. This shape provides maximum strength. If both sides of the nail are damaged, it can easily be filed into an oval shape to maintain length.

Oval nail shape

Make the tip of the nail ovoid, file the nail a little on the sides. This will of course weaken the nails to some extent, but is ideal for nail shapes that are thick or wide as it will give them a more sophisticated look.

Square oval nail shape

To achieve this shape, it is preferable to file your nails as in an oval shape, but make the tip more square. This will give your nails greater strength. The natural beauty of the nail plate will be emphasized by a French manicure from Oriflame.

Almond shaped nails

This nail shape is considered classic. In order to highlight the beauty of almond-shaped nails, you need to lengthen and sharpen their shape. The nail is filed on the sides and has a soft tip. This, however, may limit the achievement of maximum nail length.

Round nail shape

Ideal for short nails, the nails should grow approximately 1.5mm and then the tip should be rounded. This is a very durable shape that is great for those who don't like to wear long nails.

Square nail shape

Allow the nails to grow straight, and then file the tip at a right angle to the nail plate. This is, again, a pretty strong nail shape, but not a particularly graceful one. Short, square-shaped nails can make your hands look dull and heavy. This shape is good for drawing attention to long nails.

Square shape with rounded corners

It is done the same way as square nails, but then the corners are rounded. Such nails look softer than a too square shape, and there is less chance of catching clothes, etc. It also looks very beautiful on long nails.

Pointed nail shape

The nails are filed on the sides to create a sharp point at the end. This form is very weak because the sides of the nails (which provide strength) are completely filed down.

Round nails can be considered natural, and it doesn’t matter whether they are long or short. Today, an increasing number of women prefer natural forms of the nail plate. In addition, many people choose round nails also because the conditions in which women work very often do not provide for sharp corners on the nail plates (for example, a doctor or a kindergarten teacher).

Round nail - ideal solution for short plates

Very often, representatives of the fair sex have problems with the structure of their nails: they are brittle, fragile, and constantly delaminate. In this case, many people prefer to have a short manicure and round nails. This can be done even at home, without having any skills or abilities. An original manicure is perfect for those girls who:

the shape of the nail bed is triangular;
hands are naturally large;
the girl has too short and thick fingers.

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How to make round nails

The round shape of nails is done for both long and short plates. In order to make the design original and attractive, all you need is a file. Before doing a manicure, you need to treat the cuticle, thereby giving it a more feminine and well-groomed look. All plates must be the same length (when choosing it, you need to focus on the shortest one). It is very important to file correctly; the structure, presence of burrs and hooks depend on this. You need to file from the sides of the plate to the center in one direction, gradually giving the required shape. You cannot press the file too hard; this can lead to injury or loss of shape due to asymmetry.

After completing the process of giving the required shape, be sure to remove any remaining skin using the same nail file.

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How to choose and model the right shape for short and long, natural and extended nails.

The ideal female image consists of small, seemingly unimportant details. But only those who manage to create this image know how to combine hair and eyebrow colors, what length of chain to wear with a neckline of a certain shape, etc. If we talk about manicure, an important detail is that you need to pay attention not only to the color of the varnish and the length of the nails, but also to their shape.

Which nail shape to choose: types of nail shapes and names

The grace of women's hands depends on the choice of the correct shape of the nails. If you make a mistake, you can make your fingers short, like sausages, or, conversely, thin and long, like the legs of a spider.

When discussing the details of a manicure with a client and choosing a nail shape, the master must take into account:

Will the manicure be performed on your own nail or on an extension?
what are the features of the anatomy of the hand
what are the woman's personal wishes?
criterion of fashionability

Previously, only four classic forms of the free edge of the nail plate were identified:

round
oval
square
triangular

Today this range has been supplemented with new forms:

rounded square
almond-shaped
stylet
ballerina
blade
corner

IMPORTANT: Before asking a manicurist to give her nails some unusual shape, a woman should realize whether she will be comfortable with it in everyday life

When deciding how to file your nails, you need to pay attention to the shape of the cuticle. And it can be oval, square or triangular.

