The nail shapes you need to know for the perfect mani (2024)

As for those lipstick-shaped nails we mentioned earlier? Nail pro Park Eunkyung (better known as @nail_unistella) is the driving force behind so many of the mani trends that make there way to our fingers, and she's the originator of the lipstick shape currently picking up momentum for looking – you guessed it – like a lipstick, thanks to it's slanted lipstick bullet-shaped tip.

Amanda Lee, founder of Iris Avenue beauty salon, tells GLAMOUR that ‘almond’ for long nails and a ‘soft square’ for short nails are among the most requested nail shapes at the moment. “Short nails look great as a soft square. This is straight across with rounded edges. It gives a clean, ‘put together’ look. Medium-length nails are pretty versatile but an oval shape will give a classic look. Long nails, like Kim Kardashian's, look amazing almond shaped. It makes the hands look slick and feminine,” she says.

As for tips to maintaining your nail shape from home Amanda says: “If in doubt, go for the nail shape that mirrors the shape of your cuticles. Gently push back your cuticles with a wood stick to identify the shape then file the nails to match the shape. If the goal is to elongate the fingers, go for an almond (if you have some length) or oval shape. Look for the centre of the nail as a guide for where the tip will finish. File each side of the nail towards that centre. To achieve a soft square look, start by filing the nails straight across, then smooth out the corners.”

Still not sure which shape to go for? To help inspire you for your next nail appointment, we’ve come up with the ultimate guide to all the nail shapes you need to know about in 2024 — and asked experts about the benefits of each.

Natural nails