One of the most important nail tool for your average nail technician is the nail file. Nail files all have different grit sizes that varies from 60 to 240. Each number represents the amount of grit on a file. Every grit size has different uses of the file. For example: A file with 100/100 will have 100 grit on both sides. However, 80/100 grit will have 80 grit on one side and 100 grit on the other. So, the side with 80 grit is going to be coarser than the side with 100 grit.

Quick Tip:  The lower the number, the coarser the grit. The higher the number the finer the grit.

Beauticom supplies you with nail files with the common grit sizes (60 to 180 grit). 

Here are the grits explained:

60 Grit

60 grit is the sharpest file Beauticom carries. 60 grit files are coarse enough to file away the excess dead skin on or calluses on one's foot. This coarse grit is not advised to be used for natural nails.

80 Grit

80 grit is the sharpest file for finger nails. It is commonly used for heavy product removal like thinning the thickness of an acrylic. The 80 grit file may be used to shape and shorten long or thick acrylics.

100 Grit

100 grit is the most common file to use when shaping and shortening acrylic nails. Although it is best to use on acrylic nails, 100 grit files may be used on natural nails (depending on the nails thickness).

180 Grit

180 grit is the finest grit size Beauticom carries. It is used to contour and shape nails of medium thickness. 180 grit files are commonly used to shorten and shape natural nails or prepping nails before applying product.

Which grit size is appropriate for...

Removing Gel:

100/180 Grit

100 grit is coarse enough to remove the hard gel exterior before soaking off the polish. Meanwhile, 180 grit is perfect to use on the little excess gel and buff by applying very little pressure.

Natural Nails:

180 Grit

180 grit is ideal to shorten, shape and buff nails when using gentle pressure. Remember: do not use anything coarser than 100!

Acrylic Nails:

100/80 Grit

100 grit will help shorten the nails while 80 grit is perfect to thin and shape the nails.

Now that grit sizes are a little more clear, check out the different nail shapes you can form on anyone's nails below!