How to improve my nails

[WeAreOnTheRoadToNowhere]

I decided to give my nails more attention. I am an NHS worker so hands are washed a lot, nails short and no polish
I improved the shape and put Sally Hansen hard as nails on. It has made them so much worse. It peels off easily and seems to take the top layer of my nails with it
They look worse than when I started. I've put some nail oil on to try to improve the condition but would like something clear to make them stronger

Vaseline. Tiny amount rubbed into nails and cuticles. String but supple nails in no time

I've been doing it for over 45 years!

I rub in last thing at night before going to bed.

I’m an NHS worker too and my nails are shit!! I’ve tried so many protective nail polishes / treatments to no avail. I’ve been taking biotin and collagen for about 6 months now with no effect whatsoever! That said, my hair looks the best it ever has and I’ve had loads of comments on that. I’ve just resigned myself to crappy nails 😏

Mine have improved hugely since I started taking this.

https://www.boots.com/perfectil-triple-active-30-tablets-10001123?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc--PLAs_HeroCompare--Wellness_Vitamins-_-UK_Smart_Shopping_Wellness_Vitamins&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5f2lBhCkARIsAHeTvlioAA4ntmTgHbKk1nGHp4tjbRuVNBTkdcvaO1MC_py5ERjr38PjhFoaAhmEEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Ffs! Sorry about that link!

@Blossomtoes How long have was it before you started to notice a difference in your nails? also did it help your hair?

It’s done wonders for both. My nails stopped crumbling after about a fortnight and my hairdresser commented on how much thicker my hair was the last time I had it cut. It’s really worked for me.

Apparently selenium works wonders. You can get it on Amazon. I was told this by a lady who did gel nails for me but they came off so quickly because I'm basically dryer than a desert.

OPI Nail Envy. Expensive but worth every penny.

Olive oil works wonders.

Dip finger tips in bowl. Leave for 5-10 mins. Wash off. It's amazing!

Biotin supplements. I’ve always had terrible flaky nails, last year I got gel nails removed and have taken biotin- I now have long strong nails. Unfortunately my toenails are also incredibly strong too and a nightmare to cut!

I second Opi nail envy, there's a choice of original, sensitive or 2 or 3 light pink shades. I also keep a bottle of avocado oil to hand and use a few times daily, nu nail in the car and by my bed. Annoyingly it's the nails on my two middle fingers that break the most. When I was a student nurse I used Nail Magic a clear varnish type, that worked but I don't see it for sale now.

I use olive oil on my cuticles. The nail itself is dead cells so I can't see how anything painted on it would help to strengthen, except in the very short term. I think it's the part where the structure grows from (this includes hair) that needs to be strengthened and that's probably only going to be helped by supplements. I use a Starpowa hair and skin supplement but it's bloody expensive.

my nails used to be totally crap. The when I was pregnant I took prenatal vitamins and something in them worked wonders!

my nails are so strong now in comparison.

You’re right about painted on stuff. Though it can provide a sort of ‘shell’ in some circumstances.

Soaking nails in some warm oil can help strengthen because it’s able to penetrate between the cells in the nail and it helps to plasticise them. Oils with small molecules, such as jojoba are the best.

@BeretRaspberry > That's a good tip about warming the oil.

TWO THINGS:

1. Cuticle work. Invest in a good cuticle pusher and cuticle nipper. Russian manicures are fantastic at good cuticle work so give that a YouTube. Also get a cuticle oil you can get cuticle oil pens that's you can keep handy in a handbag.
2. Clear Builder Gel in a bottle. This will require a nail lamp (LED and UV lamps are fairly inexpensive from ebay amazon etc). It's a thick consistency and won't chip or peel and will help keep the nails strong.

Also multivitamins, plenty of water and invest in a few nail files. The higher the "grit" of a nail file the softer they are for example 80 grit nail files are gritty like sandpaper 240 grit are softer and kinder to natural nails. White buffing blocks are also soft and good at buffing out ridges without causing damage.

I find these four way blocks great:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B078BDNTNF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Jojoba oil is best for nails, rub it in your cuticles. Also taking biotin can help.

People used to say eating a jelly cube!

My mum swore by the jelly cube and I was very happy to be a willing participant as a child 😂

Just had a quick look, the cubes might still be fine but the pots are vegan now so probably won't be beneficial, although still yummy.

Don’t use cuticle nippers, unless to get the tiniest straggly bits of skin. What people often refer to as the cuticle is actually called the proximal nail fold and it’s living skin so shouldn’t be cut.