How can I improve the look of my natural nails?

[helpimitchy]

I used to bite my nails, but have had to stop due to damaging my front tooth.

They're growing well and are nice and strong, but the don't look great.

They're a bit ridged and the white bits aren't that white. I do a lot of cleaning. I try to protect my hands with gloves, but you know how it is.

Is there any product which might make them look a bit nicer? I've tried Sally Hanson nail brightener in the past, but it made the entire nail yellow

I don't really like having to put nail polish on as I can't wear it for work and it stains the nails I think.

[PhilODox]

You can run vitamin e into them, buy the vitamins and cut off the capsule ends. I usually use a clear base coat just to protect them and disguise ridges if i don't want colour- i use Revlon, but any is probably as good. Drink plenty, eat well.
My ridges are caused by psoriasis though, and can be pronounced.
Otherwise, just keep them clean and a reasonable length. I don't like them long, particularly if I've lots of practical work to do.

[PhilODox]

Rub, sorry, not run.

[DoItTooJulia]

Keep them short ish, hand cream rubbed into cuticles and try a buffer thing? Like a nail file but for buffing nails.

[FinallyHere]

I have a white nail pensil, think it was sally hansen, or maybe rimmel, had it so long you can't make out the brand name. Wet your nails, run the pencil under the whites and hey presto, white bits white. Enjoy

[helpimitchy]

Yes, I've done the buffing and smoothing thing. Good idea about the vitamin E.

I have tried the pencil before, but used to spend my time picking the white out from underneath my nails which kind of defeated the object of course

[MistyReturns]

Keep them filed short for now - the damage is likely in the nail bed. I always think nails are akin to hair and plants - the shorter they are the more concentrated any nutrients are. Get some almond oil from a chemist and rub it into your cuticles and nails. Religiously. A nail buffer will smooth and shine too. Keep up with gloves for housework (hand cream or oil on before you put them on if you can). It is a long haul, but it will be worth it.

[miffy2]

When you get out of the shower use your towel to gently push back your (softened) cuticles. This will stimulate growth. I have oils and creams everywhere in the house so i apply them liberally and often. Jojoba oils suits my nails best so I have decanted a large bottle into tiny roller-ball bottles that I got on ebay.

You can use one of the buffer bricks to gently file around the sides of your nails, I find my skin can get quite tough and raggedy there.

I wear polish all the time as my nails break quite easily and are better protected by the polish. I always use base and top coat though and hardly ever get stains (greens are the worst for staining IME).

If I have to go without polish then I keep my nails short and filed evenly, and gently buffed. They look their best this way.

[Aderyn2016]

A manicurist told me not to file down the sides of my nails because it can cause ridges and makes nails weak. She said to file across the top.
Aldi sometimes have a nail brightener polish which is also good at making natural nails look better.

[HonorBright]

Vitamin D supplements, which I started taking in the winter, have had the happy side effect of making my nails look amazing.

[miffy2]

Aderyn2016 sorry I mean filing the skin at the side of the nail, hard to explain. My skin gets quite tough around my nails on certain fingers so I use the buffer block to get rid of it. It helps prevent hangnails too.
My nails are usually too short to be able to distinguish sides from the top of the nail LOL.