Baddie nails: shapes, sets and how to keep them

your hands are in every photo, every coffee order and every time you flip your hair. nails are the cheapest way to look done all the time.

baddie nails aren't one look. they're a shape you picked on purpose, a finish that suits it, and a calendar that stops them growing out into a crime scene 💅

pick the shape first

the shape matters more than the colour. ask for it by name.

shape	what it looks like	who it's for
square	straight sides, flat tip, sharp corners	clean and strong, very baddie when short
squoval	square with the corners softened	square that doesn't snag on everything
round	follows your fingertip	super short nails, or growing out damage
almond	tapered sides, rounded point	makes fingers look longer. feminine. noticed.
coffin (ballerina)	tapered sides, flat tip	the classic long baddie set
stiletto	tapered to a sharp point	for when you don't have to type. ever.

short square is so underrated it's actually upsetting. it looks clean, survives your keyboard and makes your hands look rich. it's why "baddie short square nails" gets searched almost as much as "baddie nails".

almond is for when you want people to stare. coffin is the full set. stiletto is a commitment. respect it, don't start with it.

gel, acrylic, builder or press-ons?

they all look gorgeous done well. they just wear and cost differently.

• regular polish. cheapest, easiest to change, chips in about five to seven days. fine for short natural nails if you're good with top coat.
• gel polish. painted on and cured under an LED or UV lamp, so it's dry when you leave. lasts two to three weeks. soak it off in acetone. never peel it: you take layers of your actual nail with it.
• builder gel (BIAB, "builder in a bottle"). thicker gel that strengthens your own nail and adds a little length. infills every three to four weeks. good if your nails bend or break.
• acrylic. powder and liquid that harden into a strong layer, used for length and drama. fills every two to three weeks. the most durable for long sets.
• soft gel extensions (often called Gel-X style). full-cover soft gel tips attached with gel. lighter than acrylic, three to four weeks.
• press-ons. glue lasts up to about two weeks, adhesive tabs a few days. the cheapest way to try a shape before you commit.

if lamp UV worries you, wear fingerless UV gloves or put sunscreen on your hands before curing.

sets that always work

• milky white, short square. clean girl baddie. goes with everything.
• sheer pink with a thin French tip. almond or square. never dated.
• chrome or glazed. a pearly powder over sheer pink or nude. looks like glass.
• deep red or chocolate, almond. mob wife energy. expensive.
• black, stiletto or coffin. alt. sharp. not subtle.
• coffin French with rhinestones. Y2K. loud on purpose.
• your skin tone's nude, square. makes fingers look longer. looks rich and busy.

press-ons, done properly

press-ons only look cheap when they're put on badly. do it like this:

1. push back your cuticles. gently.
2. buff the shine off your natural nail with a fine buffer.
3. wipe each nail with alcohol to get rid of the oil.
4. size every nail first. too big lifts at the edges. between sizes? file down the bigger one.
5. a small drop of glue on the press-on, not your nail. press at an angle from the cuticle down and hold for 20 seconds.
6. file the edges so they blend.

to take them off, soak in warm soapy water with a little oil until they slide off. don't pry, pls.

make them last

• cuticle oil every night. ten seconds. the difference between "she gets her nails done" and "she has pretty hands".
• gloves for dishes and cleaning. water and cleaning products lift everything.
• don't use your nails as tools. use the side of your finger. your nails are jewellery.
• book the next appointment before you leave. every two to three weeks.

where it fits

nails finish a look the same way shoes do. want the whole direction? find your type: the clean girl wants milky short square, the mob wife wants deep red almond, the alt baddie wants black stiletto.

FAQ

what are baddie nails?

baddie nails are nails done on purpose: a deliberate shape (often short square, almond or coffin), a clean finish like milky white, French tips, chrome or a deep red, and kept filled so they never look grown out.

are short nails baddie?

yes. short square or squoval nails in milky white, sheer pink or a deep colour are one of the most popular baddie looks, because they look clean and expensive and survive real life.

which lasts longer, gel or acrylic?

both last about two to three weeks before they need a fill or a new set. acrylic is stronger for long lengths, gel polish is better on short natural nails, and builder gel strengthens weak nails.

do press-on nails look real?

they do if you size them properly, prep your nails (buff, wipe with alcohol) and file the edges to blend. badly sized press-ons are what look fake.