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What are Emery Boards?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Emery boards are flexible strips coated in emery, an extremely hard ground mineral. Essentially, they are like sandpaper for the body, and they are most commonly used to shape and trim nails. Most drugstores and beauty supplies carry emery boards, as do salons, and they can be very useful tools to have around the house.

The base material for an emery board is often cardboard, although other materials may be used. The primary advantage to the flexibility is that the emery board can be bent and used in a variety of ways, unlike a metal or glass skin and nail file, which remains rigid. The disadvantage, of course, is that emery boards will eventually break down and require replacement.

Emery boards are very useful in giving both manicures and pedicures.
Emery boards are very useful in giving both manicures and pedicures.

In addition to being used on the nails, emery boards can also be used to file down calluses. Learning to use an emery board is quite easy; the trick is to use very light, even strokes, and to run the emery board in a consistent direction across the nail or callus. Because emery is so hard, it typically takes only a few strokes to smooth and shape a nail, or to file down a callus, so it's a good idea to check after every few strokes to see how things look.

Emery boards are used to shape and trim nails.
Emery boards are used to shape and trim nails.

For people who perform manicures and pedicures professionally, emery boards are very useful tools. Although they can be reused at home, they are inexpensive enough to be essentially disposable at salons, allowing stylists to use a fresh emery board on each client to reduce the risk of passing on diseases and infections. These boards may be used both before and after a manicure or pedicure session, to roughly shape the nail and file down calluses and then to add a finishing touch.

Emery boards are one of the most common types of nail files.
Emery boards are one of the most common types of nail files.

In addition to being useful for hand and foot care, emery boards also have other uses around the house. They can be very useful for removing stains from certain leather goods, especially suede, when used gently, and if you don't have sandpaper handy, an emery board can file down a sharp corner in a pinch. At home, emery boards can last quite a while, until the emery starts to crumble off or the board becomes bent so much that it is not usable.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a BeautyAnswered researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a BeautyAnswered researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Pippinwhite

My nails have never looked great, but my mom has beautiful nails. She likes the Revlon emery boards, and prefers the longer ones if we can find them. I keep probably two emery boards at any one time. My nails are generally too short for them to be of any use.

My mom uses her emery boards at least three times a week. Her nails are strong and grow in a nearly perfect shape, too. It's kind of irritating to see how easily she keeps those beautiful nails, but I guess mine are doomed since I work on a keyboard all day. That's murder on your nails.

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    • Emery boards are very useful in giving both manicures and pedicures.
      By: Valua Vitaly
      Emery boards are very useful in giving both manicures and pedicures.
    • Emery boards are used to shape and trim nails.
      By: Valua Vitaly
      Emery boards are used to shape and trim nails.
    • Emery boards are one of the most common types of nail files.
      By: terex
      Emery boards are one of the most common types of nail files.
    • Emery boards are flexible, giving them an advantage over stiff metal nail files.
      By: terex
      Emery boards are flexible, giving them an advantage over stiff metal nail files.
    • Emery boards can be used during the manicuring process.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Emery boards can be used during the manicuring process.