Please Excuse Me While I Try All 16 of These Oval Nail Ideas (2024)

FAQs

Who is the oval shape nail most appropriate for? ›

Best for: small hands; medium-long nails

Similar in shape to almond nails but with a rounder nail tip, oval nails are great for medium length nails and are ideal for both short and wide nail beds. The shape is great for smaller hands as it elongates the nails to give an illusion of longer fingers.

If you have Round/Oval Nails, your personality traits reveal that you are a dramatic, creative, positive, open-minded, and happy individual.

The oval is a medium to long shape with straight-filed sides that end in a soft semicircle. While you don't always need long nails to pull this off, a few millimetres of free edge extending over the fingertip will go a long way.

If you prefer a classic and elegant look, you may want to choose a round or oval shape. If you prefer a more edgy or dramatic look, you may want to choose a square, stiletto, or coffin shape.

Opt for a slightly rounded or oval shape, as it can give the illusion of longer and more youthful-looking fingers.

Oval-shaped nails are considered classic and feminine, being similar to an almond but a bit more blunt. They have softly rounded edges that follow the natural shape of the fingertip, helping elongate nails in both width and length. Square-shaped nails have straight, flat edges and sharp corners.

Oval nail shape

Oval nails are perfect if you have slightly smaller hands and wider nail beds. This nail shape is relatively easy to make and requires only a little filing to achieve the desired shape. This shape creates an elegant and feminine look and suits people who like to exude a groomed and stylish look.

If you have tiny nail beds, a longer nail shape may not be the best idea because you're more likely to experience breakage. If you have wide nail beds, a slimming nail shape, like oval or almond may be hard to grow on your own but is a sound choice for nail extensions because the longer form will elongate your hands.

According to Lippmann, many clients are interested in shorter nails instead of long acrylic manicures. The favored nail shape has also shifted from rounded almond to short and square. "While the almond shape was widely popular this past year, I think we will see more short square-shape nails come into play," she said.

square nails

because it respects the full width of the nail, those who wear a square shape often notice that their nails withstand bumps and stress much better than their curved or rounded counterparts. square shapes are very versatile and work beautifully on very short and very long nails.

What nail shape makes fingers look skinnier? ›

Almond – The slimmer sides, gentle tapering, and rounded tip of this style make the hands and fingers appear slimmer. The overall effect is more feminine, elegant looking hands. Oval – This softer, blunter shape makes the fingers appear to be slimmer.

"File your nail at a diagonal in an egg-like shape, really going in on the sides," nail expert and founder of nontoxic nail company sundays Amy Ling explains. This doesn't mean hasty or aggressive filing, though. "Make sure that you're filing toward one direction, instead of using the back-and-forth motion," Ling says.

Mani trends come and go, but round nails remain ever-popular. This is one of the easiest shapes to create at home and works across all nail lengths – especially short nails. Round nails are perfect for those with a wide nail bed or people who want to optically elongate the length of their hands and fingers.

It's like clockwork: you go to the nail salon, ready to replicate that new nail trend that's been all over your For You page.

Oval. The oval shape is similar to an almond, but the tip is filed to mimic an egg-like appearance. This elongating shape works well for small hands with shorter fingers. "It tends to make the nail look longer since it's filed in on the sides," says Mary Lennon, "which adds length and subtle drama."

Oval nails are commonly used in joinery where the appearance of the work is important, as they are easily hammered below the surface to give a clean finish. They are also less likely to break or split the wood making them the ideal choice for construction and upholstery. Available in a range of sizes.

The curvature is more extreme, so it tends to make fingers look a little longer. "Known to be a classic choice, an oval shape will also elongate the nail to give the illusion of length," says Knight. She also points out that an oval nail shape is especially great if you want to do a bit of nail art.

Oval Head nails are a general purpose construction nail and commonly used in general joinery projects. The nail head virtually disappears into the timber surface making it ideal for decorative type applications. The shape of the head helps prevent splitting of hard or brittle timber.