Glass Nail File vs Emery Board
Painting and manicuring my nails has always been one of my favorite things. I remember practicing my painting skills when I was eight years old and by the time I was in seventh grade, I had a full on manicure routine that I did every week. To this day, I still do my weekly manicures and would even prefer to do them at home rather than go to a salon. Traditional emery board and buffing nail files have always worked perfectly fine for me, but I recently decided to explore the world of glass nail files to see how those compare.
Rough emery boards have their purpose sometimes because they can be so intense with their harsh grit. But it’s the harsh grit that’s making them undesirable when considering the health of the nails. The more grit a nail file has, the more the nails will end up chipping and peeling. Emery boards also tend to leave rough, jagged edges that will tear the nail tips and cause them to split.
Traditional nail files, or buffing files as shown below, can leave a more smooth finish compared to an emery board. However, they can still lead to thin, brittle nails over time. That’s specifically the reason I started looking into glass nail files. I noticed that my nails weren’t as strong as they used to be. After experimenting with different nail polishes, base coats, and top coats, I figured it has to be the file causing them to become weak.
Glass nail files have a smooth surface, providing more of a gentle file to the nails. The smooth edge seals in keratin at the tip of the nails, which will help them grow stronger with continued use. Because there’s no grit on a glass nail file, it won’t leave any jagged edges or splitting of the nail tips. Not only is that better for the health of the nails, but it will also help to extend the wear time of polish.
I found this nail file for around $7 on Amazon. It comes in a metal case, which should be kept to use for storage to prevent the glass from breaking. Glass nail files are also much easier to clean with soap and water compared to traditional files.
I’ve only been using the glass nail file for about a month now and while that’s not long enough to notice a huge difference, I do think it is a better option in improving the health of my nails. However, I haven’t gotten used to the actual experience yet. It sounds and feels pretty cringy - similar to nails on a chalkboard. I’m hoping my senses will get over that quickly!
If you found this post helpful, please feel free to share it using one of the buttons below. If you have any questions, leave them for me in the comments. Have you used a glass nail file before? What are some of your best manicure secrets?
XO ♥ Christina ♥
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