Just about any nail shape is fit for some good nail art: whether they’re pointed talons or short and squoval, we’re of the opinion that a well-prepped canvas, no matter how it’s sculpted, provides an opportunity for you or your nail tech to create something wonderful. We love it all, but we’ve got to admit — there’s just something about art on almond-shaped nails that really has a hold on us.
“The beauty of an almond nail, and of what art can do to the shape, is that it’s different from what you can achieve on a square nail in all different lengths. That’s why it’s a go-to,” says nail artist Elle Gerstein.
“We find that all designs look good on almond shaped-nails,” agrees Molly Romah, lead nail technician at Chillhouse in New York City. “The almond shape makes the nails look longer and narrower compared to other shapes, and this can be accentuated or muted depending on the design.”
Even though the canvas is only centimeters big, the current nail trend toward French manicures have technicians shrinking it even smaller, with designs specifically created only for the tip of the nail. “French design that covers the nail tips [is popular],” says Amy Ling, founder of Sundays nail-care brand and salon. “It really draws the attention to the tip of the nails and the nail shape.” It’s no coincidence that when we went searching for almond nail designs, the majority we found centered around the French manicure.
But that doesn’t mean they’re traditional per se — creative artists are doing tortoise French, tiger French, geometric French, cloud French, and even three-dimensional French. And even if you don’t think French manicures are très chic, we’ve still got plenty of nail art options for you.
Ahead, find the most innovative, badass, screenshot-worthy manicures for almond nails that the pros have to offer.
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