Small nail plate, what to do. Beautiful manicure for small nails at home (photo). How to make a beautiful manicure on small nails - dedicated to adherents of minimalism

Naturalness in everything is the main fashion slogan of 2018. Natural, breathable, lightweight and flowing fabrics have replaced synthetics, and out-of-place, outlandish curl designs have replaced simple, artistically tousled surfer-girl hairstyles. This fashionable wave continued in the field of nail services, completely unsettling predatory stilettos and extended claws. An alternative to them is small short nails that do not create discomfort for an active young lady living in the frantic pace of a big city. There is no doubt that this “size” is convenient for everyday use, in addition, it looks no less impressive and catchy. Your faithful ProstoNail guide will tell you what manicure you can do on small nails and how to decorate it at home. Get ready to get your share of inspiration.

How to make a beautiful manicure on small nails - dedicated to adherents of minimalism

Girls with small nails often ask themselves two sacramental questions: “Who is to blame?” and “What should I do?” ProstoNail experts have clear answers to each of them. So, we don’t recommend looking for the culprits - you’ll just waste a lot of time. It is better to complain about genetics, which determines the characteristics of the appearance of every living organism. The second most popular reason is overzealous cutting of nails in early childhood. Often parents, when doing a manicure for their beloved child, injure the hyponychium and thereby doom the child to the eternal torment of extensions. Another very common reason is bad habits, more precisely, the habit of biting nails. The damage algorithm is similar to the previous paragraph. Now we advise you to carefully weigh all the facts and decide what type of deformation is specific to your case?

Small fingernails are not a death sentence, as is commonly believed among many girls. On the contrary, such a miniature manicure looks feminine and sophisticated, graceful and childishly reverent. The main thing is to choose the right way to decorate them in order to visually hide flaws and highlight advantages. Before doing this, it is important to understand what type of nail plate yours is and then, based on the result, adjust the nail design in the right direction.

Type of small nail plates Characteristics
Thickened They are also sedentary. Characterized by the fact that the trapezoidal nail plate is literally spread across the entire nail bed
Springboard-shaped Such nail plates have a rounded shape and are characterized by extreme softness, which leads to brittleness
Correct Despite the correct, natural oval shape, such nails are unusually narrow and at the same time soft.
Biteten They are short and unpresentable, with an uneven, often torn, free edge and pronounced lateral ridges. At the same time, the cuticle is particularly rigid, unkempt and rough.

It should be noted that many girls are still trying to fight back against genetics and make painful attempts by any means to increase the length of the free edge of the nail plates. How to make small nails big? The answer is simple - use extensions, fortunately, modern masters do it even in an hour using high-quality, proven materials that guarantee the maximum durability of the artificial manicure. However, it is worth remembering that extended nails do not always look neat and natural, especially on a small, narrow nail bed.

The second method of enlargement involves the use of folk beauty recipes. Often a thin, brittle nail plate is a sign of vitamin deficiency or a lack of microelements in the body. Healing baths according to the following recipes will help to compensate for their loss, and at the same time improve the general condition of the nails:

  • Dissolve a handful of sea salt in a glass of warm distilled water and add a drop of your favorite essential oil to soften the solution. After 10 minutes, dip your fingers in the liquid and, upon completion of the procedure, blot them with a towel;
  • Heat half a glass of high-quality unrefined sunflower oil in a water bath and add a small amount of lemon juice. Take a bath for 15 minutes;
  • add a few drops of iodine into the water-salt solution, stir thoroughly until the ingredients are completely dissolved and then dip your fingers in it for 10 minutes;
  • A good housewife will always have cabbage and potatoes in her house, as well as a juicer for extracting the valuable elixir of beauty. By mixing the juice of both vegetables in equal proportions, you get a healing solution that improves the condition of the nail plates, lightens them and accelerates growth.

