Nail art is on the rise, and we want to have nails strong enough to experiment on them and make them beautiful, not highlight the imperfections. It seems as though there are thousands of products, from moisturizers to polishes, that promise to make your nails stronger. The good thing is for strong nails you don’t need them right away. You can heal your nails by fine tuning some of your everyday habits. Strengthen your nails naturally with following these DO’s and DON’T’s.
Limit water exposure
Wear gloves when you wash dishes and don’t soak in the bathtub for too long. Especially if the water is hot. But don’t worry if you swim in the sea, the sea salt is great for your fingernails! 😉
Eat a healthy diet and drink a lot of water
Eating right affects your nails as well as your skin and hair. If you want the long term solution then taking care of yourself from inside out is the first you should do. And most likely the reason behind brittle nails is not having enough of needed nutrients in your diet. Incorporate more fatty acids, high-quality proteins, iron-rich foods combined with vitamin C to beat dry, brittle nails and restore strength and shine. So add more fish, poultry products, beef, pork, seeds, nuts, spinach, and other green vegetables to your menu. You can also drink protein shakes for this purpose. Consider investing in a high-quality supplement for hair, skin, and nails. And of course, drink a lot of water to keep them hydrated.
Try a DIY nail soak
Great way to give the nails what they lack is to soak them in natural remedies that you can find in your kitchen:
Moisturizers: Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Shea Butter
Apply directly to your nails and massage in for a few minutes. Put on gloves overnight.
Fungal remedies: Castor Oil, Tea Tree Oil
These oils can cure brittle nails caused by fungal infection. Rub it to your nails and massage for a few minutes.
Vitamin Boosters: Flaxseed Oil, Vitamin E, Apple Cider Vinegar
Feed and nourish your nails by applying these vitamin bombs.
Brighten and Strengthen: Orange, Lemon Juice
Extract fresh orange or lemon juice. Soak your nails in it for 10 minutes. Rinse it off using warm water. Apply moisturizer after patting dry.
Do this twice or thrice a day and you will soon see the difference.
Style your nails properly
- Keep nails on the shorter side to reduce the surface area so that it absorbs less water or chemicals.
- File your nails regularly to avoid chipping and peeling. Always use a fine-grit nail file.
- Bypass buffing. Those ridges are the healthy part of the nails and when you buff your nails, you are buffing the strong part of the nails. Use a quality top coat instead to even them out.
- Leave cuticles alone. Push cuticles back to avoid infection instead of cutting them away. Moisturize them.
- Clip your hangnails. Use nail clippers to gently clip off your hangnail.
At the end, be a total princess about your nails. Growing and recovering your nails means prioritizing them for a while. Do your manicure at home or book your favorite nail technician and soon you will have completely happy nails. 🙂