

Gerstein notes that if you're trying to create the shape at home, the key is to not spend too much time filing away at the sides of the nail, as "this causes them to break.” "As the nail becomes slimmer to a point, you round the tip just a smidge to replicate an almond." "File inward at the free edge and taper the nail to create a pointed look bringing the file in from each side wall of the nail," says LeChat Nails educator Syreeta Aaron. Whether you're planning on requesting almond nails during your next trip to the nail salon or you're trying to mimic the style on your own, creating the perfect almond shape is a lot easier than you might think. "It also works for people who are active because it helps avoid chipping the corners." “This shape elongates and slenderizes the hand," says celebrity nail artist Elle Gerstein. They're similar to oval nails, except they're not quite as rounded, and they typically create the illusion of longer hands. And even if you don't think French manicures are très chic, we've still got plenty of nail art options for you.Īhead, find the most innovative, badass, screenshot-worthy manicures for almond nails that the pros have to offer.Almond nails sound pretty self-explanatory, right? As the name so obviously suggests, these nails are inspired by the slightly pointed shape of an almond. "It really draws the attention to the tip of the nails and the nail shape." It's no coincidence that when we went searching for almond nail designs, the majority we found centered around the French manicure.īut that doesn't mean they're traditional per se - creative artists are doing tortoise French, tiger French, geometric French, cloud French, and even three-dimensional French. "French design that covers the nail tips ," says Amy Ling, founder of Sundays nail-care brand and salon. "The almond shape makes the nails look longer and narrower compared to other shapes, and this can be accentuated or muted depending on the design."Įven though the canvas is only centimeters big, the current nail trend toward French manicures have technicians shrinking it even smaller, with designs specifically created only for the tip of the nail. "We find that all designs look good on almond shaped-nails," agrees Molly Romah, lead nail technician at Chillhouse in New York City. That's why it's a go-to," says nail artist Elle Gerstein.

"The beauty of an almond nail, and of what art can do to the shape, is that it's different from what you can achieve on a square nail in all different lengths. We love it all, but we've got to admit - there's just something about art on almond-shaped nails that really has a hold on us. Just about any nail shape is fit for some good nail art: whether they're pointed talons or short and squoval, we're of the opinion that a well-prepped canvas, no matter how it's sculpted, provides an opportunity for you or your nail tech to create something wonderful.