It should be remembered that such recipes only work for nails of the fourth and second types and they need to be done with enviable regularity. Only in this case will you be able to grow beautiful, long and healthy nails for experimenting with nail art. You also need to remember some features of working with small nails; here are just a few facts recommended for reading:

  • in order to visually ennoble small, sharp nails of the first type, use classic acrylic extensions in compliance with the proportions of the hand;
  • Often the body compensates for the lack of length and thickness of the nail plate by excessive secretion of glands, so before starting coating, such nails should be thoroughly degreased;
  • When performing a corrective manicure on small square nails of the first and second types, pay special attention to disinfection issues and strictly adhere to the technology. Masters recommend applying special preparations that regulate the pH level of the nail plates;
  • If you dare to strengthen or grow nails of the second type, then, when applying shellac, carefully work on the free edges, as if “sealing” them. This will prevent chipping and delamination of the decorative coating;
  • be careful that neither the base nor the acrylic paint itself gets on the cuticle and side ridges near the plate;
  • When applying gel polish to small nails, use a synthetic flat brush with a sharp end, and not a standard brush from a bottle;
  • Manipulating small toenails causes particular trouble. If you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to entrust such a responsible task to a master podiatrist.

As you can see, even the smallest nails can be refined and literally transformed. The main thing is to understand the basic principles of working with them and remember to be careful and careful.

A beautiful manicure for very small nails is quite a feasible task, especially if you are aware of the basic rules of such a specific design:

  • refuse manicure “under the cuticle”, try to make a slight deviation from the side ridges and cuticle by 1-0.5 mm;
  • give preference to dark, rich shades of gel polishes: black, purple, plum, electric or royal blue will always look more impressive than the usual “tender”;
  • Remember that a flat pattern is more suitable for small nails than a voluminous one. The “ ” design will have to be abandoned;
  • always carefully and evenly remove overgrown skin - this will also contribute to the visual lengthening of the nails;
  • don't know how to paint your fingers? Give preference to the more expensive Shellac coating from CND, because it applies in a thin layer without “thickening” already short nails;
  • patterns on small nails should be exquisitely refined and elegant; it is better to make them with a special sharp brush for small details of nail art, and also use acrylic paint instead of gel;
  • it is extremely important to choose the correct shape of the nail plates, focusing on the line of the lunula, but at the same time remembering the proportions;
  • try to “stretch” the entire finger through the sharpness of the free edge, thereby concealing the disharmony.

Congratulations, you are at the finish line. All that remains is to carefully read all the above advice from ProstoNail experts and dare to get a manicure. Which? Find the brightest options below:

  • - always a good and win-win idea. The main thing is to remember that French nails for small nails have a number of nuances. For example, the smile line should be significantly narrower than the standard classics, and besides, drawn not with snow-white, but with milky, muted paint;
  • don't know how to transform your nails? Then it’s worth doing it in nude tones. It easily matches with any type of outfit and does not attract much attention to the hands, but at the same time the fingers look well-groomed;
  • Do not draw directly in the center of the nail. Place it at some distance, for example, below or to the side along the edge of the cuticle. Remember that it should not be pompous; an excellent choice would be one that combines the laconicism of straight lines;
  • do not experiment with different textures, they will only add extra unnecessary volume. You should forget the design with, “” and - a simple glossy finish is what owners of miniature nails need;
  • There is no need to be upset if the bright ones do not want to fit beautifully on your nail plate. They can easily be replaced by mirrored or banal ones, adding a drop of holiday to the gray monotony of everyday life;
  • Speaking of holidays, even on short nails it can look very impressive if you diversify it with openwork, diagonal patterns that visually lengthen the free edge of the plates and make them more graceful;
  • a cute option for romantic young ladies who are tired of the French jacket -. Emphasis on the hole is a good way to disguise a lack of length, the main thing is not to use the negative space technique;
  • gatekeepers of ascetic simplicity will appreciate the manicure, as well as the manicure, which is distinguished by a special appearance that instantly attracts the eye to your well-groomed hands;
  • the last option, guaranteed to win the hearts of all beauty critics, will be, inspiring bold self-expression, improvisation in clothing and the brightest accessories that complement the image.

Miniature, beautiful nails are not a reason to deny yourself the pleasure of a fresh design. And with our advice, this is also a great way to emphasize your trepidation and femininity.

Nature has awarded each girl with her own shape of the nail plate, sometimes imperfect. The female sex strives to create an impeccable image, one of the components of which is well-groomed hands. Lucky women who have long fingers with square nails do not have to rack their brains over the question of what kind of manicure to do today. But for those who have a small plate size, it will be more difficult. How to make a manicure on small nails so that it looks no less worthy than nail art on an elongated plate?

