15 Essential Nail Care Tips For Strong, Healthy Nails

If you love getting your nails done or have a weekly ritual to refresh your nail polish, we’re sure you want your nails and the skin around them to look the best they can to show off the beautiful nail art. Pretty nail polish, intricate drawings, and rhinestone accents may be striking but they won’t last long if you don’t have strong, healthy nails. Constantly wearing nail polish can stain and discolour the nails, while using nail polish remover can lead to thinning of the nail bed.

Factors like exposure to water, harsh chemicals, and physical damage can also make your nails brittle and prone to breakage. Moreover, your nails can be naturally weak due to nutritional deficiencies and poor nail hygiene. To combat all these factors impacting your nails, it is a must to invest in specific products that keep your nails and hands in perfect shape. You will be surprised by how simple, corrective action can transform brittle, weak nails into things of wonder. Let’s get started.

Signs Of Unhealthy Nails

Here are some telltale warning signs of unhealthy nails:

- Slow growth: Your nails typically take a long time to grow after breaking or being clipped.

- Breaks Easily: Your nails are brittle and break even after minimal impact. Your nails may also split easily and peel in layers.

- Stains: Discolouration such as yellow spots can be caused due to overuse of nail polish, while dark patches indicate infection or fungus.

- Uneven Surface: Grooves and indents on the nail surface or unusual thickness and bumps.

- Rough Texture: The surface of your nail is not smooth to the touch and there are white streaks on the nails.

- Swelling: Pain and swelling around the nails and skin inflammation due to underlying health issues can impact the health of your nails.

Signs Of Healthy Nails

Here are some signs that your nail health is improving:

- Consistent Growth: Healthy nails grow consistently and take the same amount to increase in length after breaking or being clipped.

- Pinkish Colour: Healthy nails have a pinkish colour with a pale, translucent nailbed underneath. They’re also free of stains and discolouration.

- Strong: While healthy nails can chip, they don’t break easily after minimal impact. They’re well-hydrated, strong, and firm yet flexible.

- Smooth Cuticles: Smooth, pliable cuticles suggest good nail health and show that you follow a great nail care routine.

- Minimal Hangnails: The limited growth of hangnails is a sign of good nail maintenance and balanced nail health.

Why Nail Care Is Important

Nail care is crucial for both the health of your nails and their appearance. Even the best manicures won’t help if your nails are not strong and well-maintained. Nail maintenance improves personal hygiene and prevents fungal infections. Additionally, proper nail care ensures limited growth of the painful hangnails and ingrown nails that cause damage to the fingertips. Investing time and effort in taking care of your nails also protects them from being discoloured or becoming brittle and prone to breakage.

While your nails can be damaged due to multiple factors, proper nail cutting and fingernail care ensure your nails have the best chance to survive damage. Your nail health is also an indicator of your overall wellness as brittle, discoloured nails can be an indication of nutrient deficiencies or underlying health issues. So, nail care is important because it helps you look polished and consistent nail growth is an indicator of your overall wellness.

15 Best Nail Care Tips

1. It All Starts With Clean Hands And Nails

Who doesn’t like digging into a paratha with their fingers? But do you remember to wash your hands thoroughly paying extra attention to the inner side of your nails? Also, leaving last week’s chipped nail polish to simply grow out is an ugly, unkempt and unhealthy habit. To guarantee healthy nails, it's super important to make sure your nails and the skin are nail polish and dirt-free. Always use an acetone-free remover like the Chambor Acetone Free Conditioning Nail Enamel Remover to remove polish. Anything else simply dries out your nails. Then use a gentle, nourishing hand wash and massage gently around nails to remove dirt and dead skin cells.

