How To Make Your Nails Look Healthy

You might not think it, but you can tell a lot about someone from their fingernails. Bitten or distended nails are often seen as a sign of nervousness or low confidence, whereas someone who always has perfectly manicured nails can seem a little conceited and vain. It’s not just on a superficial level either, the condition of someone’s nails can give an indication of their overall health and nail problems can be the first sign of more serious health issues. But it’s not just about what others think. We all get an extra boost of confidence from stepping out with a perfect set of nails. So here are a few tips to help keep your nails looking their best.

Firstly and most importantly, don’t let your nails get too dry. Always use hand cream after you wash your hands and regularly throughout the day. This will help your nails and cuticles to retain their moisture and prevent them from breaking or peeling. Moisturisers like those by Aesop are a good choice as they last all day and work well with your skin. Don’t cut your cuticles, instead gently push them back when they are soft, for example after a bath or shower. If you are still encourtering problems with dry skin I would recommend using Eve Lom as their creams are extremely good!

If you do have dry, brittle nails or get hangnails, it could be a dietary problem. Calcium deficiency can cause nails to peel or break, and white spots can often be caused by not getting enough iron. These things can all be easily fixed by making sure you eat a balanced diet. Any manual work, housework and washing up can seriously damage your nails so wear gloves especially where washing up liquid is involved, and always moisturise when you’re finished.

Nail varnish looks great but can really damage the nails if used all the time. Only paint your nails when you’re going out and want to look your best, there’s really no point going to all that effort if you’re only going to work where they will only chip anyway. When you do use nail polish, always use a base coat to prevent the colour from staining your nails. OPI is a good place to start for a great range of colours that are long lasting, and they do base coats and nail treatments too. When you remove your nail polish use as little remover as possible and, yes you guessed it, wash and moisturise your hands straight afterwards to make sure your nails don’t dry out.