Benefits of a small nail plate

It is believed that long nails are a sign of femininity and sexuality. But it is not always possible for everyone to grow them. It would seem that modern technologies in the form of acrylic or gel extensions can come to the rescue. However, the result of their use can please the owner of long claws for a short time. After a week or two, in order to maintain an ideal appearance, overgrown nails should be corrected, which will cost additional money and time. In addition, the extension procedure does not have the best effect on the condition of the plates. Natural nails are more practical, and with proper care they always look good. But extensions can break at any time and ruin the entire appearance.

Now very popular for small nails. Many fashionistas are happy to embrace this trend due to its main advantage - practicality. In addition, the design of small nails looks just as impressive as nail art on long nails. But there are several conditions for this: healthy looking nail plates, well-groomed hands, regular cuticle trimming and varnish without flaws or chips.

Basics of creating a flawless manicure on small nails

An effective manicure for small nails at home is possible if you follow the following rules:

  • Selecting the right one Rectangular nails are suitable for those with long fingers; in other cases, you should give preference to the classic oval plate. A correctly selected shape visually lengthens the nail and finger as a whole.
  • Removing cuticles, hangnails and rough skin. Trimmed manicures should be done weekly because they must have a neat appearance. Removing the cuticle helps visually lengthen the small plate.
  • Giving nails the same length. This procedure requires special care, because on a short plate a deviation from the average of at least one millimeter becomes noticeable.
  • Using nourishing hand cream. Daily use of this product is necessary, and a one-time application is not enough. You need to use the cream after each hand washing, massaging them to improve blood circulation.

Hygienic component of manicure

A manicure for small nails will be effective and fashionable only if the periungual area is properly treated. This procedure at home is carried out as follows:

  • Remove the remains of the old coating.
  • Give your nails the desired shape using a glass file.
  • Make a warm bath for your fingers.
  • Remove the softened cuticle by pushing it back with a manicure stick and cutting it with tweezers or scissors. Get rid of hangnails and rough skin.

After this procedure, your fingers will look gentle and neat. And it won’t take much time to apply the coating to your nails.

Basics of the decorative component of manicure

In order to make small nails beautiful and graceful, you need to choose dark or bright shades of varnish. Pearlescent varnish is categorically not recommended for use, because it contributes to a visual reduction in length.

When choosing a coating color, you need to pay attention to your skin tone. If it is pale or yellowish, you need to use dark varnishes. And if the skin has a dark complexion, it is recommended to use a coating of pastel or pink tones.

The choice of colors for nail art should be limited to two or three colors.

If the nail plate is too small and deeply recessed into the nail fold, it is recommended to use gel polish. To avoid being tied to one color for two or three weeks, it is better to choose a clear coat and use your favorite shades over it as often as you want. You need to remember this when doing this manicure on small nails. Gel polish, unlike extensions, does not require filing off the top layer of the nail. This means that after this procedure the plate will remain healthier.

Possible design options for small nails are described in detail below.

French manicure

Everyday French coating involves using a transparent tone for the nail plate and white for the “smile”. If you need to look solemn, then you should choose other shades for the components of this manicure.

Looks stylish on small nails. And when applying dark varnish to the edge of the nail, you can visually increase the length of the plate.

How to do a French manicure on small nails? Photos will help you cope with this seemingly difficult task.


It serves to add a natural shine to French manicures and helps keep the nails looking neat for a long time.

Plain coating

Today there are many varnishes, varying in color and texture, so it’s not at all difficult to choose a coating to apply to small nails. Photos of a possible design are presented here, but do not limit yourself to the proposed options.

For a more stylish manicure, you can give each nail its own shade, and the colors used can be from the same color scheme or contrastingly different from each other.

Both matte and glossy varnishes look good on small nail plates. You can use a variety of shades - from pastel to dark.

The highlight of the manicure can be highlighting the nail of the ring finger with a varnish of a different texture or even a different color.

Newspaper manicure

To do a manicure on small nails using a newspaper font, you need to proceed as follows:


Ombre effect

The ombre effect is a smooth transition from one shade of varnish to another, while the border between the color changes should be invisible.

Using this technology, you can do a manicure on very small nails.

Indeed, with the correct arrangement of shades, you can achieve the effect of visually lengthening the plate. The lightest shade should be placed at the base of the nail, and the darkest at the edge.

