tips & trends

you better shape up: filing and trimming your nails

after you’ve cleaned nails and created a beautiful working canvas, you’ll want to file and trim nails for your desired nail shape. whether square, squavol, stiletto or trending coffin nails, it’s up to you on how to showcase a manicure. brush up – or should we say file down – with these nail care tips.

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know your grif! choosing a nail file.

not all nail files are created equal. when choosing yours, remember to check the “grit count.” the higher the grit, the softer the file. for filing the tips of your nails, use a nail file with a grit no lower than 180. for refining the nail tip and lightly buffing ridges and discoloration on the surface of the nail, use a buffing file or block no lower than 250. finally, toss your metal nail file! they are extremely hard on your nails and can do more damage than good.


picking the right nail shape for my nails

struggling to find the right shape for your nails? the easiest way to find the strongest, most flattering nail shape for you is to mirror the shape of your cuticles. 

if you have a curved cuticle, try an oval or rounded nail shade. 

if your cuticles are straight, opt for a square or squoval. 

if you are daring or up on nail trends, you may try a trendy stiletto or coffin-shaped nail. a tip to the wise, though these trend nail shape trends are fabulous and eye-catching, it’s important to remember that these editorial nail shapes aren’t the strongest and are more prone to breaking – so be extra precious!


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