How to Take Proper Care of Your Nails

Whether you’re a nail biter, a cuticle picker, or someone who spends an outrageous amount every week on a nice gel finish, taking proper care of your nails extends further than the salon. Oftentimes, beautiful looking nails aren’t actually healthy. Even though they seem to be strong and look great, there’s probably some damage buried deep inside the nails. Luckily, it’s not difficult to give your nails a little pick-me-up but it’s a routine that you’ll need to adapt and you’ll have to trust the process.

Having strong, healthy nails is a serious confidence booster. It doesn’t matter if you like bright reds to make a statement, nude tones for a glossy look or peachy shades to give your outfit a bit of elegance, you will always feel bold and courageous if your nails look healthy. And the best part about nail care is that it doesn’t require any expensive tools or products, it just takes a bit of time.

Learning how to properly care for your nails isn’t difficult and if you make some small changes in your nail care routine, you will notice the results immediately. To save you some time and the research, we have compiled a list of five ways to take proper care of your nails.

  1. Use a Moisturizer

Just like you moisturize your body with lotion and your hair with conditioner, your nails should be attended to with the same care. Nails and cuticles get dry quickly and when they’re deprived of that moisture, they break down easily. This is especially true for those who wear nail polish frequently; the polish will dry them out and deprive them of the moisture that they need.

You don’t even need a special nail moisturizer. Any type of cream or lotion (Vaseline, Eucerin, Aquaphor, etc…) that you use for your hands can go straight onto your nails, and while you’re at it, give your nails some extra love with a generous amount of that moisture.

Once your nails receive the necessary amount of moisture, they won’t look dry or brittle anymore, and definitely won’t crack easily. After a few days, they will start to emanate a soft glow.

  2. Use Antifungal Nail Polish (for the polish users)

Another reason why your nails might be dry and brittle is because of a fungal infection. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds. This just means that your nails have been neglected for quite a bit of time and it causes them to look crumbly, or ragged. More than 3 million people in the U.S. end up getting some form of a fungal infection per year.

Fortunately, antifungal nail polish exists and can help prevent infections. And it also looks exactly like regular polish once applied. If you’re looking for more information on the benefits of antifungal polish and the best brands to buy, Giftwits has a useful guide here.

Using health-conscious nail products is extremely important if you want strong, dazzling nails. It’s a simple change in your process, but it’s worth it.

  3. Trim Regularly

Trimming your nails regularly might be the most important step in nail care. Don’t get me wrong, long nails are beautiful and should be embraced, but if they’re not trimmed regularly, bacteria and dirt will build up underneath the nail and this can lead to infection and split fingernails.

Treat your nails like you treat your hair. Long hair is beautiful, but most people get a regular trim because it’s necessary to maintain its beauty and health.

Practicing good nail hygiene is very crucial to make sure your nails are healthy and strong for a long period of time.

Everything needs a trim now and then, but nails are definitely a priority in this category. If your nails go too long without being cut, the dirt underneath can cause a lot of problems for the entire nail. Yes, you can get most of the dirt out without actually cutting the nails, but there will always be some problems if you don’t take proper care of them.

If you trim your nails regularly, they will slowly become stronger and look cleaner.

  4. Focus on Your Cuticles

Strengthening your cuticles is the key to healthy nails. If you constantly pick at them (a very tempting bad habit), your new nails won’t grow properly.

No one wants to peel cuticles or broken nails. Jin Soon Choi, founder of Jin Soon spas in New York said in a Wall Street Journal article, “The solution: oils and creams that soften the cuticles”

In order to strengthen your cuticles, soak them in warm water for a few minutes and do this 2–3 times a week. Try some coconut or almond oil, or other special creams designed specifically for cuticle care.

Once your cuticles are brought back to life, your nails will follow in stride.

  5. Be More Gentle When Filing Your Nails

Let’s be honest, no one actually knows what they’re doing when it comes to filing nails. You just end up sawing away at them, leaving your skin dead and your nails broke. But it’s a pretty simple fix: be more gentle. File them slowly, and always in one direction.

Nails are fragile, so if you continue to treat them abrasively, they will break apart. But if you continually file them and remain gentle through your nail care, they will blossom into shiny, elegant-looking nails.

Taking proper care of your nails is important for health and beauty. Once you adopt a daily/weekly routine that is devoted to nail care, you’ll feel more confident knowing that you’re giving them the TLC they deserve. If you want to learn more about beauty tips or just how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, check out NewsAffinity.

As Tammy Taylor, an American philanthropist in the Nail and Beauty Industry famously said, “Nails are not about being noticed, they are about being remembered.”

We hope all of the five tips above will help you set up an essential nail-care routine for yourself. Remember, people do notice your nails!