How can I have nice nails that don’t involve a salon?

[PoliteSpud]

I do my own nails with polish about every 4/5days. Despite this, my nails look permanently trashed - chipped weak, uneven shapes.

Everywhere I go I see women with lovely nails in fab colours. I hear people talk about ‘getting their nails done’ allllll the time. I don’t know how much those appointments are or how regular (or what the nail bar relationship with slave labour is) but is this something I need to start doing?

I really don’t want another appointment in my calendar. Is there anything I can do at home that achieves that smart even glossy look?

I'll also add good prep makes polish wear longer. File and shape. Wipe with an alcohol wipe to remove oils - some nail polish removers have moisturisers and oils in them so that needs to be removed. Then use a good base coat. Two coats of polish, decorate, two coats of top coat.

Up the amount of protein you eat and your nails will grow stronger. Personally I find that eating red meat makes an enormous difference to my nail strength. Along with leafy green veg and pulses.

Me too.

I use CND and Niao Nails cuticle oils mostly but any will be good

when I travel I just use shea butter that's in a small tin size of a lip balm tin

Margaret Dabbs cuticle serum is excellent but expensive. Or you can just use jojoba oil.

I also use shea butter. I have a massive bag (very cheap) that I decant into pots. It's a great intensive moisturiser and lipbalm. A tiny bit goes a long way

The one thing that has made a huge difference to my nails is a biotin supplement. My nails were very weak and soft, and so anything I put on them chipped and flaked really quickly. But I've been taking biotin for about a year now, and I have lovely long strong nails which don't bend so easily. Much easier to keep them looking nice now.