2. Gently Does It

Your hardworking hands need a little TLC. Scrubbing and buffing roughly can actually expose them to infection. Stay away from sharp, metal tools to clean under the nails because too much digging can cause the nail plate to separate from the skin, leaving it prone to fungal infections and an irregular white, arching nail tip. Instead, always use an orange stick or a glass buffer to clean under the nails. Glass files create an even edge to the nail and can be used on the weakest, most damaged nails. It’s also a good idea to use a nail strengthener like the Nykaa Nail Care - 7-in-1 Nail Spa that contains nail-loving ingredients like Acetyl-Methionine, Keratin-like Peptide, Vitamin E and Amino Acids that strengthen and nourish nails.

3. Trim Your Nails Regularly

Allowing your nails to grow out long enough for you to compete in a Guinness record is not going to help your cause. Regular nail trims are as important as hair trims so every fortnight clip them and gently buff and file them. The best time to trim them is right after a shower when they are softer and easier to cut. Use a large nail clipper like the one offered by Vega, which has an ergonomic design that makes it easier to trim even short nails. Don’t forget to disinfect your tools monthly by washing them in a bowl of warm soapy water and drying them afterwards thoroughly.

Trim your fingernails by cutting almost straight across the nail. Then use a nail file or emery board like Vega Nail File With Cuticle Trimmer to slightly round out your nails at the corners to help them grow and prevent getting snagged in clothes. Don’t forget to fill uneven edges off in the same direction because filing back and forth can weaken nails. This is one of the most important tips for healthy nails.

4. Keep A Nail File Handy

All that flitting about, using your hands in a hundred different ways all day, can cause a lot of wear and tear. It’s a good idea to keep a nail file handy to smooth away any rough edges as they happen. Never, ever bite off the ragged bits because that can cause tears in your nails and damage the nail bed. We love using the Vega Manicure Tools - Nail File Small because it's small and handy and easily slips into your handbag, perfect for nail grooming.

5. Leave Your Cuticles Alone

You must have heard this a hundred times, but we’ll say it once more. The cuticle seals the area at the base of the nail, preventing germs from entering and infecting nails. When you cut or trim the cuticle, it breaks that seal of protection, leaving your nails prone to infection. If your cuticles are looking ragged, simply push them back gently with a blunt-edged nail file or orange stick after a shower. And don’t forget to use a cuticle oil or cream afterwards to keep them soft. We recommend the L'Occitane Shea Butter Nail & Cuticle Nourishing Oil that nourishes and hydrates the cuticles and nails.

6. Always Use A Base Coat

Next up on the list of nail beauty tips is coating. Think of it as sunscreen for your nails. Whether or not you plan on applying nail polish, apply a base coat to your nails. Not only does it prevent the nails from getting stained, but it also adds a protective layer to your nails. The O.P.I Natural Nail Base Coat is just what the doctor ordered for brittle, weak nails. It preps, primes and protects nails and retains the richness of your nail polish colour.

7. Indulge In Gel Nails Sparingly

Sure, gel nails are pretty and convenient, but they take a toll on your nails. The main issue with gel manis is exposure to UV light in the drying device which can damage the skin below and around the nail. It’s best to apply sunscreen with SPF 30-50 before the procedure to block the damage, Or, better still, just apply a coat of gel-finish polish for that at-home-salon effect and you’re good to go. We love the Nykaa Glazed Nail Enamel which has a glossy, glazed finish.

8. Learn To Read Labels On Your Polish

You’re finicky about your skincare, so why not with your nail polish too? Steer clear of polishes with toxic chemicals like dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, and toluene that can worsen brittleness, splitting, and cracking. Look for a five-free formula like Nykaa Nail Enamel that is not just free from the five biggest nail baddies but is also not tested on animals and contains no animal-derived ingredients.

9. Moisturise Your Hands And Nails Regularly

You wouldn't go to bed without moisturising your face so why should your nails not get some TLC too? There’s no dearth of pampering, nourishing formulas choc-a-bloc with gorgeous ingredients to keep your cuticles and nails hydrated while you sleep. Check out Nykaa Freesia & Vanilla Hand and Nail Crème infused with Avocado, Almond, Jojoba and Olive Oils. It’s a good idea to keep the love for your hands going even during the day. We suggest MCaffeine Naked & Raw Mattifying Coffee Hand Cream that nourishes with its potent ingredients (RE: Coffee & White Water Lily) for soothed, soft hands.

