Are you struggling with brittle and weak nails?Maintaining long and healthy nails can be a difficult task if you do not take care of your nails at home. Going to a nail salon every day for care and treatment might not be possible for everybody. However, if you don’t have the time for regular nail salon visits you can always take care of your own nails at home.
Apart from getting a nail spa done, here are some home treatments and tips that work well in maintaining healthy nails:
Tips of Natural Nail Care And Treatments
- Maintain a well-balanced diet.
This goes without saying that what you eat reflects on your body. Your nails take nutrients from your food and maintaining a healthy diet helps you get long and shiny nails without any salon treatments. Nails can also depict some serious nutrient deficiencies. Taking a diet rich in protein and calcium is very essential to maintain your natural nail health. Include more dairy, legumes and green leafy vegetables in your diet for maximum benefits. Drink a lot of water too.
- Give your nails some time to breathe between nail polishes.
This is one of the most common mistakes committed by girls. They keep putting nail polish after nail polish without thinking about their nail health. Your nail bed also needs time to breathe to get rid of the chemicals and the alcohol seepage due to regular application of nail polishes. Take a break of 3-4 days before applying a fresh coat of nail paint and avoid using too many coats of nail polish.
- Use a good nail polish remover.
Avoid using removers that contain a lot of alcohol as this can dry out your nails and make them brittle over a period of time. Go for a nail polish remover that contains a mild solvent and has a non-acetone formula. These formulas are gentle on the nails and remove nail polish effectively. Also, do not rub your nails roughly when removing nail polish but gently keep the soaked cotton ball on the nails and remove with a few gentle wipes.
- Avoid contact with chemicals.
Using a lot of cleaning agents and supplies to keep your home clean can actually take a toll on your nails as these cleaning products are made up of chemicals that strip the moisture from your nails. Do not use these chemicals barehanded and always wear gloves to protect your nails and skin.
- Buff and file your nails regularly.
Taking care of your nails does not mean that you do not cut them. Cutting nails at regular intervals helps them to grow evenly and maintains the shape of your nails. Some people over-buff their nails which can remove the outer protective layer of the nails and makes them vulnerable to infections and injuries. Gently buffing them, however, has a lot of benefits as it gets rid of dead cells and makes your nails look shiny and healthy.
- Massage the cuticles with warm cuticle oil before sleeping.
Cuticles form an important part of nail health and keeping your cuticles healthy can keep your nails healthy too. There are many good cuticle oils available in the market and using some warm cuticle oil to massage your nail area at night can go a long way in protecting your nails and supplementing their growth.
- Do not cut your nails too close to the cuticle.
Damaged cuticles can be very painful and can hinder nail growth significantly. Natural nail care should involve the cuticle area too and one of the most important tips is to not cut your nails too close to the cuticle. This can cause infections and can also expose your skin to the outside environment. Keep your nails trimmed properly and leave a little extra space near the cuticle.
- Take biotin supplements regularly after discussing with your dietician.
Vitamin supplements help a lot in maintaining healthy nails as we do not get a lot of these vitamins through our natural diet. Multivitamin supplements help to fortify your nails and improve their natural shine as well. Supplements which contain biotin should be preferred as this vitamin helps in nail and hair growth significantly.
- Avoid excess exposure to water.
Prolonged exposure to water can shrink your skin as water removes the natural moisture and leaves the nails weak and dehydrated. If you clean dishes, wear gloves so that your nails and hands are protected from continuous exposure to water. If you expose your nails to water for a long period of time, hydrate and moisturize them after exposure to bring back the natural moisture.
- Limit using fake acrylic nails very frequently.
Fake nails are stuck on the natural nails using glue and this creates a breeding space for fungus between your actual nail and acrylic nail. The glue used to stick these nails is also not of very good quality and can cause painful infections and injuries if used very frequently. If you have to get acrylic nails done, go to a reputed salon to get better results and minimize risks.
Now that we have shared some basic yet very important tips to take care of your nails naturally, here are some natural nail treatments you can try at home to maintain and improve the condition of your nails:
- Nail Strengthener.
Mix 1 tbsp. honey and 1 tbsp. lemon juice with 1/4th cup of olive oil and some salt and warm up this solution using the double boiler method. Place a pan filled with some water on stove and gently keep the bowl of the above solution in the water in a way that water doesn’t enter the pan. When the solution warms up, take it off the heat and soak your nails in it for 10-15 minutes. Wash your nails with some water and soap after 15 minutes and wipe them dry to get healthier and stronger nails.
- Cuticle Softening Cream
Make this cuticle cream at home by mixing 2 Tbsp. whipped Shea butter with one tsp. jojoba oil and 1 tsp. coconut oil along with your favorite essential oils. Whip some Shea butter in a bowl and add the two oils before whisking it again to smooth consistency. Add a few drops of essential oils like chamomile and lavender to the mixture and pour it in a small tub. Use this cream every day at night to nourish and moisturize your cuticles and nails easily.
- Nail Soak For Weak Nails.
Mix some sea salt with lemon juice and wheat germ essential oil to make a DIY nail soak for weak nails. Make sure that you use a smooth-grain sea salt and soak your nails in this mixture for 10 minutes once a week to strengthen your nails. You can also use apple cider vinegar and water to create this soaking solution as this vinegar is rich in nutrients and is used in many DIY home remedies for skin, nails, and hair. You can also use lemon essential oil in place of lemon juice for making the mixture more hydrating and nourishing.
- Tea Tree Antifungal Solution For Infections.
Nails can also become weak and brittle due to fungal infections and this solution will keep these infections at bay. Tea tree oil is a very common antifungal agent and also treats discoloration in nails. Since undiluted tea tree oil is very strong, it is always advised to use it in the diluted form. Mix a few drops of this oil with olive oil or water and then apply the mixture on your nails. Leave it for 30 minutes before wiping it off and washing your nails with water.
- Protein Treatment Mask.
Lack of protein and calcium in the body is one of the most common causes of weak and dull nails. Make this protein treatment mask at home using egg yolk and milk as both these ingredients are rich in protein and calcium. Mix an egg yolk with 2 tbsp. of milk and beat the mixture to get a smooth consistency. Apply this mask on your nails and massage it for a few minutes to help it get absorbed easily. Wash it with warm water after 10-15 minutes.
- DIY Beer Treatment.
Beer is very rich in nutrients and minerals that are essential for nail growth and this beer solution will keep your nails healthy and protected. Mix 2 parts of beer with 1 part each of apple cider vinegar and some warm olive oil and soak your nails in the mixture for 10-15 minutes. Repeat this treatment once or twice a week for best results and if you have very weak nails.
So these were some of the most important natural nail care tips and treatments which can be easily followed to get healthy and strong nails. These tips should be followed regularly along with regular nail spa sessions to get the desired results and these home treatments can save you a lot of time and money.
Have you used these home treatments before? What is your favorite nail care tip out of the ones listed above?