An oval cuticle shape is ideal. It goes with absolutely any nail shape.
The free edge of the nail plate is filed in the shape of a square or a rounded square if the woman’s cuticle is also square
With a triangle-shaped cuticle, pointed or oval nails look natural

IMPORTANT: If there are doubts about whether a particular nail plate shape is suitable for a woman, you can ask the master to apply a tip, filed accordingly, to the finger

Here are some more principles for choosing the right nail shape:

If a woman has a naturally short nail plate, its edge does not grow more than 0.3 cm from the tip of the finger, it is best for her to wear round nails. On long claws, the round shape looks a little rough
If a woman has very thin and long fingers, an elongated nail plate, a square or rounded (soft) square shape will harmonize her image.
If a woman has thin fingers, medium length or long nails, she can choose one of their pointed forms (stiletto, pike, blade, etc.)
If a woman's work involves a computer, she should not wear square or too pointed nails, as they will quickly break. The ideal option is a soft square, in which the corners are filed
Almond-shaped nails are very fashionable now. But they look really good only on medium-length nail plates
If a woman has long, extremely strong or perhaps extended nails, they can be shaped into a corner. It's fashionable and unusual, but it requires courage and a desire to experiment

VIDEO: Selecting the shape of the free edge of the nail

How and what shape to give to short nails? How to make round nails?

Short nails are usually given a round or square shape. It is better not to make a pointed one, because:

the sharp tips of short nails can look ridiculous, even intimidating, making a woman’s hands look like the clawed paws of an animal
The sharp tips of short nails will quickly break off

IMPORTANT: Round nails are considered the most natural. French manicure is the most organic on them.

To make your nails round, you need:

Perform a hygienic manicure
Give the plates the same length. To do this, you need to find the shortest nail and fit all the others to it.
Using a nail file, file all nails into a square.
Moving from the edges of the plate to its center, round the corners
Ideally, a round nail should follow the shape of your fingertip.

How to make your nails square? How to shape your nails into a soft square?

If round nails seem natural, then a square, regular shape indicates well-groomed hands and the fact that the woman regularly visits a nail salon. It is necessary to maintain this shape, since the sharp corners quickly grind off.

The square is formed as follows:

First, the parallel sides of the nail plate are filed
The free edge of the nail is filed perpendicular to them in a straight line with clear angles.

The shape is a rounded (soft) square or squoval, more delicate.

First, the nails are given a square shape.
The corners of the square are rounded using a file. The rounding does not go to the center of the nail plate, but only along its corners!

How to make beautiful almond-shaped nails?

Both the almond and the ballerina and the stiletto are derivatives of the triangle nail shape.

An almond-shaped nail turns a woman into a coquette. You don’t have to think that it only looks like a classic French jacket. In the portfolio of every more or less experienced master there are enough examples of beautiful design for this form.

The nails are filed into a square
The sides of the nail are filed at an angle to create a triangle with a blunt end.
The corners of the triangle formed on the sides of the nail plate (at its base) and at the tip of the nail (at its apex) are rounded

VIDEO: French - almonds

How to make a beautiful ballerina nail shape?

Ballerina is a fashionable and interesting nail shape in which the free edge of the nail is rounded at the base, narrowed and filed into a square at the end. The shape really resembles a ballerina's pointe shoe. Interestingly, it has another, less attractive name - coffin, which means coffin in English.

Nail shape “Ballerina” or “Coffin”.

After a hygienic manicure, the nail, which should be long or medium length, is filed into a square
By moving the file at an angle, the square is transformed into a trapezoid
The corners at the base of the trapezoid are rounded

Nail design Ballerina.

VIDEO: Gel nail extension, ballerina shape

How to make a triangular nail shape? How to make a stiletto nail shape? How to make a peak nail shape?

Triangular nails are achieved in this way:

file the free edges into a square
find the midpoints at the tips of the free edges
file the sides of the nails so that they form sharp angles at the middle points

The stiletto and pike are considered complex derivatives of a triangular shape. Since they look best on very long nails, they are usually done with extensions.

These two forms differ in that the stiletto has a smooth corner, while the pike has a very sharp corner.

Pipe nail shape: step by step

The C-line of the nail pipe looks like an arch or pipe, hence the name. Such nails are modeled from gel or acrylic on lower forms.

IMPORTANT: Usually, when building up, the C-line is about 30% of the circle. For pipe form – 50%
Toenails are soft square.
By filing your toenails into an oval or circle, you can provoke ingrown nails.

Feet steamed in a bath

Correct the length of the nails. The free edge of the thumb should be 0.1 cm. If the nails are too thick, they are trimmed with scissors; if just a little, they are filed with a nail file

VIDEO: Classic pedicure: preparation, examination of the foot, length and shape