The Ultimate Guide to Nail Shapes: Pros, Cons, and Filing Techniques

Here’s your essential guide to nail shapes, their pros and cons, strength considerations, and the filing techniques to master each one. Choosing your ideal nail shape involves balancing style preferences with practical maintenance.

1. Square Nails

Pros: Strong and sturdy across the nail bed due to straight sidewalls and a flat edge Less prone to splitting or tearing Perfect for narrow nail beds Cons: Sharp corners can chip or snag easily Not ideal for wide nail beds Show regrowth faster because of flat tips and sharp corners Maintenance: Regular filing to keep edges smooth.

How to File
Hold your file perpendicular to the nail and file straight across. If you prefer to avoid sharp corners, finish by slightly softening the edges by moving the file in a C-curve across edges.

2. Round/Oval Nails

Pros: Low maintenance; super forgiving.  Natural-looking Reduces chipping and breaking Regrowth looks intentional rather than sloppy.  Cons: Less striking or dramatic compared to other shapes Maintenance: Easy upkeep; minimal filing required.

How to File:
File from the side towards the center, following the natural curve of your fingertip to create a gentle rounded edge. The rounded edge will look best when its a reflection of your natural nail bed. 

4. Almond Nails

Pros: Chic and fashionable Visually elongates fingers Cons: More susceptible to breakage than rounded shapes Needs frequent maintenance to maintain almond look Need length to create a visible almond shape; cannot re-create on short nails. Maintenance: File regularly to prevent uneven edges.

How to File:
Think almond nut shape. Shape the sides at a 45-degree angle toward the center, before tapering the nail smoothly to a soft, rounded point.

5. Coffin/Ballerina Nails (For Longer Nails)

Pros:

• Modern and trendy

• Makes long nails appear longer and slimmer

• Sturdy if nails are long enough

Cons:

• Higher risk of breakage at corners, similar to square nails.

• More challenging to maintain without regular salon visits

Maintenance: Regular reinforcement with strengthening polish and filing.

How to File:
Start by shaping side walls at a 45-degree angle similar to a long almond shape, then file the tip flat, creating a squared-off end. Smooth edges carefully to reduce the risk of snagging.

6. Stiletto Nails (For Longer Nails)

Pros:

• Dramatic and stylish

• Visually lengthening for fingers

Cons:

• Very prone to breaking

• High maintenance

• Can hinder daily tasks

Maintenance: Regular filing, careful handling, and using strengthening products essential.

How to File:
File each side of the nail at a > 45-degree angle center to create a sharp, tapered point. Go slow to ensure symmetrical sides.

Strength-Building Tips:

• Try to file in one direction to minimize splitting.

• Use a high-quality nail file (like Theniya's file/finish nail files) with dual-grits to have options between a course-side to file and a fine-side to finish. Read more about why the 100/180 grit file is the one nail file to get.

• Use nourishing cuticle oils (Theniya’s infused oils) to keep nails hydrated and strong. Read more about why you should use cuticle oils.