Anyone know how to make really short nails look "nice?" (2024)

FAQs

How to make really short nails look good? ›

Really short nails look better with lighter more neutral colors on them. So stay sheer with polish and always make sure all of your nails are neatly filed and your cuticles are trimmed.

If you have short nails, you may want to choose a round or oval shape to help elongate your fingers. If you have wide nail beds, you may want to choose a round or squoval shape to help make them look narrower.

“I always recommend designs that will elongate your natural nails to give the effect of longer nail beds,” says Dennis. “Opting for a micro French manicure over a thicker tip, or having some fun with a reverse French tip where the line kisses your cuticles is a great design to have some fun with colour.”

When in doubt, go red. It's a glamorous color no matter what the shape or length of your nails. Nude and pastel colors are a great choice for short nails, as they actively make them look longer.

Round nails are a good choice for people with short fingers or wider nail beds, as they can make the fingers look longer and more slender. They are also a good choice for people who have thin, weak nails, as they are less likely to break than other nail shapes.

Darker polish highlights the actual length of your nail, so to make nails look longer, lighter shades are always best, says Sarah Gibson Tuttle, CEO & Founder of Olive & June.

See, short nail designs are just as fun, classy, and glamorous as long nails, It's never about the length, it's all about how you style your nails and make them your own! That is the beauty of DIY at-home manicures, you can let your imagination run wild!

Nail polish popularity ebbs and flows with the tides of trends, but the most enduring shades are the classics: red, nude, pale pink, sheer white, and opaque white.

For short nails, metallic shades like silver, gold, and rose gold can create a stunning effect that catches the light and adds instant glamour to your fingertips. We like Le Metallique Chrome Powder for a high glam, high shine finish, or Golden Glow, a shimmering rich metallic gold for the most fabulous mood.

A micro French manicure is a great look on short nails because you can keep the line super fine. For added interest, you can double up and make a French with two lines. "Nail artist Hang Nguyen created this glitter micro French look using a fine liner nail art brush and a gold glitter polish," says Hanna.

Do short nails look better square or round? ›

square shapes are very versatile and work beautifully on very short and very long nails. they especially flatter narrow or super short nails. if you have a very wide nail plate, you may want to opt for a slimmed version of a square nail, like a squoval or even a ballerina.

If you look around TikTok, you'll notice short nails are on everyone's 2024 'In' lists, with many making the leap to shorter styles after years of long acrylics.

Another tip to make short nails appear longer is to avoid painting all the way to the edge of the nail on both sides -- leave a slight gap instead. This will make your nails appear thinner and longer. Don't worry too much if you get polish on your fingers, you can clean it up afterwards.

Round nails mirror the contour of the nail with a circular edge at the tip. If your fingers are short, round nails should be your go-to shape. "It softens and slims the look of wide nail beds and helps shorter fingers look elongated," says Amy Lin.

“For younger-looking hands, orange or peach-based hues work best,” says Colette Keenan, butter LONDON national field manager, adding that shades with orange undertones, such as reds or corals, draw attention away from any signs of aging.

Alternatively, nail artist and CEO of Nailing Hollywood, Mazz Hanna, says that the best way to soothe pain from cutting or biting your nails too short is to soak them in warm, soapy water.

Various options are available to design your nails in a chic yet minimalistic way with acrylic nails. Some people think that your natural nails have to be a certain length to get acrylic nails. The truth is you can get acrylic nails even when your natural nails are short.

Apply the color.

Another tip to make short nails appear longer is to avoid painting all the way to the edge of the nail on both sides -- leave a slight gap instead. This will make your nails appear thinner and longer. Don't worry too much if you get polish on your fingers, you can clean it up afterwards.