Where do I need to go to get nice hands/nails?

[CrinklyCraggy]

My hands are a mess. Broken nails, ragged cuticles and sore where I pick at them.

All the beauty places round here (think TOWIE) only seem to offer gel nails and elaborate designs. That's fine on other people but not for me. I just want my hand to look clean and tidy, cared for. What do I need?

I've tried following online instructions to do it myself and pushing my cuticles back, even when well softened make thibs a whole lot worse.

I go to a nail bar that offers fancy stuff but I just like my nails to be neat and polished. I do get gels nails though because mine split horribly. You get whatever you ask for.

Start with the basics.

Always wear rubber gloves for cleaning and especially washing up, znd put on loads of handcream, often, and rub it into your nails as you apply.
Clip all the bad bits off your nails and file them to the same length. Even if you make them really short now, they should grow back nicer.

Try and stop the picking! Maybe do something else with your hands when you'd normally do this -crochet? Fidget toy?

Grit your teeth and go to a nail bar, have short gel nails in a plain, non metallic, chic dark colour. Moisturise your hands.
Once you have the gel on (it lasts for 3 weeks) you will not be able to pick and nibble and break your nails, ans the habit will be broken. Worked for me, anyway

And stop pushing your cuticles! I5 doesn't make hardly any difference and it sounds like your fingers are a bit sore with the picking. Just let them heal.

I was a terrible nail picker, biter etc for years and my nails were a mess.

I was persuaded to go for a shellac manicure - just short, tidy, muted colours. Was a game changer. I was so proud of my tidy nails it was the only thing that discouraged me from biting and picking because I don’t want to ruin them. I’ve never looked back and now go for shellac mani regularly, although still keep short and muted colours. I highly recommend it.

You need a proper manicure. And regularly if you can afford it.

At home, get into the habit of a hand soak with warm water and a little oil.

When skin is still warm gently push cuticles back to elongate nail bed.

Rub in solar oil.

Apply Nail Envy.

File and keep short.

Buy some oil (I like Marula oil) from somewhere like Holland & Barrett where you will get a good quality cold pressed oil for a trainable price.

Apply the oil to your cuticles and stop pushing or cutting them until they are fully healed.

Use hand cream and protect your hands when doing washing up etc.

Buy good quality nail files - I like The Edge foam files and start gently shaping your nails as you would like them.

Time and care is what you need. They won't be immediately wonderful but over a few weeks they improve.

Never put your hands in water unless you are washing yourself/children without gloves. Same goes for gardening/any other similar jobs. I have rubber gloves for indoors and leather gloves for all outdoor jobs. File your nails using a good quality file and apply a clear polish/strengthened. Use moisturiser on your hands through the day. You could also wear cotton gloves to bed at night over the moisturiser. Once your hands/nails look better go to a salon to have them filed. I wouldn’t recommend gel polish as the removal is quite harsh. Having said that I have a French polish every 6 weeks with gel because the base colour used matches my nails so you don’t see a growth line and my nails are now quite strong. Takes work and commitment but I often get comments on how nice mine look. Good luck - you can get there but it takes time and effort.