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manicure ideas

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I remember the first time I had a mani/pedi. I felt instantly different. I felt more put-together. I even felt more powerful. Your hands and feet are your extremities—they are your contact points between the rest of your body and the world with which you interact. Shouldn’t they be well cared-for? If we break a person down into two categories—the inner and the outer—the hands and feet are really the outer outer. You shake hands with those digits. You do your work with them. You run, walk, and navigate the earth with your feet. These are powerful parts of the body and, as such, they should represent a little something about the inner you. Our cosmetics communicate a lot in an instant, which is great when we don’t always have the time to explain ourselves to each new person we meet. Here is what your nail style says about you.

manicure ideas

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Short and square

Do you keep your nails about as short as possible and squared? You may have tomboy traits, but are still feminine. You want a utilitarian manicure, because you use your hands a lot. You don’t want long nails getting in the way of the things you like to do with your hands (like crafting, fixing things, sculpting, building things), but you still want to look manicured.

manicure ideas

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Textured

Is each nail completely coated in stones and gems? They’re even a little heavy, aren’t they? You’re a partier. There’s no two ways about it. Those nails are not practical for daily life but that’s okay because you don’t live for daily life—you live for nightlife and a little trouble.

manicure ideas

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Animal print gels

Animal print gels denote a personality that is adventurous and confident. You feel no need to hide your femininity. You flirt for sport. You’ll never say no to a last-minute road trip. You love to wear a classic, wispy headscarf with giant Hollywood sunglasses on the back of a motorcycle (if you get the chance to).

manicure ideas

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Emojis/characters

Does each nail look like a ladybug, Disney character, or other adorable creature? You’re young at heart. You’re playful. You probably have a year-round Disneyland pass. You love animals, and all things cute.

manicure ideas

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Stiletto

Do you have those sharp, pointed tips? You’re a little fierce. Your attitude tells people not to try to get anything past you or pull any BS. You’re still warm and feminine, but you’re a badger for those you love, and quick to pounce on those who wrong them (or you).

manicure ideas

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Squoval

Otherwise known as the square/oval. You’re always right on trend. These aren’t necessarily the trends you’d find in night club wear but rather, the trends you’d find on the artistically-inclined, fedora-dawning, café-dweller. Remember when everyone started wearing just one feather earing? You were one of the first.

manicure ideas

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Clean but plain

You keep your cuticles in check, buff out the edges, and keep things clean, but you keep your nails short, you don’t do any sort of shaping, and you don’t wear polish (or maybe just a clear one). You’re happy to keep things simple. You likely have a lot of white t’s, cardigans, and boyfriend jeans. Perhaps a good amount of comfy ballet flats. You’ve never needed to exert your personality much through your appearance. You have a quiet calmness that people find soothing.

manicure ideas

Source: Julia Pfeifer / EyeEm / Getty

Coffin

The coffin style is usually long, but with a distinctly square and flat tip. It exudes confidence and a fearlessness around trying new looks. The woman with the coffin nails will have new hair each time you see her and a phone case that pushes the boundaries of what a phone case is meant to be.

manicure ideas

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Extra long claws

Do you work those extra long claws? They’re so long that people often ask you how you type? You believe that everything in life should be a little extra. You never drive to work without an absolutely bumping playlist—even if you don’t like your job—and you’re all about the funky restaurants with ambiance over the quiet, bland, Michelin star places.

manicure ideas

Source: Sergii Petruk / EyeEm / Getty

Black or dark nails

Do you have black polish? Or red or green that’s so dark it’s nearly black? You have a tough center with a soft topping. What I mean is that you don’t exactly come off as warm at first. Nobody would describe you as bubbly. But you do ultimately like people and you want to help others. You do care about how your presence affects others, which is why you went through the trouble of painting your nails, even if they’re black.