The varnish application process is as follows:

  • Cover your nails with a base shade.
  • Apply the selected shades to the foam sponge in the required sequence.


Coating with a pattern

To get a beautiful manicure for small nails using a pattern, you should try the following options:

  • Contrasting design. Using white at the base of the nail and black at the edge visually increases its length.

  • Small horizontal stripes. This manicure looks bright and stylish. It is done using special nail stickers.

  • Pastel diamonds with sparkles. This design gives your nails a delicate and original look.

  • Multi-colored horizontal lines. To achieve maximum effect, their width should be unequal, and the colors of the coating should also be different.

If you have small nails, they must be well-groomed, without hangnails, overgrown cuticles and rough skin. In this case, design is not a problem. Manicure for small nails has a number of features, taking into account which you can achieve a stylish and impressive look for your hands. Without any fear, use the technologies of French manicure, monochrome coating, ombre effect, newspaper nail art and various designs.

Small nails can cause big troubles for both their owner and the manicurist. Often such nails do not look aesthetically pleasing. Sometimes, by gnawing on the free edge, their owner attracts even closer attention to his hands. Small nails are inconvenient to handle, almost any design looks inappropriate on them, bright varnish looks bad...

So, the eternal questions - “who is to blame?” and “what to do?” We’ll try to figure it out.

Who is guilty?
Of course, genetics is to blame. What is given to us by nature is very difficult, almost impossible, to change. Parents may be partly to blame for cutting their child’s nails too short. By cutting nails too short, parents can damage the hyponychium. The habit of constantly biting your nails gives the same result.

Now that the culprits have been found, let's look at the main types of small nails:

Thickened ones are usually sedentary. The nail plate is small, wide, trapezoidal, “spread out” along the nail bed.
Springboard-shaped, rounded, very soft.
Regular shape, but very narrow and small.
Bitten: short, with highly developed ridges, including lateral ones. The cuticle is rough, uneven, with burrs.
The first type of nails does not require special care. Their owners can be advised to have extensions that lengthen the nail bed. Naturally, extensions should not violate the proportions of the hand.

The most difficult nails to improve are the second and fourth types. The material does not adhere well to springboard-shaped nails. This is due to the greater mobility of the nail plate - this is fraught with lifting of the artificial material at the cuticle and side ridges.

The peculiarity of nails of the second and fourth types is that the body tries to “Build up what is missing.” It compensates for the lack of thickness and/or length of the nail plate with accelerated growth. Moreover, such nail plates, as a rule, emit more moisture and fat, so their treatment before extensions should be carried out especially carefully, strictly following the technology. Another problem arises: modeled nails often do not look aesthetically pleasing - they bend upward.

Due to the size, it is inconvenient to work with type 3 nails. By applying artificial material or using files, you can touch and/or damage the nail folds and cuticles. Lengthening the nail bed is possible and successfully used for nails of the fourth type. This is an effective way to visually correct their shape, but performing such extensions is more difficult than in the case of the first type of nails.

What to do?

First of all, seek an individual approach to each client. Remember that with a small nail bed, without lengthening it is impossible to achieve a beautiful line and correct proportions of a smile. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the wishes of the client. These recommendations are valid for nail plates of the first and fourth types.

For nails of the second and fourth types, strict adherence to technology and increased attention to disinfection come to the fore. In case of excessive sweating of the hands, “oily” and wet nail plates, the client’s hands should be completely treated. This procedure can be repeated as necessary throughout the extension process. In addition, when working with such a client, the master must disinfect his own hands so that the work area remains absolutely clean. It is also recommended to use preparations that normalize the acidity of the nails (they can be applied in several layers.

When strengthening or extending type 2 nails, it is especially important to seal the free edge to prevent the material from peeling off. Nails of the fourth (and sometimes second) type can be modeled both on forms and on tips, preferably without a contact zone. Bitten nails have no free edge, which means it is impossible to seal them. In addition, the tips additionally protect the fingertip.

By the way, regular nail extensions can somewhat correct the shape of the nail due to the growth of hyponychium. Such a client most likely will not have an ideal egg-shaped smile, but some improvement will be noticeable after systematic extensions.

