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 University. You can find her work on her Instagram account @superflynails.
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You can promote good nail health right at home by filing your nails to keep them healthy. You can have shapely and strong nails by using the correct nail file, choosing a good shape for your nails, and filing in the correct positions and directions.
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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 University. You can find her work on her Instagram account @superflynails. This article has been viewed 807, 643 times.
Before filing your nails, cut them short if they are on the longer side, unless you want square-shaped nails. To start filing, hold the file parallel to the side of your nail and file from the side to the center. As you file, be sure to keep the file flat against the nail tip to reduce the risk of breakage. To finish the nail, hold the file parallel to the opposite side of the nail from where you started. After you're done, get rid of any filings attached to your nails by flicking the nail file upwards from under your nail tips, then apply cuticle oil and moisturizer. If you want to learn how to buff your nails so they shine, keep reading the article!If you file your nails in an aggressive back-and-forth motion, this one’s for you. When I think back to my middle school days of sticky, fruit-scented lip gloss and crimped hair, I can’t help but have flashbacks of sawing across my nails with the cheapest nail file I could get my hands on (in my defense, it was leopard print!). Since then, I’ve not only learned how to file my nails correctly> but also invested in some newer, better nail files.
So, if your nail filing technique is more middle school than salon-level, we’re here to help. We chatted with Essie lead global educator Rita Remark and celebrity manicurist Angel Williams to give us the scoop on the right way to file your nails to avoid breakage.
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“It's important to remember that a nail file is for shaping nails, not removing length, ” says Remark. So, if you’re someone who typically relies on a file to shorten your nails, the experts caution you to stop. “You should always trim first with clippers and use the file for detailing and shape, ” says Williams.
To avoid over-filing, Remark suggests starting at the corners and keeping most of the work focused in that area. Be mindful that over-filing, especially on the sides, can weaken the nail and lead to breakage. Also, be sure to hold the file flat up against the nail when filing. If you angle it, you could thin the tip of your nail — another sure-fire way to cause breakage.
The sawing, back and forth motion is a huge no-no for shaping your nails. “You should file in one direction from the side of the nail to the center of the nail with short strokes, ” says Williams. “Then, alternate sides, and swipe fully across one or two time to finish the shape.”
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You should only file your nails when they’re dry. Nails are weaker when they’re wet, which means they’re more susceptible to breakage.
According to Remark, it’s important to choose the right type of file for your nail. “The rule of thumb for files is the higher the grit, the softer the file, ” says Williams. Files with a grit of 240 or higher are considered to be more abrasive. “More abrasive files are best for thicker dense nails, nail enhancements and toenails, ” says Remark.
“Grits that are 180 or lower are intended for enhancements (acrylics and gels), ” says Williams. And if you have very thin or weak nails, you want a finer file, like a glass file. We like this set of three glass nail files from Amazon.
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Pro tip: “If you have a very dry or thick cuticle along the sides of your nail, it's very helpful to gently run a file along the calloused area, ” says Remark. “This promotes better moisture absorption and softens the skin without trimming.”Erin 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
How To Use A Glass Nail File (step By Step Instructions)
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.
