Wide Nail Beds: What They Are + The Top Nail Shapes For Them
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It’s a great time to be alive for anyone who loves expressing their creativity and fashion sense through their nails.
Nowadays there are tons of options for nail colors and nail art — so much so that one’s manicure is now considered an essential aspect of one’s everyday look.
However, getting the prettiest nails goes beyond choosing the right nail color or design.
If you’ve ever stopped and looked at your nails and thought they looked wider than they should, that may be because the nail shape you chose isn’t the best fit for you, especially if you have wide nail beds.
Don’t worry; you’re not alone! Additionally, this issue is something that can be easily improved.
You actually have several options of nail shapes for wide nail beds, and you’ll find them right here, so keep reading!
Table of Contents
What Are Nail Beds?
Your fingernails, which get most of the attention during your manicure sessions, are just one of the several parts of the nail anatomy.
Also called nail plates, they’re made of hardened layers of keratin that protect your nail beds.
The nail bed, on the other hand, is a specialized skin structure with its own epidermal layers. It’s the pinkish layer you see under your fingernails and toenails.
So how can you determine if you have wide nail beds? You simply have to compare their width to their length.
It should be easy to tell by eyeballing your nails, but if you want to be precise about it, then go ahead and get an appropriate measuring tool.
Ultimately, you have wide nail beds if their width exceeds their length.
How to Fix Wide Nail Beds
Wide nail beds are just as beautiful as narrow ones, although it’s understandable if you want to tweak their appearance.
There’s no way to “fix” them per se, but you can lengthen them visually and make them look more elegant. Here are a few ways to achieve that:
Let Your Nails Grow
You can’t really make your nail beds grow to make their length greater than their width.
So the basic trick to make your nail beds appear more elongated is to let your fingernails grow long.
This is the first step to enhancing the look of wide nail beds because it’s a prelude to getting the right nail shape. If you don’t let your nails grow out, you may have a more difficult time shaping them.
However, if your nails tend to be brittle when they’re longer, try using artificial nails instead.
Work on Your Cuticles
You can also make your nail beds look longer by keeping your cuticles well-groomed and preventing overgrown ones from overcrowding your nails, which can make them appear stubbier.
A good way to do this is by pushing back your cuticles — with emphasis on push.
Cutting cuticles is a long-running practice in many nail salons. However, we’ve learned over the years that it’s not a healthy technique because doing so increases your risk of getting bacterial and fungal nail infections.
Choose the Right Nail Shape
Every nail shape has its appeal, although some will look better on wide nail beds.
Your nail beds will look stubbier and broader if you choose shapes with flat edges or extremely narrow or pointy tips.
If you’re going to use fake nails, you also have to choose the top shape for wide nail beds.
Top Nail Shapes for Wide Nail Beds
Choosing the right nail shape is crucial in bringing out the beauty of wide nail beds.
So here are four of the top nail shapes for you.
1. Round
The round nail is a classic and timeless shape. It’s also the most versatile, as it looks good on any nail bed shape and size.
Round nails are great for wide nail beds because they have enough contour at the tips to create the illusion of longer, slimmer nails.
Additionally, for many people, managing long nails can be tricky, especially if their job involves typing on a keyboard most of the time.
If you’re one of them, you’ll be sure to love the round nail shape, as it allows you to keep your nails short while making your nail beds look longer and narrower.
Simply put, it’s the best choice if you have both short nails and wide nail beds.
How to achieve round nails:
- Clip your nails to your desired length and into a square shape.
- File one side of your nail in a rounded back-and-forth motion until you see it gaining a slight curvature.
- Do the same on the other side until the shape is even.
2. Oval
This is arguably the top nail shape for wide nails, especially if you also have short fingers.
The oval shape is top for medium to long nails. The added length will allow you to shape your nails with more curviness on both sides, thus making your nail beds appear narrower and your fingers longer.
While the round shape is top for a simple everyday look, the oval shape adds a little more sophistication.
Anyone used to wearing long nails shouldn’t have any problems with oval nails. However, they could present more challenges if you usually keep your nails short or lead an active lifestyle.
How to achieve oval nails:
- Trim the edges of your nails instead of fully clipping them to maintain the length required for oval nails.