When working with type 3 nails, it is very important to be extremely careful that neither the primer nor the modeling material gets on the lateral ridges or cuticle. For the same reason and just as carefully, you need to work with files and buffs.

As for the brush for modeling small nails, as a rule, its size is not important. You just need to make sure that the brush fits the extension system exactly. A universal option is a flat brush with a sharp tip.

For scented acrylics, round brushes are suitable. Their size may vary; For small nails, you can choose a small brush. An experienced craftsman, by correctly squeezing the brush against the edge of the cup, can adjust the size of the acrylic ball. It is better to model odorless acrylic with a flat brush. This is due to the extension technology - the so-called “Patting” (from English to pat - press, pat. Synthetic brushes are well suited for working with gels.

The qualifications of the master will allow him to determine by eye the optimal amount of modeling material.

When lengthening the nail bed, ensure its proportionality: the lengthening should not be unnatural and should not extend excessively beyond the natural nail plate. Only if the client is categorically against extensions, offer him a manicure. The master chooses which one depending on the condition of the nail plate and nail folds. A combined manicure is preferable, as it helps eliminate imperfections and is gentle on the cuticle. You can recommend spa care or a systematic manicure to the client, allowing you to move from trimmed to combined, and then to spa care.

You can strengthen small nails, but for effective strengthening you need a free edge at least 2-3 millimeters wide. Otherwise, you cannot guarantee the work of the master. Thin nails, even those with a free edge, require strengthening in several layers.

Speaking about decorating small nails, you should remember that they should not be overloaded with decorative elements. Offer your client a French style with lengthening of the nail bed, nails with varnish or an unobtrusive design that includes longitudinal lines (they visually lengthen the nail plate. Bright varnish is appropriate if the nails have a free edge protruding beyond the nail fold (in particular, nails of the third type. Main rule: no large elements, pastel-colored varnishes, a minimum of decorative elements.

Manicure for very small nails. Interesting designs for small nails

A beautiful manicure for very small nails is quite a feasible task, especially if you are aware of the basic rules of such a specific design:

  • refuse manicure “under the cuticle”, try to make a slight deviation from the side ridges and cuticle by 1-0.5 mm;
  • give preference to dark, rich shades of gel polishes: black, purple, plum, electric or royal blue, red manicure will always look more impressive than the usual “soft”;
  • Remember that a flat pattern is more suitable for small nails than a voluminous one. The “sweater” design will have to be abandoned;
  • always carefully and evenly remove overgrown skin - this will also contribute to the visual lengthening of the nails;
  • don't know how to paint your fingers? Give preference to the more expensive Shellac coating from CND, because it applies in a thin layer without “thickening” already short nails;
  • patterns on small nails should be exquisitely refined and elegant; it is better to make them with a special sharp brush for small details of nail art, and also use acrylic paint instead of gel;
  • it is extremely important to choose the correct shape of the nail plates, focusing on the line of the lunula, but at the same time remembering the proportions;
  • try to “stretch” the entire finger through the sharpness of the free edge, thereby concealing the disharmony.

For very short nails, you can do not only a classic manicure, but also a lunar manicure. The design with highlighted holes looks neat and modern. There are several technologies for its creation.

Option #1:

  1. Apply a transparent base to your nails and dry it.
  2. Using a very thin brush, apply the outline of the hole on the nail, closer to the cuticle.
  3. Paint the hole twice, dry each layer.
  4. Paint the rest of the nail with a different color, repeating the procedure twice. Dry each layer.
  5. Cover each nail with top coat, sealing the ends. Dry the top.

The photo shows a moon manicure for short nails. A good solution for the office.

Option #2:

  1. Apply the base to your nails and dry it.
  2. Cover the nails with gel polish along the entire perimeter in 2-3 layers. Dry each layer well.
  3. On the dried gel polish, use a thin brush to draw the outline of the hole and paint it over so that the color is even, without gaps or transparent areas. Dry your nails.
  4. Cover the coating with topcoat, sealing the ends. Dry your nails in the lamp for 2 minutes.

Option #3:


Moon manicure for very short nails can be supplemented with rhinestones at the base of the nail, white or colored dots that focus attention on the border of the hole and the main part of the nail plate, highlight the hole with glitter varnish or draw it not in a semicircle, but in a triangle.

