Getting better nails

[headintheproverbial]

Has anyone had any luck improving the quality of their nails?

Mine are so weak and brittle. I can occasionally get them to a decent length but soon enough they start to break and are slow to grow back. I'm always so jealous of others' lovely nails.

I allow myself a gel manicure twice a year as it takes my nails so long to recover (tho it prevents breakage while it is on).

Any tips please?

I used acrylics for a long time so my nails were shot. I started using CND Rescue and they’re much better now. It’s a tiny little bottle but really good. I used to paint it on every night. My nails used to be really soft but are quite hard now. You do have to persevere with it.

Moisturise every time you wash your hands and before bed. A dermatologist told me this. Be meticulous about wearing gloves for housework generally and outside if it's cold. Watch your typing style,it's easy to wind up tapping your nails rather then the balls of your fingers, Be careful when using your hands for anything,pretend you have really long and expensive fake nails.

OPI original Nail Envy is amazing.

Funny you should mention it. My nails have recently and unexpectedly gone from awful, splitty and non-growing to really strong and healthy. I was kind of baffled, but actually I think it might be the Vitamin D supplements I've been taking lately, plus the fact that I started eating yoghurt for breakfast almost every day. Yoghurt = calcium. Vitamin D promotes absorption of calcium. I think getting tye right nutrients is probably more effective tyan anything you can do to your nails from the outside iyswim.

Oh and I tried Nail Envy when mine were crap, and it didn't really have any effect.

Thank you - some good ideas here!!

You could try doing your own gel nails at home. I find I can be gentler doing my own gels ok it takes me a long time but just pop a film on and take it nice and easy. I don’t file the top of the nails to prep them, I wash hands throughly with soap and water, then use plenty of the gel cleanser, then plenty of gel primer all over the nail. They last at least 2 weeks. I always cap each layer of gel in between too.

My nails never break now and they are a little dry when I initially take off the gel but they are certainly not damaged. Cuticle oil and overnight thick hand cream/mask with cotton gloves in between and I’m good to go again.

Would recommend sensationail to get started but I now use Mylee - cheap on Amazon and good quality with lots of nice colours.

Cnd solar oil and ibx at a salon.