A press-on set is sized by width, not by length. Length is on every product page and you can see it in the photos; width is the number you cannot guess, and it is the one that decides whether a tip sits flat or lifts at the corner. So we ask for a single measurement.
Measure your thumb
Lay a strip of paper across the widest part of your thumb nail, mark both edges, then measure between the marks with a ruler in millimetres. Compare that number with the table below. The thumb is the anchor because it is the widest nail and the easiest one to measure; every other tip in the set is graded from it.
The four sizes
| Size | Thumb | Index | Middle | Ring | Little |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 14 mm | 10 mm | 11 mm | 10 mm | 8 mm |
| S | 15 mm | 11 mm | 12 mm | 11 mm | 9 mm |
| M | 16 mm | 12 mm | 13 mm | 12 mm | 9.5 mm |
| L | 17 mm | 13 mm | 14 mm | 13 mm | 10 mm |
All widths are the widest point of each tip. In inches: XS 0.55, S 0.59, M 0.63, L 0.67.
If your thumb measures under 13 mm or over 18 mm, message us before ordering and we will tell you honestly whether the set will fit rather than take the order and let you find out.
If you are between two sizes
Take the smaller one. A slightly narrow tip reads as a natural nail; an overhanging one lifts at the corner, catches on everything, and looks like a press-on from across the room. The one exception is a flat, wide nail bed with shallow sidewalls — there, go up, because a narrow tip will not sit down at the sides.
Why we do not size by length
Because length is not a fit problem. You can shorten a tip with the file in the box in about thirty seconds. You cannot widen one. Length is listed on every product page as a property of the design, so the only thing left to choose at checkout is width — the same four sizes on every set in the store.
Shapes, for reference
Almond: tapered with a rounded tip, the most forgiving on short nail beds. Square: straight sides and a flat free edge, the most durable. Coffin: tapered sides with a flat tip, the longest look. Stiletto: sharply tapered to a point. Squoval: square with softened corners, the easiest to wear at a desk. Shape and length are measured on the finished tip, not on your own nail.