For short nails, a matte manicure in dark shades, a varied design in the minimalist style, and geometry dominated by vertical lines that visually elongate the nails are ideal. Manicure for short nails fall 2018 is replete with interesting colors. Fashionable pearlescent shades are perfect - both delicate light pearl tones and rich, elegant gold, green or blue.

Autumn manicure for short nails can be very diverse - you can combine several techniques at once and get a very unusual result.

It is advisable not to get carried away with sparkles of light shades - they visually shorten the nail. It is better to use them in a duet with dark varnishes.

Photo of autumn manicure for short nails:

To find more ideas for autumn manicure for short nails, just look at our selection of fashionable autumn manicure 2018 (more than 200 photos at the end of the article), or open fashionable glossy publications, or use a search engine with the wording: “manicure + for short nails autumn”.

Since with a very short manicure the nail plate does not seem as oval and elongated as with grown nails, it is important to choose the right nail design. The following types of manicure are suitable for such nails:

  • A regular monochromatic manicure done with a rich shade of gel polish looks very good on such nails. Due to the dense color, the volume of the nail is reduced, and the glossy shine of the gel polish visually lengthens the nail. But a manicure made with regular varnish will also go well with such nails.
  • Lace manicure also looks good on short nails, but here it is important to choose the right direction of the pattern.
  • A knitted manicure on short nails creates a feeling of comfort and homely warmth in the winter cold.
  • A design with a correctly positioned pattern will visually lengthen the nail.
  • A manicure with dots looks very playful and flirty on short nails.
  • Gold decor made of self-adhesive strips and foil in a moon manicure will help change the shape of the nail.
  • A velvet or suede manicure harmonizes well with this nail length.

What not to do on short nails:

  • The most inappropriate manicure for very short nails is a French manicure, because to highlight it with a contrasting color you need an overgrown tip at least 3 mm long. If this design is done on short nails, the nail plate will appear even shorter and rounder.
  • Matte manicure is also not suitable for short nails. The lack of shine smoothes the surface of the nail, making it appear flatter and rounder.
  • A plain manicure with white polish or pastel colors is also not the best option.

Many girls have a stereotype that extended nails must be long. For this reason, most women refuse artificial ends, considering their appearance unnatural. We hasten to dispel this myth: nail extensions can be short, but the resulting design looks very natural and harmonious. Often, artificially adjusting the shape and length of the tips is almost the only way to give pens a great look. Extensions help brighten up the imperfections of a too small or ugly nail plate. The procedure is also indicated if it is impossible to grow the ends due to severe fragility. Neat short nails will significantly transform the appearance of your hands as a whole.

However, extensions are far from a harmless procedure. It causes significant damage to the nail plate. For this reason, it is highly undesirable to wear even short extensions all the time. This should be especially taken into account by girls whose nails naturally have certain problems. Regardless of the final length, it is recommended to do extensions only for special and important events, for example, graduation or wedding, avoiding monthly trips to the specialist. Despite the significant disadvantages of the procedure, it also has a number of significant advantages.

Advantages of short nail extensions

Most often, short nails are extended with gel. Depending on the condition of the ends and the desired result, the material may be different. The extension procedure with regular gel makes the nails very strong, slightly thickening them. As a result, the manicure may turn out somewhat unnatural. The second option is biogel extension, which has a gentler effect on the nail plate. The tips are quite strong, but remain flexible. Short nails extended with biogel are practically no different from natural ones. Both materials have two positive aspects compared to the same acrylic.

  1. Small nails extended with gel retain their shine for as long as they are worn. Acrylic tends to fade quite quickly.
  2. The gel extension procedure is more comfortable, since the material does not have a strong odor.

At the same time, artificially elongated small nails have a number of general advantages.

  • Naturalness is the trend today. The fashion for short nails has been trending for several seasons, including 2014. Small gel tips look very natural and beautiful.
  • Short extended nails are comfortable to wear. They do not interfere with everyday life, unlike long tips.
  • Short extensions are ideal for fragile and brittle nails. The risk of free edge breakage is significantly reduced.

If you want to get extended nails, be prepared for the fact that after removing the artificial coating you will have to carry out their “rehabilitation”. Strengthening baths, paraffin therapy, hot manicure, medicinal varnishes are faithful companions on the path to rapid restoration of the nail plate after this procedure. Have you learned all the basics about short hair extensions? It's time to choose a suitable nail design, variations of which are presented in abundance in our photo collection.

