If you're not a fan of filing like me — I literally cringe when a nail technician at a salon whips a file out — or if you want your nails to stay as healthy as possible in general, take notes.
You already know you're not supposed to cut your cuticles, but here's another no-no, according to Madeline Poole, a pro nail artist and Sally Hansen's Global Color Ambassador: quickly filing your nails back and forth. "I usually liken sawing your nails back and forth to cutting your hair with a dull pair of scissors, " she said. "When you aggressively saw your nails with a file, it makes the tip frayed versus a clean cut." Poole went on to explain that you also have less control over the shape you're trying to create — oval, square, round, etc. — because your nail shaves down quicker when you file it down too fast. "All of this is a gateway for peeling and premature breakage, since the harsh trauma of filing causes weakness, " she adds.
The right way to file your nails? Poole schooled me and said you get the smoothest, fray-free finish when you file from the side of your nail to the center in one direction, lifting the file away from the nail, and returning to the starting point where your skin and nail connect. Poole suggests doing this on repeat until you've achieve your desired shape.
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"By using this technique, you get less of a ragged tip — plus, the fluid filing movement is less traumatic to your nail bed, " she adds. "Sometimes if the manicurist is too aggressive with the file, you can even see your nail move back and forth, like a loose tooth; this is exactly what you want to avoid."
Once you've achieved your desired shape, if you notice nail filings still attached to the tips — Poole refers to these bits as "feathers" — get rid of them by tucking the tip of the file under your nail and using a flicking motion to create a smoother edge.
If you’ve already frayed the eff out of your nails, Poole said it's not too late for your tips to be nursed back to health. To right the wrong kind of filing, it's best to trim them again slightly and refile them for a smoother result. Then, "apply a nail oil that contains vitamin E on them to help hydrate the nail bed, " Poole adds. "This gives your nail more flexibility, which leads to less breakage." Try Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil.
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Carly Cardellino was the beauty director at . If you follow her Instagram, then you know she'll try just about any beauty trend or treatment once (the pics of her purple hair are on IG to prove it). But her favorite part about being in beauty is finding the most effective products, and then sharing that intel with others—because who wants to spend money on stuff that doesn't work? No one, that's who. Her most recent discovery: De La Cruz Sulfur Ointment, which will change your blemish-clearing game! Hopefully through the beauty stories she writes—and the experiences she shares—you can see exactly why she's in this business.
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It’s Time to Vote for Your Beauty Favorites Psst—These Shampoos for Thinning Hair Add *Volume* Important PSA: You Should Be Using Tubing Mascaras Fact: Acne-Prone Skin *Needs* Moisturizer TooErin Jahns is a hair, makeup, and nails expert and beauty editor with over five years of experience in the industry. She is currently the senior beauty editor at WhoWhatWear.
Evelyn Lim is a nail expert with more than 18 years of experience. She currently serves as the chief educator of Paintbox, a top nail studio in NYC.
Taught how to file your nails. No? Yes? Well, if you had an experience similar to ours, you likely picked up your go-to technique (if you even have one—in our case it's debatable) from observation: a parent, sibling, friend, Paulette from
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Yes, our current method has served its purpose for 20-plus years, but in all honesty, we've resolved to hone our skills for those instances when we lack the time or funds for a professional manicure. So we asked top nail artists Sarah Giugliano, Mabelyn Martin, and Cassandra Banel for their best tips and tricks. And while the result will probably never compete with an in-salon job, with their advice for how to file nails in mind, we'd like to think we'll come pretty close.
As with so many things (haircut, part, hair color, makeup method), embracing what nature gifted you with might be the best call when selecting your nail shape. Of course, we always support pursuing whatever look and trend you feel like wearing. However, if you're looking to emulate a celebrity manicurist, it's worth heeding your natural nail shape as you learn to file your nails.
"I think shapes are a very personal choice, but to a certain degree, they can also depend on the natural shape of your nail bed, " says Giugliano. Martin has a great shortcut: "Following the shape of where your nail bed ends and free edge begins is a great guide. If it goes straight across, the soft square is best. If it goes deeper into the side walls you should go more round or oval." In case you need more ideas for which nail shape to go with, we've got a few:
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According to Giugliano, the kind of nail file you choose can make or break your file job. Her suggestion: Always go with a glass file because it's gentle on the nail, lasts "forever, " and is easy to clean. (Yes—fun fact—you should be cleaning your nail file.) As Giugliano explains, most files are far too coarse for the nail, which primes your tips for tearing and splitting—not good.
"If you’re using an emery board file, you’ll also need a finer grit buffer to bevel underneath the nail to smooth out any debris caused by filing, " says Martin.
Haphazardly filing back and forth sans any kind of rhyme or reason might work for all intents and purposes, but if you want to file your nails like a pro, there's a little strategy involved. "When filing your nails, always start from the outside corner going into the middle of the nail, " Giugliano explains. "Try imagining your nail in two sections. I like to file the left side first and then the right to complete the shape."
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Another pro tip? Mind your hand placement. "When filing, " Giugliano explains, "you always want to hold your hand as if someone else is shaping [your nails]." In other words, you want the tips facing inward and toward you versus outward and away from you.
Have you ever noticed that when you're at the salon, the manicurist likely spends more time filing and perfecting the shape than applying the nail color itself? Well, according to all manicurists here, there's a sound reason for this—if you don't take your time, the ultimate result may look a bit haggard or slapdash. Some words of filing wisdom: Practice makes perfect, and always take your time when filing so you don't damage your nails. "Starting off (and keeping it) slow is best to prevent over-filing, " says Martin. "Stop, put your fingers up to make sure tips are even as you'd like, and keep going." Slow and steady wins the race, folks.
And be sure to maintain your corner-to-middle technique. "A common mistake people make is filing back and forth, " Giugliano cautions. "You never want to file in a 'saw-like' motion. When you only file in one direction, it protects the nail from splitting and tearing."
How To File Nails? Tips And Shapes
Remember how we suggested a fine grit buffer above? That will come into play here. "Use a fine grit (280 or 500 grit) buffer file to smooth the edges and fix small uneven or rough areas, " says Banel.
As it turns out, you don't need to be a pro to file your nails like one. As long as you come equipped with the right tools and know-how—and avoid committing filing faux pas—you'll be one step closer to gorgeous [insert your shape of choice here] nails.This article was co-authored by Mia Rubie. Mia Rubie is a Nail Artist and the Owner of Sparkle San Francisco, a nail studio based in San Francisco, California. She has over eight years of nail artist and management experience and is known for her push-the-envelope designs and artistic eye for colors. Her clients include Sephora, Target, and Vogue. Her work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and StyleCaster. She holds a BBA focusing on Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations from San Francisco State
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