1. Dry and Clean Is the Way to Go
Preventing the buildup of germs and bacteria under your nails involves cleaning your nails regularly and drying them properly every time. Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant that you can use on your nails to keep the bacteria away. But to really maintain hygiene, you must also wash and sanitize all your nail tools regularly.
2. Do Not Ignore Your Cuticles
Hanging skin or nail must be clipped off carefully to avoid more pain. But the best way of taking care of your cuticles is by moisturizing them. You can even use coconut and almond oil to massage your fingernails. The bonus to using oil is that it will also prevent dryness and flakiness, which are just as bad for your nails.
3. Water-Based Manicures Are Definite No-No’s
When getting a manicure, avoid water-based manicures ones and go for oil-based ones. When you dip your nails in water, the nail bed absorbs water. If you apply nail polish on an expanded nail bed, the polish will chip and crack once the nail bed goes back to its original shape.
4. Never Scrape Off Your Nail Polish
When you scratch off your nail polish, you also scrape off the top layer of your nails. Your nail surface will suffer as a result and become rough and patchy. To be on the safe side, always carry a few nail polish remover wipes with you.
5. Wear Gloves when Doing household Chores
Since most cleaning detergents contain chemicals that are harmful to the nails, always wear gloves before going about your chores.
6. Avoid Using Gel and Acrylics
Although they may look pretty, gels and acrylics can cause immense damage to the nails. While the chemicals in acrylic powder damage the nails, the method of drying gel manicures can harm the skin surrounding your nails. If you want that look, get the pressed ones instead. They are always smarter alternatives.
7. File Your Nails in One Direction
To avoid weakening and breaking your nails prematurely, file them slowly and gently. Start from one corner of the nail and always file in one direction. This will also help you achieve a smooth tip and will make shaping them faster and easier.
8. Choose Your Nail Polish Carefully
No matter how cheap some nail polishes may be, you must not rush in buying them. Find polishes that do not contain paraben and sulphate to avoid damaging your nails and the skin surrounding it.
9. Ditch Nail Polish for Buffing
Instead of painting your nails, go ‘all-natural’. You can make this look alluring by buffing as this adds shine to the nails. This means you can skip all chemical products while also ensuring your nails look great all day long. However, you need to be gentle when buffing and also avoid doing it too often as it will alter the texture of your nails.
10. Use A Cuticle Softener
Cuticle softener is a nourishing treatment that is perfect for avoiding brittle nails. Soak your nails in salted water for a few minutes, dry them and then apply cuticle softener to your fingernails. Doing this twice or thrice a week will help keep your nails strong and healthy.
11. Cut Nails Straight Across
Prioritize health over length. Rather than growing your nails too long and running the risk of causing broken skin and ruptured cuticles, settle for keeping them levelled and even. You can do that by cutting them evenly and keeping them round at the tips. This will decrease the risk of ingrowth.
12. Skip the Nail Hardeners
While it is common to apply nail hardeners to the fingernails to make them longer, you should bear in mind that it can do offer the exact opposite of the desired result – it can cause splits on your nails and make them damage-prone. This happens because nail hardeners contain a lot of formaldehyde.
13. Opt for Natural Nail Strengthening Treatments
Instead of using a nail hardener, try a conditioning treatment that can strengthen your nails. For a product that makes your nails healthy and strong, buy a conditioner that contains CF formulas. Products with this formula is believed to hydrate and nourish nails.
14. Avoid Acetone at All Costs
Despite being relatively neutral, acetone-based nail polish removers can be very harsh on the nails and skin. To avoid damaging and drying out your nails, pick acetone-free nail remover instead. It will make your nails less prone to breakage.
15. Avoid Rough Emery Boards
When picking an emery board, choose one that is not too textured and grainy. Otherwise, you run the risk of hurting your nails with its rough texture. You want an emery board that is finished well.
