Why you'll love it: The
Revlon Compact Emeryl File is strong enough to stand up to artificial nails and stubborn polishes, but gentle enough not to shred your nails.
Metal nail files have a bad reputation for splitting and shredding and being altogether entirely too harsh for most nails. But the Revlon Compact Emeryl File strikes a good balance between grittiness and gentleness.
It claims to be made of a "unique emeryl material" that "helps control splitting." The file is fairly thin and comes to a point at the end that can be used to clean dirt out from under nails. They come in a pack of two for $6.45, making this a great value.
Absolute Health recommends metal nail files for very strong nails like acrylics or those that have been painted with gel polish. If you have thin, natural nails, this material might be too harsh, especially for long-term use. But if most nail files don’t have enough grit for you, this could be a great option. It has a 4.5 Amazon rating based on 200+ reviews.
"I've used these for many years and they last almost forever. I just use it to shave down the sharp bits after cutting my nails. They are sturdy and easy to carry around without fearing they will snap in half," writes one Amazon shopper.
"Good long-lasting nail files. Far superior to traditional disposable emery board - the metal file is thinner than a disposable emery board and this makes it easier to file the edges of the nails," says another.
Pros: Pack of two, affordable, strong, long-lasting
Cons: Metal might be too harsh for brittle nails, same grit on both side
Buy the Revlon Compact Emeryl File on Amazon for $7.44