I never used to use nail files. The traditional metal or wooden nail files that I grew up with always felt unpleasant to me, maybe because I’m autistic. But recently I wanted to try filing again, so I could get a better shape on my nails. So I decided to try glass nail files. Here’s what I found out and what I think are the best glass nail files.
Not all glass/crystal files are the same: nano vs. glass
Now all I knew was I wanted to try a glass nail file. I did not realize that there are actually two types and they are VERY different.
- Glass files are a piece of rough glass
- Nano files are a piece of glass with a special gritty coating
As they are totally different, they have totally different results and characteristics. The one thing they have in common is they are both pieces of glass that will break when dropped, so be careful with them no matter which you choose.
Glass/Crystal Files
The glass file I own is the Simply Crystal Nail File from Bliss Kiss made by Mont Bleu out of renowned Czech crystal/glass. The glass is tempered into a rough texture. Feel-wise it was slightly better than traditional metal/wood nail files for me, but not that much better. It requires some practice to get a smooth edge, and if you use the wrong angle it can look bad.
Nano Glass Nail Files
I got the Crystal Nail File by Terra Beauty on Grove. It’s a piece of glass with a rough coating on one end. The coating looks almost like a printed 3d dot matrix. Feel wise it’s totally different from other files. It feels smooth and doesn’t bother me at all. It easily produces a shiny edge as well. Reportedly the effect is produced by the file removing keratin from the outer layer of the nail and can be used to buff as well, though this will thin the nail. Bliss Kiss makes one that has two textures, one that can be used for milder buffing of flaking nails.
Nano Glass vs. Glass/Crystal Nail Files
Here’s a handy comparison table
| Nano | Glass/Crystal | |
| What they are | A piece of glass with a rough 3d coating printed on one side | Tempered glass, both sides usable |
| Made in | China | Glass is usually Czech though they are sometimes assembled in China |
| Feel | In my opinion I can barely feel the filing action | To me the filing experience is not nice, like nails on a chalkboard |
| Durability | 6-9 months, the coating eventually wears off | A year or more, depending on use |
| Ease of use | Easily produces a smooth edge | Requires getting the angle right, which takes practice |
| Cleaning | You can’t easily wipe them off as things get caught in the grit | Easily washed and wiped off |
Overall Recommendation
I’d recommend choosing based on your personal preferences for things like feel and durability. If you have sensory issues like autism or sensory processing disorder, the nano is the better choice IMHO. My experience buying from Bliss Kiss was positive and they have a lot of good well-researched info on their site, as well as offering a two texture nano file, so I can recommend both of theirs:
I also find their nail oil has really helped reduce my hang nails.