The 4 Best Nail Shapes 2024
Covid-19 has struck and nail salons worldwide faced a long period of closure. Perhaps some of them are opening up in your locality now. Perhaps your area is still to open up for personal grooming businesses. OR maybe you would like to keep practicing social distancing and do your own nails for a few more months. Whatever be the case, have you been thinking about how to file your cuticles? Do you want to know which nail shapes are currently trending all over social media as celebrities and nail art enthusiasts maintain their manicured fingers at home? And have you been wondering if you should try them out too? If yes, you have come to the right place!
2024 ended with a lot of promising predictions for the world of nail fashion. However, what no one took into consideration was the sudden pandemic of Covid-19 sweeping all over the world. With stay-at-home orders in place, a lot of erstwhile nail fashion has gone through a seachange. For most of us, it means adopting practical nail fashion- the kind that does not get ruined as we go about doing our daily chores or get trapped in the gloves we are required to wear when venturing outside. So are the trending nail styles on social media really the best ones for 2024?
On its website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published a list of general nail hygiene recommendations which give us an insight into what would be the optimal nail care practices in these trying times. Keeping these recommendations in mind, we believe the following nail shapes are the best ones for this year. Trust us they are not only hygiene friendly, they are also trendy and smart.
The best nail shapes for your hands
Round nails
What they look like: They are nails trimmed short with the edges kept soft and curved.
Why choose this style: With the new normal requiring a lot of self-reliance in relation to household work, cleaning, sanitization , etc, this is probably the best shape to file your nails into. It is the least likely to chip or break under pressure. This means it will let your manicure last longer,. Also since it requires a trimming close to the skin, this shape is least likely to let grime or germs accumulate underneath your cuticles. It is a win-win classic shool girl shape! No wonder it rarely goes out of style.
When to be cautious of this style: Well, there are no drawbacks to this shape. It suits almost every finger type and is easy to maintain. As it is a well-balanced shape, it is very durable and keeps your nail healthy. If anything, it will make scratching your face a harder act!
Square nails
What they look like: As the name suggests, Square nails look just like a square (or a rectangle). Unlike the Round nails, these are trimmed straight with sharp corners.
Why choose this style: This is a chic style to wear short (though it can also be confidently carried out in a slightly longer rectangular variation). The cut is clean. The nails don’t easily chip and are ideal if you need to use your hands a lot for rough work. You may use it for a goth look or a popstar look that isn’t hard to maintain. The shape blends well with the kind of nail color you want to varnish your cuticles with and can create any type of look you want!
When to be cautious of this style: You may find your hands looking more stubby if you have shorter fingers. Also, be careful to not trim the edges too sharp as they can rip through clothes
Oval nails
What they look like: They look a lot like the Round nails except that they are slightly longer. The edges are curved in a manner that the end result makes the nail get a blunt oval filing.
Why choose this style: They are a strongly balanced shape and like their ROund counterparts least likely to chip or break. They look more elegant because of their elongated nature. They also give you more nail space to create intricate nail art if you want to embellish them.
When to be cautious of this style: Unless your nails are really brittle and you like to bite into them, the shape itself does not have any cons. They suit most hand types and although slightly longer, they are easy to clean and maintain.
Squoval nails
What they look like: As the name suggests this is a hybrid of the Square and Oval nail shapes. The nail is cut straight but the edges are softly rounded.
Why choose this style: This is another clean looking shape that suits all finger types well. Like the previously discussed shapes, this too is a well balanced, proportionate shape. It is good for hands that are used to working a lot. The shape is durable and easy to keep clean.
When to be cautious of this style: As this is another classic shape, there aren’t really any negative sides to the shape. If anything it corrects the drawback of the Square Nail shape of making fat fingers look stubbier by giving the nail a softer look.
For practical purposes of maintenance, now is perhaps not the best of times to indulge in shapes like the Almond, Stiletto, or Coffin (Ballerina). This is because these are sharp-edged and not very durable. They are likely to gather more grime. Moreover, if you are doing more labor with your hands these days, they are likely to break and ruin your entire manicure routine. However if you really really want to try these shapes, we suggest you invest in a few artificial nail sets for the occasional indulgence.
Conclusion
Although in the past certain distinct nail shapes ruled the cuticle scene in certain periods, the case is not the same today. It is true Instagrammers and other social users are bombarding their feeds now more than ever with several enticing nail looks. However, even though celebrities continue to choose their nail shapes to go with the look they are trying to create, consider for yourself if following their suit would really be practical for you in this period of a lockdown or partial lockdown.
On the flip side, you are home! And there is this silver lining to this: There has never been a better time to experiment with your own nail shape, too. So go ahead and experiment. Surprise yourself, be adventurous. You may find yourself a new favorite shape to file your nails into. Do share with us if you discover which nail shapes speak out to you most right now. Remember to keep hygiene in your priority list as you have fun!
