Experts Explain How To Create 7 Common Nail Shapes + Which Is Best For You

All shapes are striking and unique, so it's not necessarily about which form you choose—it's whether you execute them correctly. Below, experts uncover how to file down seven of the most common nail shapes, plus how to tell which is best for your fingertips. 

Finally, you'll want to file in one direction (rather than the quintessential back-and-forth motion), "so you're not sawing your nail and causing the keratin layers to split and fray," she says. 

 With that, let's dive in. 

A classic shape, round nails are, well, round at the tips with no sharp angles on the sides—it's a great shorter-length style. To file your nails round, Amy Lin, the founder of sundays—a nail care brand focused on wellness—suggests starting at the side of the nail and filing toward the center, in the same direction. "When you notice one side getting rounder, move to the other side of the nail," she says. The result should yield a perfect half-circle on your fingertip. 

With square nails, it can be tempting to file the sides vertically to sharpen the shape, but as Elle warns above, you never want to dig into those cuticles.

According to Lin, this traditional shape elongates the fingers and is oh-so natural-looking. "If you'd like to achieve an oval shape, file your nail at a diagonal in an egg-like shape, really going in on the sides," she explains. You'll likely need some length to create an oval shape, ideally reaching just beyond the fingertip; otherwise, it'll turn into more of a squoval. "It won't work on a short, short nail," notes Elle. 

A mixture of square and oval shape (get it?), "squoval" nails have a flat, squared-off tip with rounded corners. A popular choice (it closely mimics many people's natural nailbeds), it's great for elongating the fingers without putting in too much work. "Start by filing the top of your nails straight across," says Lin. "Then go in on the sides to round the corners of your nails." 

If you are going to attempt a stiletto on your natural nail, "We recommend you start by trimming the edges of the nail with a nail clipper at a diagonal," says Lin. Then file the sides to sharpen the tip of the nail, making sure to alternate between sides to make sure they're even. "This nail shape is really for the brave!" If you're attempting this shape on a natural nail, your nails also must be quite strong to begin with—since they're filed down to such a small tip, 

Also called a "ballerina" nail (it resembles a pointe shoe), this shape is super long and tapered, squaring off at the tip. Unfortunately, you can't create this bold shape by filing down a natural nail: "A natural nail will not hold up, and it most likely won't have the length to support the coffin," says Elle. So unless you're opting for a faux-nail procedure, like acrylics or gels, you'll have to skip this one. 

Similar to stiletto, you'll want to clip the sides of the nails diagonally to cut down on filing time. Then file as you would an oval shape, really focusing on smoothing those sides. "Make sure you're not filing too much on one side and that the sides are even," notes Lin. 

Perhaps this goes without saying, but most people's cuticles don't form a stiletto, coffin, or almond shape. While those shapes are bold and eye-catching, if you're looking for a natural, elongated look you might want to stick to a round, square, oval, or squoval. "The strongest shape is one that's realistic, where you're not going to have a lot of breakage and upkeep," says Elle. 

It takes a bit of work to file down the perfect nail shape—be it a squoval, stiletto, or others listed above—but the end result looks fresh and effortless. Some are easier to execute than others, especially on a natural nail, but strengthening those tips can help you keep them long—so you can expertly mold them to your liking. Ready to try at home? You can master your at-home mani with our guide.