Soft, brittle, grooved nails… The quality of our nails is not always first class, which considerably impacts our morale and the duration of our polish. The Manucurist team tells you the mistakes you should not make and the tips you should know to strengthen your nails every day.
Beyond their aesthetic appearance, our nails play a fundamental protective function, and their quality can be influenced by all kinds of external factors and our state of health. That is why taking care of them, nourishing them, and strengthening them daily is important.
And let’s not forget that keeping your nails in good condition also means the polish will last longer. All the more reason to start!
Related: How to Look Beautiful Without Makeup in 10 Step
Avoid High Risk Situations
Like our hair, our nails are made up of 90% keratin, a rigid (but also fragile) protein produced by the Nail Matrix at the base of the nail and protected by our cuticles.
Put to the test, our nails are usually exposed to many factors that can weaken them. Cracked, split, yellowed, softened… are just some signs that can alert you to its fragility.
And since “prevention is better than cure,” here are some risky situations you should avoid.
- Exposing your nails to chemical or aggressive products (present in household or DIY cleaners, for example) can damage them. Protect them with gloves, or opt for gentle, natural, and non-toxic formulas.
- Overexposing them to humidity can also cause them to soften or dry out. That’s how it is! As you may have heard, our nails are not waterproof. On the contrary, prolonged contact with water or frequent washing can make them soft and fragile.
- Biting your nails is not a good idea. In addition to being unsightly, this bad habit makes them more fragile, can deform them, and increases the risk of wounds or infections. It’s better to find other ways to manage stress! As for habits, we will not tire of repeating them: using your nails as tools to scratch or open objects is also a guaranteed disaster!
- Filing your nails is okay, but not in any way. For those of you who like to file, be careful with back and forth movements and poorly adapted tools. To give your nails beautiful shapes while respecting their integrity, use a file specifically for natural nails, with the appropriate grit and, above all, in one direction to avoid splitting the nails and weakening them. You didn’t know anything about this? Discover all our tips to prepare your nails well without damaging them.
- Combining the application of conventional semi-permanent nails with acetone nail polish remover is risky. Firstly, because it is known that there is a risk of allergies and, secondly, because acetone dissolves the oil layer that naturally protects the nail plate and makes the nails considerably more fragile. And that’s not even considering mechanical sanding sessions that can cause lasting damage.
Adopt the Right Habits
This is all well and good, but what can you do when the damage has already been done?
Don’t panic, here are some things you can do to repair and strengthen them.
Strengthen your nails from the Inside
We don’t always think about it, but an unbalanced diet lacking essential nutrients for healthy nail growth can weaken them. Make sure you eat foods rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements: calcium, zinc, iron, etc., as well as B vitamins such as biotin, essential for keratin production. They are found in brewer’s yeast, salmon, liver, wheat germ, nuts, and cheese.
To avoid deficiencies, you can take dietary supplements regularly specifically adapted to revitalize your nails from the inside and promote the production of quality keratin.
Follow a moisturizing and nourishing routine between color Applications
Give your nails a revitalizing break between colorful manicures. It will only take a few minutes, and your nails will thank you. After removing the polish with a mild nail polish remover (no acetone, please!), apply a few drops of Complete Serum and massage gently (including the cuticles) until the product is absorbed. Its exclusive water-based formula, enriched with panthenol, chestnut seed extract, and glycerin, deeply hydrates and restores dry, thin, and brittle nails.
Complete this moisturizing treatment by massaging with a few drops of Green Oil to give your nails the nutrition they need. A mixture of 6 multi-active oils, this ultra-rich complementary treatment will regenerate your cuticles and nails in the blink of an eye, promoting their growth. 💪
One last piece of advice, and no less important: don’t forget the base coat, even if you don’t wear colored polish. This protective layer is essential to protect your nails from moisture, dehydration, and yellowing if color is applied. Some treatment bases are enriched with essential active ingredients (vitamins, AHA, etc.) to strengthen and regenerate nails deeply. This also ensures that the colors last longer. Another good reason not to forget it!
With these tips, you are now ready to strengthen your nails and give them keratin that looks like reinforced concrete.
Suppose you want to know more about the nature of your nails and what specific care they need. In that case, you can perform your personalized diagnosis for free and let yourself be guided to establish the appropriate revitalizing routine.
