The Pros Have Spoken: This Is the Best Shape to Get If You Have Weak Nails

Nail shape usually comes down to personal preference, but if you’re someone whose tips are constantly breaking, you may want to choose more strategically.

After talking to several nail techs, the consensus is in: The best shape for those of us with weakened tips is...squoval. That is, a square tip with rounded edges (like an oval).

What makes squoval shapes better for weak nails? A straighter edge across the top reinforces your nails (whereas a strictly pointy one is more likely to catch on things and break). Also, by rounding off just the corners, it’ll smooth out any sharp edges (again, to prevent any snags) and will visually elongate the appearance of your nails. Win-win.

And if you’re really noticing a lot of breakage or chipping lately, we’d suggest taking a break from gels and conventional polishes and swapping in a treatment polish instead. These conditioning formulas offer extra reinforcement and come in tons of trendy shades.