Design ideas for short nail extensions

Small nails are most often associated with discreet and inconspicuous manicure. In fact, this is not always the case. Designs on short nails can be either natural and subdued, or, on the contrary, very bright and colorful. Girls who prefer classics can get a French manicure, in which the extended gel tips will be indistinguishable from natural ones. The monotonous design in soft shades, so popular in 2014, looks natural and gentle. Various variations of everyday calm nail art are presented in the photo.





A bright festive design made on short nails with gel extensions looks especially impressive. After all, the material not only lengthens the small tips, but also evens out the surface of the nail plate. Flowers, lace, rhinestones and glitter are an ideal decoration option. When creating a design, do not use too large elements that weigh down the manicure. In the photo you can see what short nail extensions look like in a festive design.







As you can see, artificial ends can boast of naturalness and beauty. The main thing is that if you decide to have extensions done in a salon, be responsible when choosing a specialist, and our collection of photos will help you choose the best design. In conclusion, we bring to your attention a small video a lesson that will help you once again see how natural and elegant gel short nails look. Enjoy watching, dear readers!

Small nails. Very small nails

If there are very small nails, a person is practically unable to receive information from the external energy information field. He has no incentive to improve himself, because he does not see what he can or should strive for. He is deprived of harmonizing influence from the outside and does not know what it means to feel comfortable. The information field breathed life into a person, but did not give impetus to the development of spiritual qualities and spiritual perception of the world, emotional empathy, and empathy. A person lives as he lives, in a small, limited world, does not set himself fateful goals, without a high level of aspirations, with a low level of needs. Unpretentious in everyday life, prone to loneliness, pessimism, dependent on other people, guided by the opinions of others. In life, these are performers. They gravitate towards simple working professions: carrying loads, digging beds, performing simple mechanical operations on a conveyor belt. In a favorable situation, for example, parents’ guidance and planning of their lives, they receive a good education, however, in independent life they experience difficulties in social adaptation. They don’t like to work, they are clueless in business, envious, lacking initiative, frivolous, naive, amorous, infantile. Sexuality awakens early. In sexual relationships, animals and biological instincts predominate. Girls try to get married faster, engage in casual sex, and are prone to prostitution. The search for comfortable well-being leads to alcoholism. As an example, we give the observation of patient A. A young man, 27 years old. A lawyer by profession. Lives with his parents, who provide him financially. Passive, lives at the behest of his parents, does what he is told. Sees no meaning in life. He has two friends who use him as a source of financing for their visits to cafes and restaurants and the purchase of alcoholic beverages. They can leave him drunk on the street and take his money. Got addicted to alcohol. He was coded for alcoholism seven times, and almost immediately started drinking again, citing the fact that it relieves depression, “it’s more fun.” He is inclined to reasoning about the harmful effects of alcohol without personal critical involvement in what is being said. Small nails on the thumb, middle and index fingers. On the middle and index fingers they have the shape of a triangle with the apex pointing downwards; on the thumb the nail is flat. On the ring and little fingers the nails are very small and round in shape.

Key words: lack of initiative, suggestibility, passivity, lack of meaning in life, mental infantility.

To apply nail extensions to forms, you should stock up on a special kit, which should include the following tools and components:

Photo from the site: stood.ru

  • Antiseptic.
  • Express cuticle remover. You can get by with a regular bath to soften the cuticle.
  • Pusher or orange stick for pushing back cuticles and pterygium.
  • Manicure scissors and tweezers for cutting cuticles and side ridges.
  • Files and buffs of varying degrees of abrasiveness for creating, designing and polishing nail plates, both natural and artificial.
  • Brush for removing nail dust.

You can't go anywhere without antiseptic! Never miss this important moment. Nails, hands and tools not treated with an antiseptic are a risk of fungal infection. Medical alcohol, chlorhexidine solution, or special disinfectant sprays for manicure are suitable as an antiseptic.

