8 Simple Tricks to Ensure Your Nails Stay Strong and Attractive

Did you know you can get salon-worthy gorgeous nails minus the side effects of using harsh nail products at your home? Yes! Beautiful, strong nails can be a reality even without frequent salon visits.

In this article, you can learn more about how a few simple and inexpensive tricks can help you attain your dream nails. All you have to do is maintain a nail care regimen, good personal hygiene and a well-balanced diet. Continue reading to learn how you can maintain all of these by simply embracing a few routines.

8 Simple Tricks for Healthy Nails

Do Not Use Harsh Nail Polish

Typically, most nail polishes are made with toxic chemicals such as toluene, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, diethyl phthalates, camphor, and dimethyl - all of which can lead to serious health complications. Thankfully, there are more health-conscious brands that offer clean nail polish choices that are free from these chemicals.

Be sure to read the label before purchasing your next nail polish. You may also apply water-based nail polishes. Even though these polishes do not last as long, they are the safest option available for nail polish lovers.

Remember not to settle for nail polish choices offered at your salon. Instead, carry your favourite colour of chemical-free nail polish to the salon during your next visit.

Avoid Using Acetone Nail Polish Remover

Acetone-based polish remover may seem like an easy and quick method of removing stubborn nail polish, but it is incredibly harsh on both your nails and skin. In addition, acetone will make your nails dry and prone to breakage.

So, strictly avoid using removers or any nail products containing acetone. Instead, you can invest in healthier nail polishes with vitamin E, almond oil, or other nourishing ingredients to prevent nails from drying out.

Don’t worry; acetone-free nail polish removers are widely available. You can get various options with brands such as NCLA that use plant-based ingredients like soy, corn, vanilla, and fruit acids. If you are unable to find nourishing nail polish remover, drop a few drops of oil on your nails for nourishment after using a regular nail polish remover.

Limit Water Contact

Your nails are like a sponge, so water can easily diffuse through them. This is why they get soft and bendy after a long bath. However, excessive contact with water can lead to weakened nail structures. For this reason, you may want to consider wearing gloves while doing chores that require a lot of contact with water, such as washing dishes.

Excessive water exposure will strain the delicate nail cells and lead to peeling, brittleness, and breakage. Soaking your nails in hot soapy water for a long time (as it is done for manicures) is also not advised.

Proper Care and Maintenance of Cuticles

Do not cut your cuticles back too far or push them too aggressively, as these can damage them. Damaged cuticles can make your nails more susceptible to infection. Trimming or pushing cuticles is not recommended, even during a manicure.

Clean your nails daily with a gentle nail brush and moisturise the nails and cuticles. Coconut oil and cuticle oils are excellent moisturisers for your cuticles as they offer a healthy shine and help prevent dryness.

Trim Your Nails Regularly

Trimming your nails is the secret to healthy nails. Growing nails beyond a specific length make them more prone to breakage and damage. Trimming nails once every two weeks is a good nail care practice. Cutting and filing them regularly will also help maintain your desired nail shape.

This does not mean you have to settle for really short nails. You can always trim them to be just long enough to look pretty. The long talons are, anyways, a thing of the past now. Natural-looking neat, and shorter nails are now the fashion trend.

Use a Nail Brush

People often use pointy tools to clean under the nails for both salon and home manicures. Unfortunately, this usually ends up creating a gap between the nail bed and the nail. In addition, such an aggressive nail care technique opens the door to fungal and bacterial infections.

Instead, you should always use gentle nail care methods. For example, one of the best ways to clean your nails is to scrub with a simple nailbrush gently. This will ensure healthy and strong nails.

Eat a Nail-friendly Diet

Just like hair care, diet plays a significant role in nail care. You need to eat a lot of protein and omega 3 fatty acids if you wish to maintain healthy nails. Eat food like nuts, nut butter, soybeans, cauliflowers, and bananas that are rich in biotin and selenium to prevent whitened nail beds.

Adding vitamin E and magnesium to your daily diet will help you attain clearer and stronger nails. What’s more, remember to drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration as this will reduce brittleness.

Take Collagen Supplements

When it comes to nutrition for your nails, the role of collagen cannot be ignored. Collagen is a protein found in nail beds. It supports your nail’s infrastructure. Insufficient collagen in your body will make your nails brittle. The main advantage of collagen peptides for nails is that the amino acid arginine carries nitric oxide through the blood capillaries to the nail bed.

Collagen provides food for the nail bed and facilitates growth and health. You will benefit from not only eating collagen-rich food but also from taking collagen supplements. Simply by adding 20g of collagen supplement to your diet, you can replace discoloured and brittle nails with stronger gorgeous nails.

Conclusion

Nail care is critical. Frequent salon manicures can be harmful to nail health as well as ignorance in nail care. Getting healthy, strong nails doesn't only require a lot of attention, but the right kind of attention. For example, simply by swapping chemical-based products with cleaner alternatives, you can save your nails from harsh consequences. Other helpful measures include mindful eating and taking natural supplements that facilitate good nail health. You should also focus on using the proper cleaning techniques.