- File the sides of your nails at a diagonal angle until you achieve a shape that looks like an egg.
3. Almond
Compared to the round and oval shapes, the sides of an almond nail are more tapered. That’s what makes almond nail shapes perfect for wide nails and short fingers.
Almond nails are just slender enough to accentuate the tips. This shape does a great job of making your fingers look longer without making your nail beds look wider.
It’s arguably one of the most fashionable nail shapes, making it an amazing nail shape to wear if you’re getting all glammed up.
You’re free to go heavy on designing your almond nails to match a particular season or satisfy your creative streak. But they’ll still look chic even with just plain nail polish.
How to achieve almond nails:
- Clip your nails into a square shape, then trim off the sides of the edges.
- File the sides of each nail toward the center of the tip.
- Once the sides are even, file the tip gently at a diagonal angle to achieve a tapered effect.
4. Squoval
If you’re a fan of the classic square nail shape, unfortunately, you’ll have to let it go if you have wide nail beds. On the bright side, you can opt for the squoval shape to make the transition easier.
This nail shape looks just how it sounds. The overall appearance reminds you of the square nail shape because the tip is mostly flat.
The difference with the squoval, however, is the softer, rounded corners that add some dimension, which can complement wide nail beds.
A squoval shape can be achieved at any length. When working with wide nail beds, though, it may be best to grow your nails a little, so your nails can still look less stubby even with flatter tips.
How to achieve squoval nails:
- Trim smaller portions of your nail at a time to create the basic square.
- File the flat edge in long strokes and in the same direction to even it out.
- Then file the corners of the edges to round them off.
Nail Shapes to Avoid for Wide Nail Beds
1. Square
As mentioned above, the all-time favorite square nail is one of the shapes you must avoid if your nail beds are wider.
With this one, the nail’s free edge and its sides are meant to look sharply flat, and there’s intentionally a lack of soft corners to achieve the actual shape of a square.
So if your nail bed is already wider than it is longer, a square shape will accentuate its width even more, making your nails look stumpy and your fingers look shorter.
As such, it’s more ideal for those with narrow nail beds and long, slender fingers.
An obvious alternative to this is the squoval. You should also try the round shape as it’s a classic nail shape, yet it will help elongate your nail beds and fingers better.
2. Coffin
This nail shape has blunt, slightly tapered sides while the tip is flat and square, resembling a coffin.
It’s commonly worn on long nails, making it look like a longer version of the square shape. So it wouldn’t be surprising if it gives the same visual effect on wide nail beds.
If you’re hoping to rock longer nails without doing your wide nail beds a disservice, we suggest opting for the oval shape instead.
3. Stiletto
Remember when we said a tip that’s too pointy is just as unflattering as a flat edge on wide nail beds? Well, the pointy part was a reference to the stiletto nails.
It’s difficult not to see the appeal of this nail shape, though. It’s modern and edgy, and your favorite celeb may also love wearing this one.
If making a fashion statement with your nails is important to you, don’t let anyone stop you from getting stiletto nails.
If your main concern, for now, is the size of your nail beds, we recommend veering away from this nail shape.
It’s also worth noting that there are other fashionable nail shapes that look great on wide nail beds, like the almond shape.
Top Press-on Nails for Wide Nail Beds
Fake or press-on nails are a great match for those who have weak nails that might get damaged from shaping or styling.
So we’ve also compiled a short list of the top press-on nails for wide nail beds here.
This set can be the “little black dress” for your nails!
Key benefits: Fits wide nail beds; looks natural
Features:
- 30 pieces of press-on nails in 15 different sizes
- Nail glue and adhesive tabs
- Cuticle stick and nail file
After prepping your natural nails, all you’ll have to do is put these on, as they’re already shaped into short squoval nails.
Whether for clothing or nail polish, black will never go out of style. On the other hand, the squoval nail shape creates the illusion of everyone’s all-time favorite square nails while sporting rounded tips that match wide nail beds.
So you’ll love this set of press-on nails from BTArtbox, which combines the edgy nail color and sophisticated nail shape.
These press-on nails have the same alluring gloss you love seeing in gel manicures, and they will look so natural on your fingers.
