My Tips for Growing Stronger Nails

By 4:32 PM , , , , , ,


Hello everyone! Today I wanted to share a few of my tips on how I maintain strong nails. Before I get into it, here's a little background on my nail history.

I've been biting my nails since forever ago. Sometimes I do it out of anxiety or just boredom. The past few years, I've really cut back because I've wanted to grow them stronger. I naturally have brittle nails due to genetics & possibly my diet. 

About a year ago I tried getting gel nails at the salon. Definitely not for me. After about two weeks, I had to remove them, which was the hardest thing ever. Point is, they were damaged from the gel manicure & the removal process. Since then, I've gotten them stronger than ever before & here are some tips I've learned along the way.

Let your nails be naked.

For a while I wouldn't allow my nails to go without polish. My natural nails felt so uncomfortable & weak that I needed to constantly maintain at least a clear coat on them. After a while I realized this had to stop, so I got used to them without polish.

Nail polish gets addicting, so make sure you don't apply it too often. Your nails will grow weaker if you constantly apply/remove polish. The polish keeps the nails from efficiently absorbing moisture.

Moisturize Plenty.

I apply hand cream a few times a day, usually after I've gave them a wash, making sure I rub the lotion into my cuticles. The hand cream that I'm currently using is called Hand it to Me Dreamy Handcream by Ginger & Co. I love it because it contains a crucial ingredient, shea butter. Not to mention it smells amazing.

I'll try to apply coconut oil on my cuticles at least once a day because coconut oil has tons of nutrients that strengthen the nails. Drinking water has also contributed to the strength of my nails. I try to drink around 3 liters a day (100 oz).

Groom them regularly.

Just like our skin & hair, nails require a lot of attention in order to look pristine. I typically groom mine on a biweekly basis. I keep them relatively short because I have a habit of scratching people! If you have a jam-packed schedule, try to find time to cut & file them at least once a week. 

Use a non-acetone nail polish remover.

When you're removing nail polish, it's really important that you avoid acetone. Non-acetone removers work just as well as ones with acetone. Even when diluted, acetone strips the skin/nails, making them even more brittle. 

Nail polish removers with alcohol work fine, but just make sure to hydrate the nails afterward. Rubbing Vitamin E on the nails/cuticles will help them rehydrate & grow stronger.

Take vitamins that contain biotin or omega-3.

I take a biotin supplement daily for my hair, skin & nails. I need at least 1,000 mcg. If you choose to take a multivitamin, make sure it contains a decent amount of biotin for extra strength.

Fish oil is amazing for strengthening nails because it contains omega-3 fatty acids, which I'm very deficient of. It goes without saying, a balanced diet will also improve nail strength.

All of these tips can be applied for the strengthening of toe nails as well. Hope you enjoyed some of my tips! Remember to contact me with any questions.

-Mars  

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About the Author

Hello! My name's Marlee and I'm a student living in Austin TX. I started becoming interested in makeup and fashion around a young age and my love has grown tremendously! I also have an array of other joys such as yoga, music and basically anything with adventure!

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6 comments

  1. UnknownAugust 20, 2014 at 11:16 AM

    This was such a helpful post, my nails are dreadfully brittle! But I'll definitely be using your tips from now on :)

    LagerfeldLove

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousAugust 20, 2014 at 2:20 PM

    Great advice, thank you! I've started having very brittle nails lately so theses tips will def come in handy! Oh, btw, I was hoping you had a review of Vain Pursuits? I'm looking to switch up my skincare routine and would love to have a second opinion before I do!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownAugust 26, 2014 at 11:18 AM

      I've been seeing Vain Pursuits pop up in other blogs as well. Been trying to find more info on them too

      Delete
  3. UnknownAugust 21, 2014 at 6:42 AM

    Hey, this post is great, thanks for the tips! :) I do have quite long nails, they grow really quickly but they also break quite easily too and they don't feel very strong. I don't put nail vanish on them very often either as when I take it off, they seem to be even weaker and break a lot easier. I'm going to take on some of your tips and moisturise more and maybe get some vitamins. :)
    -Paige (paigeelizabeth1.blogspot.fr) :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. SadhbhersAugust 24, 2014 at 8:48 AM

    Hey I just wanted to let you know I’ve nominated you for a Liebster Award!
    Click into my post right here to see what you gotta do!

    http://sadhbhers.blogspot.ie/2014/08/the-liebster-award.html

    Let me know if you do it, sorry if you have already done this award!

    Sadhbh

    ReplyDelete