Millennials and Generation Z seem to be destined to be scattered about each other forever. Whether it’s jeans, side parts, or nail polish, the internet loves to point out how the two generations differ. Recently, talk of millennials and Z’s nail shapes has been booming in Tiktok.
Essentially, younger generations claim that they have short nails, but almond nails are chugi. However, millennials can’t easily let go of their go-to nail polish. We asked the manualists working with clients of all ages to place emphasis on trends. “Both generations embrace both shapes and styles that incorporate their elements into their nail sets, and I think they’ll be a timeless aesthetic for their generation,” says celebrity nail artist Elizabeth Garcia. Read on to better understand what separates the Gen Z with millennial mani set in the internet eye.
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Millennial’s Claws
One of the things that tends to stand out when you see Millennials and Gen Z nails at a glance is their length. “Millennials have long nails and some think the almond shape is a gift that someone is a millennial (no-show socks, side parts, etc!),” says celebrity nail artist Julie Kandarek. Whether it’s a millennial connotation or not, she says that clients tend to lean more towards almond-shaped nails. “They’re more flattering! My taste is almonds too,” she said, adding that in her opinion, they are also more timeless. Garcia agrees by pointing out that she likes to go to medium-length almond nails to stretch her hands and nails and give her a more youthful look for her clients.
Gen Z Nails
Meanwhile, Gen Z generally leaned towards shorter, more practical nail shapes, Kandarek says. She points out that they often have more square or soft square shapes on almonds. Additionally, while millennials tend to love neutral nail colors and staple shades, Gen Z often chooses nail art that creates bold shades and statements.