10. Get Your Fill Of Protein

Beauty is more than skin deep and your fingernails are made of a protein called keratin. Kill three birds with one stone—shinier hair, clearer skin and healthier nails – by getting your fill protein-rich foods like low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, eggs and fish. Finally, do take supplements like a Biotin capsule and Omega oils to nourish your skin, hair and nails from within. Biotin especially strengthens nails and keeps brittleness away. You could opt for HealthVit Biotino-Z Biotin with Zinc 60 Capsules and OneLife Omega 3-6-9 60 Softgels. The right nutrients and you’ll flaunt healthy, clear nails in no time!

11. Prioritise Nail Health Over Length

While we all love long, pointy nails, it is important to keep your nails at a manageable length. Even with a low-activity lifestyle, pressure on the tips of long nails can cause them to break easily. This doesn’t mean you have to chop your nails down. Simply use a buffer to keep the nails at a practical length and prevent them from bending. We recommend the Gorgio Professional Both-Sided Triangle Shape Nail Buffer that helps you file down edges and add shine to your nails.

12. Sanitise Your Nail Tools

Maintaining nail hygiene is super important and this means sanitising your nail tools after every use. While nail tools don’t really get dirty, the dry skin and shavings of your nails may cause the growth of mould and bacteria over time. However, washing nail tools with water can cause damage. So, after every manicure session, wipe down your tools with Savlon Surface Disinfectant Spray Sanitizer which can be used on both hard and soft surfaces.

13. Wear Gloves While Doing Chores

While hydration is crucial to maintaining nail health, overexposure to water can also cause damage. While doing chores like washing utensils and clothes, it’s best you use gloves to protect your hands. This prevents the nails from softening and protects your skin from harsh detergents and soaps – so it's a win-win situation. Try the Ansell MICRO-TOUCH N30 Hand Protection Gloves that are powder and latex-free to provide optimal barrier protection.

14. Use A Nail Stregthner

If you have super brittle nails that are prone to breakage, it’s time you consider using nail strengtheners. It will not only improve the flexibility of your nails but also improve their growth and overall quality. The ISDIN Si-Nails Strengthener is fortified with mastic oil to improve keratin concentrations, cationic hyaluronic acid for hydration, and exogenous silicon which is a key element needed for nail growth.

15. Apply Nail Serum

While your face is getting brightening benefits from Vitamin C, why should your nails feel left out? The Faces Canada Vit-C Nail Serum transforms dull, dry cuticles and nourishes the skin. Meanwhile, aloe vera leaf juice and glycerin work toward making your nails smooth and strong.

Key Takeaways

Environmental stressors, damage from daily life, overuse of nail polish removers, and constant use of nail paint can make your nails brittle and dry your cuticles. To maintain your nail health, it is crucial to invest some time in caring for your nails and learning how to make them stronger. Consistent growth and maintaining a smooth, stain-free surface is also an important part of nail care. Adopt some nail maintenance techniques today to ensure your hands look clean and polished at all times.

FAQs

1. How can I strengthen weak nails?

   Keep your nail hydrated with cuticle oil and apply nail strengtheners to encourage the growth of strong nails.

2. How often should I trime and file my nails?

   Maintain healthy nails by trimming them every two weeks and filing them whenever you spot splinters and cracks.

3. What’s the best way to prevent hangnails?

   Hangnails are caused by dry skin or due to one picking at the skin around the nails. Keep your hands moisturised to prevent hangnails and ensure you avoid biting your nails.

4. Is it okay to wear nail polish all the time?

   To keep your nails healthy, take a break from nail polish every few weeks. This also helps prevent discolouration.

5. How can I prevent my nails from becoming yellow?

   Use a base coat to protect your nails from highly pigmented nail paints. Smoking can also cause your nails to become yellow.