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Woman & Home
Woman & Home
Lifestyle
Emma Stoddart

Your choice of nail shape can make all the difference to your mani - so we asked the pros to explain each one

A collage of nail shapes: on the left is a close-up of a hand with short and round red nails, by nail artist Julia Diogo/@paintedbyjools, followed by a picture of a hand with ombre almond nails, also created by Julia. And on the right is a picture of a hand with burgundy square nails by nail artist, Fliss Alton/@gelsbyfliss/ all featured in a white and grey marble-effect template .

When you think of nail shapes, classic almond and square are likely the first to spring to mind, but there are actually several more styles, each boasting their own defining characteristics. There are modern options that blend two shapes (like squoval), while others are better suited to longer nails, but all equally have the power to transform your manicure.

The key is selecting the right nail shape for you, and this decision is arguably on par with your choice of nail trend or timeless colour. Because, as the experts explain, not all nail shapes suit all nail lengths and designs. Take squoval nails, for instance; this shape works especially well with nail designs for short nails and treatments like that of BIAB nails. Whereas stiletto and coffin, on the other hand, are better for longer nails, as these sorts of tapered nails require enough length to really create that signature gradient or angular tip.

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