Know Your Shape

According to our manicurists, the natural curve of your cuticle serves as the best guide for choosing a nail shape. Our Creative Director, Julie, says, "The longer your nails are, the more oval—and even pointy—they can be." 

Here's a breakdown of the three most popular shapes:

Almond - This fashion-forward silhouette has gained popularity with nail-centric celebs (think Rihanna and Lana Del Rey) in the last few years and our own founder, Elle, has also recently converted to the fierce shape. According to Julie, long nails look best almond to pointy, and those with already long oval nails may want to give the almond a try for fall. Our only word of caution? Beware, contact users.

Oval - A Paintbox favorite. This elegant shape echoes both retro Mad Men-era manicures and yet also looks thoroughly modern. An oval shape (especially when paired with nail lengthening looks like Inner Circle) elongates the look of the nail and rounded edges also serve to cut down on nail breakage. Nails with rounded corners are less likely to suffer from chips and snags as a curved shape distributes impact more evenly than a squared off shape.

Round - Rounded nails look best on those with shorter nails or wider nail beds. Corners of the nail should be gently rounded into a soft curve. This shape is laid-back and perfect for sportier personalities or those who prefer to wear very understated nails.

Clockwise from top: Elle wears almond nails in Divide and Conquer, Lindsey wears round nails with Bling Ring accent nails, Britta wears oval nails with Inner Circle.