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Stiletto Nails vs Almond Nails — a detailed comparison to help you pick your perfect nail shape
Stiletto and almond are both tapered, pointed shapes — almond is the practical cousin of the fierce stiletto. The difference is intensity: almond tapers to a soft, rounded peak you can live with daily, while stiletto narrows to a sharp, dramatic point that commands attention. Almond is stiletto's more wearable sibling.
Stiletto Nails vs Almond Nails
Tip: stiletto = sharp point, almond = soft rounded peak
Durability: almond is significantly stronger for daily wear
Practicality: almond works for daily life, stiletto is event-only for most
Choose almond for 90% of situations — it delivers the elegant tapering effect with real-world durability and comfort. Choose stiletto only when you want absolute maximum drama and are willing to sacrifice practicality. Most people who think they want stiletto are actually happiest with almond.
Not exactly — almond has a distinct egg-like shape with a defined but rounded peak, while stiletto comes to a true sharp point. Almond is its own shape, not just a blunted stiletto. The side tapering angle also differs.
Stiletto creates the most extreme elongation of any nail shape due to its sharp point. Almond also elongates very effectively but with a softer, less dramatic effect. For most people, almond provides plenty of elongation.
Yes! Many nail techs offer a shape between almond and stiletto — sometimes called 'stiletto almond' or 'sharp almond.' It has more point than classic almond but isn't as extreme as full stiletto.
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