How to Round Your Nails

Round out sharp corners with small angled swipes.
... Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images

Keeping your nails pristine in the hustle of everyday life can be daunting and time-consuming, but a round nail can lessen the hassle of that upkeep. Rounded nails are a shorter, more natural look that flatter any hand. They can also downplay the size of larger hands, if that's what you're looking for, and they can soften the look of rough hands. This shape is easy to attain and keep up with weekly trims and a few grooming tools.

Clean underneath nails with a pointed file to remove embedded dirt or grime.

Wash hands with warm water and hand soap to soften nails and make them easier to trim.

Apply nail-polish remover with cotton balls to the surface of the nails to remove any old nail polish that is on the nails.

Take a pair of nail clippers and trim the nails straight across to the length of your choice. Cut straight across so that the resulting shape of your nail is a square edge.

Place the side of the nail file in the area between your nail and finger on one side of the nail and gently file in one direction to create a straight edge on the side of the nail. Repeat this step on the other side of your nail.

Begin gently filing one outer corner of your nail in brief swoops, rounding it out with the file slowly. Repeat with the other corner, turning the file around the corner a few times to create the round edge.

Repeat with all of your fingernails and then wash hands and add polish or leave bare, as desired.

  • Always use clean, sterile tools when doing your nails. Wash nail clippers with antibacterial soap and water and then let them air dry. Wash metal nail files with soap and water as well. Toss cardboard nail files after you use them.
  • Don’t file the sides too roughly, as you can wind up with a nail that is too thin.
  • Keep a small file on hand to deal with any chips or breakage that might occur. Simply file away the chip and reshape using the above steps.
  • To maintain a round nail, file as needed to keep up with nail growth and trim once a week.

Amy Davidson is a graduate from the University of Florida in Gainesville, with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She also writes for local papers around Gainesville doing articles on local events and news.

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