My nails are breaking .... what shall I put on them?

[MrsMcGregor]

Any recommendations please? Boots have far too many products for me to be able to choose one!

Thanks.

Nail strengthener and almond oil.

Oil helps nails to grow.

Build up the nail with the strengthener and remove every week and start again.

Dr lewins stuff is good you paint it on.

I completely agree with Calzone. Almond oil (or sweet almond oil) and then nail strengthener (I used the OPI one, nail envy).

The best thing you can do for your nails is to keep them well hydrated (the oil) and to have a barrier on them to protect them. Especially if you tend to have wet hands often (laundery, dishes, etc). If you can be bothered to wear gloves when doing cleaning/dishes then that would help a lot as well.

I have been growing my nails recently for a big party coming up, and I have terrible nails. They were doing really well whilst I was using the almond oil and keeping them painted (I would do nail strengthener, and then a colour on top). Unfortunately for the last week and a half they have just been completely bare, and I haven't been using the oil and they are now basically ruined.

I frantically put some nail strengthener on the nails with the worst splits, last night, but I'll be lucky if they last until the party I am going to.

After the party I will have to cut them right down.

itsaysonthetin.......book in for a Shellac manicure. It will help them to grow and not chip.

Am having my Shellac removed to let my nails breathe for a while but your nails will look ok for the party.

Thanks ... will look for almond oil too.

I'm convinced it was shellac that did this to my nails. They have never, ever broken, chipped or peeled. Then I had my first ever Shellac over Christmas, it was taken off (properly) second week in Jan and my nails were so dry with marks which are now growing up and breaking. Pity as I loved the Shellac.

Ok, off to find almond oil!

I rarely wear nail polish, but find that when I do the condition of them really suffers.

I have regularly used the Body Shop Hemp Hand cream - daily and a good old dollop before bed - but recently I ran out, and used some other handcreams that I have been given. Despite these purporting to be super rich and nourishing my nails started flaking and snapping.

So re-stocked on the hemp hand cream and since using it again my nails have recovered amazingly. I don't have super long nails, but like them to be just to the tips of my fingers -plain and clean. it really does make the difference for me.

Take biotin a supplement that you take once a day. My hair and nails have come on brilliantly since I started taking it last year

I use mavala hair strengthener. I used to use pro strong stuff which works but a lot more expensive.

op

When you say breaking what do you mean? Are they peeling/flaking? Snapping? Breaking across the nail or low down in the nail bed ( the pink finger bit).

Tell me which one and I can help you. ( it's my job )

hi mine break on the finger bit, really painful and look awful. I tried to leave it broken but it was too difficult.

If they break on the nail bed, it's normally that the nail is too hard/strong or the nail is too long. The max load a nail can take without becoming unstable is about half the length of the nail bed.

So roughly look at the nail bed, half the length and add onto the nail (white free edge) if your nail is much longer it will cause low breaks. So get filing and rub almond oil on to condition the nail. Then it will be more flexible and less prone to breaks.

Sizzles thanks! They're breaking at the top, I don't keep them long at all but they still manage to break. When the Shellac was taken off there were white marks that felt rough to the touch, probably around 3mm below the top and it's as they grow up that they seem to break. One even broke in bed the other night. It's like a crack across. Does that make any sense?

thanks

On another thread someone recommended Mavala Scientifique.

I have OPI Nail Envy but I can't wear nail products at work (and I wash my hands many many times and wear vinyl gloves) so my nails don't thrive.

I'm using OPI Avoplex oil and a Leighton Denny buffer at the moment , the Nail Envy when I can (and OPI laquer remover)

I've ummed and aahed about LED lights and the long lasting varnish but I wouldn't get away with it and the acetone remover would wreck them.

Rub in plain vaseline every night.

I have very soft nails and the thing that has made the most difference to their strength is buffing them. A serious change and my nails look lovely and healthy too.

Dior creme abricot - it's amazing on nails that need a big dose of tlc.

Considering the shellac. They sound very dry and brittle.

Don't put any nail hardener on, this will make them worse.

File them as short as is possible. File in one direction only, don't saw.

Put any oil on as often as possible. Olive oil/almond oil.

Keep them short, until the damage grows out.

Shellac and the like is very damaging for the nail plate. But it will recover.

Thank you sizzles - I was hoping you would come back to the thread before I placed an order for something! That's my relationship with shellac finished! Oil it is and I'll take your advice re filing. Thanks!

Very few people need their nails "hardened" normally nails break as they are dry and brittle or too hard. I've seen bad damage from overuse of nail hardener type products.

Oil and file is the best way to recover from Shellac.

I started taking a tablespoon of coconut oil in my coffee in the afternoons partly due to low carbing. Been doing this about two months. I realised the other day i have never had to cut my nails so often without any breaking inbetween cuts (iykwim) as the past 6 weeks. I wonder if there is a link? But they are suddenly strong and grow at rocket speed. Weird.

Yeah it's more about what you put in your body and not on the nails. I second coconut oil, healthy fats are so important, just make sure to get a superb quality one like Fushi for example. Also things like green powders are fab to put nutrition in the body.