You can make these nails last long by using both the nail glue and nail adhesive tabs that come with this kit. With proper care, they can remain bonded to your natural nails for up to a week or so.
Salon-quality, oval-shaped acrylics are perfect for wide nail beds.
Key benefits: Makes wide nails look longer; creates the perfect base for intricate nail art
Features:
- 28 press-on nails in 14 sizes
- Gel nail glue
- Mini nail file
- Manicure stick
You’ll love this set of Kiss nails for wide nail beds that you can paint with your favorite nail polish.
Another reason to choose press-on nails is they’re much easier to work on if you want to create intricate nail art.
It’s best to do it with nude-colored nails like these acrylics. You can have fun with them by painting them with your favorite nail color or decorating them with a nail design you saw online.
Of course, you can also wear these short round nails without changing their appearance if you want natural-looking nails for work.
These press-on nails are also labeled salon-grade, making them durable and comfortable. They can last for up to seven days!
They’re also designed to be thinner than other press-on nails on the market. So if you’re not a fan of bulky fake nails, you should try this one!
This kit of short round fake nails already comes with nail tips painted with subtle yet cute nail art.
Key benefits: Enhances the look of wide short nails; features cute French tips
Features:
- 30 press-on nails in 15 sizes
- Alcohol pad
- Cuticle stick, nail file, nail glue
These are among the most flattering accessories for wide nail beds.
If you’re running out of ideas for your next nail design, you can also depend on press-on nails.
You’ll find tons of fake nails perfect for wide nail beds that come already polished or painted with lovely nail art — like this one from Glamnetic!
Hop on the trend of fun French tips without doing much work by getting this set that features a unique design per nail. Simple and cute, these nails are suitable for your everyday look.
The nail shape is round and short in length, so they won’t get in the day of your daily work.
This might be the right shade of pink nails you’ve been looking for!
Key benefits: Goes with any outfit; lasts for a week
Features:
- 28 artificial nails in 14 different sizes
- Ready-to-wear and ultra-smooth finish
- Customizable design and shape
While these are pre-shaped long coffin nails, you can turn these into long oval nails to match wide nail beds.
Want a nail color that’s trendy but neutral enough to match your everyday outfit? Then we suggest checking out these Kiss press-on nails.
This set’s dark pink color is easy to match with most outfit colors, so you won’t have any trouble picking what to wear in the morning.
We also like that these press-on nails come in a squoval shape that is flattering for those with wide nail beds. If you want slightly longer nails, this set is the perfect choice!
Don’t worry if you find that they’re a tad too long for your liking. While these nails are sturdy and can be worn for up to a week, you can easily trim or file them to match your preferred nail shape and length.
FAQs
Are Colored Nail Tips Great for Wide Nail Beds?
Yes. White or colored French tips can serve as the main highlight of your manicure, drawing the eye away from your nail beds.
Remember, though, that nail shape is still very important here. Accentuating your nail tips with an unflattering nail shape will defeat their purpose.
Which Nail Colors Are Top for Wide Nails?
Nude colors with a sheer or shimmery finish can extend the length of your nail beds visually, making your nails look longer.
You can also opt for slimming colors like black, navy blue, plum, or burgundy, although it’s best to use these on narrower nail shapes like almond or oval.
Wide Nail Beds: It’s All About the Shape
Don’t think of your wide nail beds as a nuisance. Among other adjustments you can make, finding the right nail shape for you can instantly elevate the beauty of your nails.
Remember that the top nails for wide nail beds are round, oval, almond, and squoval.
If you don’t want to shape your nails yourself, there are plenty of pre-shaped artificial nails on the market that you can choose from.
Press-on nails are great options that provide more flexibility regarding design, length and shape options, and reusability. Just don’t forget that the right shapes that match your lovely wide nail beds are important in making your decision.
Having the right nail shape and length will pretty much grant your wish to make your nail beds look narrower!
Check Out These Articles for New Nail Design Inspirations:
- 47 Gorgeous Purple Nails With Glitter Ideas You Should Try
- 60 Blue French-Tip Nails For A Trendy Manicure
- 32 Trendy Designs For Short Square Nails We’re Obsessing Over