  • Dehydrator for degreasing natural keratin and removing the sticky layer from gel polish.
  • Primer for adhesion of natural nails to artificial material.
  • Base and top gel coatings.
  • Modeling gel for creating artificial nails.
  • Brushes for applying gel.
  • Colored or camouflage gel polish for creating a design, decorative elements, if this item is provided.
  • Lint-free wipes for removing the sticky layer and degreasing the nail plate.
  • UF lamp (gel for nail modeling polymerizes only under the influence of UF radiation, the LED lamp is not suitable for extensions. But the LED lamp can be used when designing nails with gel polishes).
  • Forms for nail extensions.

The length of the nail plates is inherent in us by nature. In the course of our activities, it may change a little, and we ourselves can change them visually. Some lucky women can, while others need to resort to extensions. But if you wear small nails and don’t want to change that, then you probably know that they can also look simply chic, and not only with extensions, but also with natural ones. Our tricks, tips and examples are sure to make your nails even more stunning.

General rules for manicure at home on small nails are:

  1. A dark, rich color looks more impressive on them.
  2. To visually lengthen the nail plate, you need to carefully remove the cuticle. Otherwise, the handles will look untidy.
  3. When painting, do not apply the pigmented product to the side rollers themselves - leave a millimeter gap.
  4. For small nails, flat decor is more suitable than voluminous.
  5. The pattern should be very subtle, so paint it not with shellac or regular gel polish, but with paints. Better yet, use water stickers.
  6. It is better to place ornaments and patterns vertically.
  7. If the nails are extended, the work must be done with professional care. When using shellac at home, the layers should be as thin and uniform as possible.
  8. If you are a fan of French, then the free edge should be accented with as thin a strip as possible, arching the smile line.
  9. Give preference to abstract patterns in any type of design.
  10. It is extremely important to properly shape your nails. If you have them extended, the shape will last longer - the regrown free edge of the extended nail will not break off

These simple general principles will allow you to quickly create a harmonious and sophisticated manicure. And now in more detail about the shape of the nails.

How to choose the right form

If your natural nail plates are not very good (triangular, round, or so small that the nail does not cover the end of the finger), you can even fix it at home. The main thing is harmony, and if small square nails are in trend, then it’s not a fact that you will look more beautiful with them than with your round ones.

The main guideline is that the shape of the nail should be beautifully and organically combined with the shape and length of the fingers. If this doesn't help you much, here are some specific recommendations:

  1. Square nails are suitable for those who have long and thin fingers. At the same time, remember that the corners often cling to clothing. Therefore, they can be filed down a little (just a little).
  2. Almond-shaped nails are suitable for young ladies with thin, graceful hands and short fingers.
  3. Round nails are more suitable for those who have elongated plates and long fingers.
  4. If your fingers are not very thin, give your nails a slightly rounded shape and grow them a few millimeters.

Experiment, attach a stencil - this will help you finally decide.

How to choose the right drawing

There are 5 main nail shapes. The most beautiful and rarest shapes are rectangular and oval. Almost any manicure can match them and you can have them if you get extended nails.

What to do if your nails are square, round or trapezoidal? Remember:


What follows from this? A fashionable one with a light smile line curved in the opposite direction (that is, a stripe along the line of the bed) is ideal for you.

  1. If the nails are trapezoidal, the main mistake is placing the pattern along the free edge or in that third of the nail that is located at its end. These types of designs are in fashion now, but they are not for you. Therefore, another trend suits you - lunar design. Jewelry of any kind in the hole area will balance the shape of the nail. As for the French jacket, your smile line should be as arched as possible.

Now you probably know which pattern to choose this time and how to position it.

Fashionable design for small nails

Now it remains to decide which design for your nails will not only be suitable (you already have guidelines), but also fashionable, sophisticated and simply chic:

  1. Paint small nails with shellac in a beautiful blurred color (not the main color, but a mixed one), mark the hole with a strip of contrasting (preferably light) matte dots. The dots should be small and neat; it is better to place them along the nail growth line from the base. Place even smaller dots towards the side rollers.


You can make them matte at home using the appropriate shellac, or simply cover the gel polish spot with a matte top coat. This should be done after applying a glossy top coat to the entire surface of the plate and removing the sticky layer.


All kinds of stripes and lines, elegant little decorations, thematic drawings (it is advisable to draw only the contours of the image with paints or gel polish) - this is what you can pamper yourself with. Play with colors and shades and remember that a successful look consists of the right details.