Sometimes called a ballerina nail because it resembles a pointe shoe, coffin nails are growing in popularity. To maintain this extreme shape, the nails will have to be removed and reapplied every few fills. It’s important to note that shortening a stiletto nail will cause it to lose structure and shape, says Baker. Then, file the nail up and over from the sidewall to the center on both sides to perfect the shape. After building the nail, support the length of the enhancement with your other hand and file the sidewalls straight out from the nail. Form placement and good product application is key to achieving this look. “They take some time to adjust to and are very high maintenance and prone to breakage,” says Barbi. Stiletto nails make a statement, but they come at a price. If working on enhancements, continue shaping the nail by holding the file at a 45-degree angle to the free edge to achieve the right profile. Alternate between sides as you refine the shape to ensure that the rounded shape remains balanced and isn’t too narrow. Begin by filing the sidewalls from corner to center, gradually curving the file to round the tip. To create a squoval shape, start with a square nail and slightly round the corners.Īrguably the most universally flattering nail shape, an oval nail gives fingers the illusion of thinness and length, says Vicki Ornellas, global educator for ibd. “It’s also a great shape for clients who normally wear square nails and want to slowly transition to oval,” she says. Like their square counterparts, squoval nails have strength in structure, but with the added benefit of no sharp corners, which tend to crack or chip, says Barbi. The hyponychium is rarely even and the tips could be slanted if you use the quick to guide you. Always check your progress by holding the client’s hand upright in front of you. If going square with natural nails, focus on keeping the file in the same position as you lift it from the nail after each stroke to file again in the same direction. This shape is a little easier to accomplish on an enhancement because the file can remain in contact with the tip as you move back and forth just be sure not to round the tip as you blend the profile of the product. To create a square nail, file the sidewalls straight out from the nail bed, then turn the file perpendicular to the tip and file the free edge straight across. Strong sidewalls and a deeper C-curve make square-shape enhancements a structurally sound choice, says Baker. Here, expert advice for achieving clients’ most-requested nail shapes: While the same basic methods are used to achieve most nail shapes, specific shapes require slight tweaks in technique. “Run your fingertip over the nail to feel for bumps.” And don’t rely solely on sight, says Barbi. As you file, constantly check your work by viewing the nail from all directions. Artificial nails can be filed in any direction, but Baker prefers short strokes, filing from side to center to achieve a nice, smooth surface and an even barrel shape. When filing natural nails, work in a single direction from the outside edge to the center of the nail to help prevent splitting. For techs that can be a little heavy-handed when taking down product, Elsa Barbi, brand ambassador for OPI, recommends choosing a file with some flexibility these files are rigid enough to shape the nail, but will bend with extra pressure, reducing friction on the nail bed and saving skin from cuts. Allie Baker, global brand ambassador for EzFlow, likes curved files for working around the cuticle area and straight edges for shaping tips and perfecting contours. Which file you reach for is partly a matter of personal preference. Lower grit numbers, such as 80, are very coarse and should only be used on artificial nails, while higher numbers (180 and up), are suitable for natural nail shaping and buffing. Commonly made with a wood, foam or plastic core, all files are lined with an abrasive surface called grit. These often taken-for-granted, workhorse implements help techs conquer a variety of tasks-from softening rough edges to rescuing a product application that’s gone awry. W hen it comes to tools of the trade, files are about as basic as you can get.
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