Coffin Nails - Nail Art

Coffin nails may sound like some spooky thing, but the manicure is actually named for its shape's uncanny resemblance to a coffin. What that means: long, tapered nails that end with a sharp square tip. You may recognize it as the nail shapes you've been seeing everywhere — but if you're like us, you might not have known this glam shape by name until stumbling on some hashtag.

Coffin nails, also known as ballerina nails, may have started with A-listers like top celebrities, but it has quickly overtaken the nail world. They’re named for either the angular shape of a coffin or the flat toe of a ballerina’s slipper and have a tight C-curve, tapered sides, and a straight free edge.

Coffin nails are sometimes confused with the equally popular ballerina nails, which are named for their likeness to slippers. Ballerina nails differ from coffin nails in one major way: the sides of a ballerina softly curve into a narrow square tip, while the sides of a coffin cut to a defined, sharp edge that forms a square tip. This shaping difference has a huge impact on overall hand appearance: the wideness of a coffin's square tip create a universally elongating effect.

Of course, once you create the shape, you can art whatever art or color you’d like to the nail, but we’ve noticed that whites, and wine reds seem to dominate, sometimes with gold accents. Frequently the color is topped off with small rhinestones and/or a matte finish.

The coffin shape is unique because the nail bed and nail tip are kept to the same width, while the middle part of the nail is shaped wider. This narrow-wide-narrow shape gives an illusion of narrow nail beds and slim fingers.

And unlike the “bubble nail” or “aquarium nail” trends that have garnered a lot of media attention lately, the coffin nail is a major trend that everyday people are actually wearing. Even if you briefly check the many social media posts, we noticed that about half of all the submissions featured a coffin nail shape.

To achieve coffin nails, start with a regular square nail shape on a long or extended nail. Slowly file the corners down near the free edge to get that tapered shape.

Why are coffin nails popular now?

While nail art has helped launch coffin nails to social stardom, the look has also gained popularity because of improved ease and accessibility. Up until two years ago, there was no such thing as coffin-shaped nail tips. Nail techs had to hack the shape by "sculpting it using a nail form, or cutting off the pointed end of a stiletto tip," he adds.

Now, the beauty industry offers coffin products, which means it takes less time and less tools to create the look. This could mean a lower price for you.

How long are coffin nails?

In terms of length, "Ideally, coffin nails should be medium- to long- length to achieve a properly tapered, elegant shape. If they're too short, they can look a little stumpy." Everyone's perfect length will differ based on preference, hand shape, and lifestyle, so it's important to talk length with your nail tech before getting started.

In terms of time, you can expect a simple coffin set to take one to two hours to create. If you're adding nail art, the time in the chair will depend on the intricacy of the design. And for those who don't have time to visit the nail salon, they can simply "pop on coffin shaped press-ons in under 10 minutes and be out the door".

Depending on your lifestyle, your coffin set can last anywhere between two and six weeks. "Overtime, the sharp edges will soften and round-out with wear," he adds. Here, show us a graphic French tip coffin design. People warns that "due to their length and defined corners, coffin nails can be a little bit less manageable than rounded nails. It's the price you pay to be a baddie." Duly noted.