Are your nails ageing you? Try these 5 youth-enhancing tips for naturally stronger nails
I don't know about you, but there's something about manicured, neat-looking nails that instantly make me feel more put together and ready for the day. It may sound trite, but we spend more time looking at our nails - typing on laptops or putting together dinner - than we do looking at our faces or hair, which tend to get the lion's share as far as preening goes.
The problem is, as with our skin, our nails tend to take a battering during the colder months. Even though in the past week we've seen a few sunnier days, the contrasting temperatures can make hands and nails brittle. “Winter puts extra pressure on our nails - the cold outside, the dry inside,” says Juanita Hubert-Miller, Founder of prestige London Nail Salon, Townhouse.
Cuticles become drier and more course (resulting in broken skin and hangnails) and the nail bed itself can get dehydrated, brittle and weak - which can lead to snapping. Most importantly, unhealthy nails are ageing, so it pays to give them some attention. These are our top eight expert tips for rescuing your nails in time for spring.
1. Book in for IBX
Ask any nail tech, and they’ll wax lyrical on the transformative powers of IBX. It's particularly good if your nails are a bit fragile from frequent removal of gel polish, and it will help to tackle things like uneven texture, white spots and flakiness. Applied in the salon, it’s a two-step reparative and strengthening treatment which helps to supercharge nails with conditioning keratin (the protein that helps keep nails strong and healthy).
Cured under a warm light to encourage better penetration, it forms a protective and invisible nutrient-packed shield over the nail bed. The results are visibly transformative, helping to drastically smooth and condition weakened nails from the first go. It's not too expensive either, with treatments starting from around ￡15 depending on the salon you visit. Afterwards, your nails can grow longer and stronger. “Think of it like a deep conditioning masque for your nails,” says Hubert-Miller.
2. Almonds make a great nail-restoring snack
Rich in protein, which our bodies need to stay strong, almonds are also packed full of magnesium which can help contribute to smoother nails (a lack of magnesium can lead to vertical ridges). It's also full of vitamin E that helps to protect and repair, making it the ideal nail-restoring snack. Around 28 grams a day will do the trick.
3. Choose a gentle nail file
"Drills and harsh nail files can damage your nails irreparably," says Monika Serafine, Townhouse's leading nail technician. "If you damage the cuticle fold at the bottom of your nail bed and break into the matrix beneath, you can compromise the new cells beginning to grow and causing the nail to grow incorrectly forever.” The answer is a soft file, like Deborah Lippman's Professional Buffer Nail File in Smooth Operator, ￡10, which has four different sections to shape, smooth, buff and file. Plus, adopt a lighter technique when wielding it.
4. Use an oil infused with vitamin E
Sore, scratchy cuticles will benefit from frequent reapplication of cuticle oil. It's best to have it by your desk or bedside table so you don't forget it. In particular, look for a nail oil that's rich in vitamin E as this will help to strengthen and restore chapped skin and nails. NCLA's So Rich Cuticle Oil, ￡15.95 is ideal as it sinks in quick, is ultra-nourishing and is free from harsh chemicals.
5. Be careful with your cuticles
It’s not a good idea to trim your cuticles yourself. Most of us can’t tell the difference between where our cuticles end and our skin begins which can result in overdoing it. And, over-doing it can lead to an overproduction of coarse skin around our nails. Instead, it's best left to the professionals. Or, if you really feel the urge to tidy them, use a wooden cuticle stick instead, just be extra gentle.