Healthy Cuticles and Nails - without spending a fortune
Having beautiful and healthy natural nails is something that many people strive for. Whether you want to impress others with your manicure or simply feel good about the appearance of your own nails, there are several things you can do to achieve the look you desire, without spending a fortune at the salon.
Here are some tips for keeping your natural nails looking their best:
- Keep your nails trimmed and filed regularly. This will help prevent breakage and keep your nails looking neat and tidy. Use a nail file with a fine grit to gently shape your nails and smooth out any rough edges. I recommend the half size files for convenience and ease of use.
- Moisturize your nails and cuticles. Dry, brittle nails are more prone to breaking and chipping, so it's important to keep them moisturized.
- Use a cuticle oil or a nail and cuticle cream to nourish and hydrate your nails and cuticles. I have become a fan of Cuccio Cuticle Oils.
- Use a base coat and top coat when painting your nails. A base coat helps to protect your nails from the damaging effects of nail polish, while a top coat helps to seal in the color and add shine.
- Avoid biting your nails. It can damage your nails and cause them to become weak and brittle. If you have a habit of biting your nails, try using a bitter-tasting nail polish to discourage the behavior.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Your nails are made up of a protein called keratin, which is produced by your body. To ensure that your nails have the nutrients they need to stay strong and healthy, it's important to eat a diet that is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Foods such as nuts, eggs, and leafy green vegetables are all great sources of the nutrients that are essential for healthy nails (and overall health!).
Make your At-Home Manicure a Spa Experience
The first step on your quest to healthy nails (after the above tips) is a manicure. Make your at home spa experience special, with candles, a cup of tea or glass of wine, and pleasant music. Then follow these steps:
- Remove old nail polish. Using a polish remover for natural nails and cotton pads, gently remove any remaining polish.
- File the nails. Choose your desired shape and file the edges of the nails. You may file the sides, but only if they are overgrown and out of shape. Do not over file the sides.
- Apply cuticle remover and push back the skin to remove all traces of cuticle. Do not trim the skin around the nails. This skin will become healthier looking over time with proper nail care and lots of moisture.
- Wash the hands and clean the nails – including underneath – with a nail brush.
- Use a cuticle oil and massage all around the nail bed, into the skin and on the nail.
- If you are going to polish the nails, avoid rubbing the oil INTO the nail and use an alcohol pad to clean the nail bed. Oily nails will cause your polish to bubble and not adhere to the nail.
- Use a base coat to protect your nail bed, two coats of polish, and a top coat. Gel top coats are a favorite and dry quickly. Note: these are not gel polishes that require a light to cure.
- Once dry, place a drop of oil on each nail bed and gently rub in. This helps avoid dents or marks in the nails while the polish continues to set.
Following these steps should keep your manicure looking good for 7+ days. When you are ready, schedule yourself another “spa day” and repeat the process.
Now, you may be asking yourself: why didn’t she use “nippers” to remove the dry looking skin around the nails? A common misconception is that the skin around the nail bed is the cuticle. But, the skin around the nail is simply skin, and should be maintained just like our face or body skin. The cuticle is the dry, paper thin substance that grows out from the base of the nail, and that is what we remove with cuticle remover. An easy way to maintain the skin around the nails is by using an inexpensive product called Kerasal, which contains urea. Urea is an exfoliant and is in a very emollient base, so it exfoliates while hydrating the skin. Once you start using this product, you will find you no longer need or want to trim the skin around the nails.
This works great on skin around nails, and of course on your heels, too!
Here are some of my favorite products for my at-home spa experience, along with some alternatives:
TRIM Dual Ended Glass Cuticle Tool OR an orangewood stick
Blue Cross Cuticle Remover Lotion OR Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover
Cuccio Naturale Cuticle Revitalizing Oil OR Sally Hansen Cuticle Rehab
Essie Stay Longer Premium Longwear Top Coat OR Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish Shiny Top Coat
Follow these tips, and you too can enjoy beautiful, healthy natural nails that you can be proud of.
I hope this was helpful and remember: always wear sunscreen!
Xoxo,
Kelly 😎
