These Glass Nail Files Will Save You From Yourself

If there's one thing I would love, it's to have naturally long nails. Unfortunately, mine are brittle and short, and no amount of patience can make them grow more than a few centimeters past my fingers. So my routine has become to trim them regularly, sand them down with a nail file, rinse and repeat for the rest of my life. Then, you can imagine my pain when I realized that it might be that very rudimentary routine that is causing the most damage to my nail health. Emery nail files–the ones most commonly used that resemble a hard piece of sandpaper–can be too rough on our delicate nails, causing breakage and micro-tears that disrupt our manicures. The solution? Invest in a glass nail file.

What Are Glass Nail Files?

Glass nail files–also called crystal nail files–are precisely what they sound like. Instead of using a harsh emery file, glass files use much gentler grit that doesn't cause damage to our nails but instead smooths our rough edges without a downside. Think of it as the difference between physical and chemical exfoliation in skincare: They both do the same thing; one causes micro-tears while the other gently exfoliates, which is ideal for anyone whose skin–or nails sensitive.

Below, find eight of the best glass nail files that won't hurt your nails or your manicure.