UK False Nail Sizing Guide: How to Get a Perfect Fit Every Time
By Tariq Aziz, founder of Bling Art, designed in Yorkshire since 2014
The biggest cause of disappointing false nail wear is wrong sizing. A nail that’s too small leaves your natural nail exposed at the sides. Too big and it overhangs and snags. Here’s how to never get it wrong again.
How to measure your natural nails
You only need 3 things: a ruler, a pen, and 1 minute per nail.
- Find the widest part of your natural nail. Usually the middle.
- Hold a ruler across it. Read the width in millimetres.
- Write each number down. All 10 fingers.
Most adult hands measure 8mm-14mm across the widest point.
Bling Art sizing chart
Every Bling Art set includes 12 sizes covering 14mm down to 6.7mm at the cuticle, size 0 is the largest, size 9 the smallest. Two of each size, 24 nails total. The standard size labels in the box:
| Size | Width at cuticle | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 14mm | Thumbs / widest nails |
| 1 | 13mm | Thumbs |
| 2 | 12mm | Thumbs, wider index fingers |
| 3–4 | 10mm | Most index and middle fingers |
| 5, 5.5, 6 | 9mm | Middle and ring fingers |
| 6.5, 7 | 8mm | Ring fingers, wider little fingers |
| 8 | 7mm | Little fingers |
| 9 | 6.7mm | Little finger / very narrow nails |
The fitting process
Before applying any glue:
- Lay out all 24 nails in size order (0 largest to 9 smallest). The set comes with sizes printed on the back.
- Hold each false nail against the matching finger. The false nail should cover the entire natural nail without overhanging at the sides.
- Place each chosen false nail on a small piece of paper labelled with the finger it belongs to.
- Now apply. No glue panic, no mid-application size hunting.
If you’re between sizes
Check the half sizes first, 5.5 and 6.5 exist for exactly this. If you are still between two, pick the smaller size and file the inner edges to fit. Never pick larger, an overhanging false nail snags and lifts early.
To file a false nail down: use the fine side of the file from your kit. Lightly file the inner edges where they meet the cuticle line. Test against your natural nail every few strokes. Stop when it fits flush.
Common sizing mistakes
- Eyeballing it. If you don’t measure, you’ll size wrong half the time.
- Assuming both hands are the same. Your dominant hand often has slightly wider nails.
- Not checking thumbs. Thumbs vary the most person-to-person. Always measure both.
- Choosing too big. An overhanging false nail snags everything and falls off faster.
- Choosing too small. Leaves natural nail exposed at the sides, which lifts the false nail edge.
What if I have unusual nail shapes?
Very curved natural nails
You may need to press extra firmly during the 15-second hold. Adding 1-2 extra seconds doesn’t hurt.
Flat natural nails
Easier than curved, most false nails fit flat nails without adjustment.
Wide nail beds (typical with bitten nails)
You may need a size larger than expected. Measure the widest point including any exposed nail bed.
Very small natural nails
Bling Art’s smallest size (9) is 6.7mm wide. If your nails are narrower than that, you can file the inner edges of size 9 to fit.
Reusing nails: store them in the right order
When you remove a Bling Art set you want to reuse, label which size went on which finger before storing. This saves the fitting time next round.
Shop Bling Art
Every set includes all 12 sizes, fits any natural nail width. Browse the range from £3.99. Free UK delivery.
