How to Measure Your Correct Nail Size at Home

Wrong sizing is the #1 reason press-on nails don't fit well or fall off early — and it's completely avoidable with two minutes of measuring.

What you'll need: a soft ruler or measuring tape, or a piece of paper and a pen — good lighting helps too.

1. Measure width, not length. Nail sizing is based on the width of your nail bed at its widest point (side to side), not how long your nail is. Hold the ruler or tape flat against your nail bed edge to edge. If you're using paper instead, hold it against your nail bed and use a pen to mark the widest part of the nail on each side, then use a ruler to measure the distance between the two markings.
2. Compare each nail's width to the numbered sizes on the size chart.
3. When between two sizes, size up slightly. A nail that's a touch large can be filed down at the sides. A nail that's too small won't cover your nail bed properly and is far more likely to lift.

Two minutes of measuring now saves you a set that doesn't fit later.