We all love beautifully painted nails, but we also want them to be naturally healthy and strong underneath. Regular manicures, acrylic nails, gel nails, UV treatments, nailbed filing – all of these are harsh external factors that can sometimes wear down the nail, damaging it and making it brittle. Resting your nails in between manicures and using the time to re-hydrate and strengthen them is one of the options for keeping your nails strong.
Here are the top 5 tips for manicure lovers to rehydrate your nails, recover them from any damage and make them generally healthier and stronger.
1. Say “NO” to nail picking and biting
- These habits can damage the nail bed, allowing bacteria or fungi to enter the skin and cause infection.
- Cut and trim your nails regularly.
2. Pay attention to the products you use
- Many nail polishes or treatments contain harsh chemicals that weaken nails, such acetone-based nail polish removers which irritate the skin around nails and strip away the natural oils in the fingernails, causing them to become brittle and dry.
- Try natural nail polish or this soy nail polish remover which include vitamins, botanical oils, and proteins that are helpful in maintaining the health of your nails.
3. Keep your hands dry
- Try not to overwashing your hands.
- Keeping your hands dry will help prevent bacteria from growing under your fingernails.
4. Rehydrate your nails
- Moisturizing cuticles should be one of the most important aspects of your nail care routine. Dry and damaged cuticles produce dry and easily damaged nails.
- Applying a moisturizing product, such as petroleum jelly, vitamin E or cuticle oil, to your nails and cuticles several times a day will help minimize brittleness and prevent your nails from chipping.
- Every once in a while, prepare a DIY “nail mask” by soaking your hands, cuticles, nailbed and nails in a powerful but gentle nail moisturizer. Your nails need to be pampered too!
5. Be mindful of your diet and supplements
- Vitamin A-rich foods can help is known to be effective in helping your nails grow thick and sturdy. It is also very beneficial for your teeth and entire skeletal system, and it is also known for its function in slowing down aging.
- Biotin and collagen increase nail thickness and prevents them from splitting and breaking. Biotin is a type of vitamin that is known for making your hair, skin and nails healthy, thick and shiny. Collagen, on the other hand, is a type of protein, the lack of which is manifested in wrinkly, dry skin, and brittle, thin nails. Boosting your diet with these two will surely help in getting you that rejuvenated, youthful, fresh look all around, nails included.
- Stay hydrated! It won’t matter how much you hydrate your nails and nailbed on the outside if your water intake is insufficient to keep your nails from getting dry and brittle. It’s very true that beauty comes from within.
- Generally, making sure you include adequate vitamins and supplements into your diet is a bulletproof method of making sure to keep your nails strong, healthy and sturdy.
The good news is that a good nail polish won’t damage your nails, so if getting manicures is part of your regular routine, you do not need to worry. Keep in mind that a good nail care regimen will make all the difference in keeping your nails looking naturally beautiful and healthy. Try implementing some of the tips into your nail care routine to get your nails stronger and healthier, and make sure to check out additional nail strengthening tips that will help you entirely up your nail care game.
