8 Top Tips To Get Long And Strong Nails

Healthy nails are often extremely sought after yet harder to maintain than first imagined. Whether you are looking to use your natural nails for an at-home manicure or are waiting to test out a nail art design, we can all benefit from strong, long nails. 

Many elements can factor into damaging our nails. Our hands are at the forefront of labored jobs and therefore often succumb to snags and dirt. Furthermore, if you are a loyal customer to professional gel manicures, you can often be left with peeling, weak nails between appointments. 

We know how frustrating it can be to begin growing your nails only to have them break or tear. Fear not though, there are things we can do to strengthen our nails and encourage them to grow. 

Take your vitamins 

There are great vitamins that can help your nails look and feel their best, and they won’t cost an arm and a leg. The primary vitamin for nails is Vitamin B. If you have a vitamin B deficiency, you might have weak and brittle nails. B12 helps to stimulate red blood cells and absorb iron. Without it, your nails may turn a dark blue colour with potential brown lines. 

Biotin is another variant of Vitamin B. It aids cell regeneration and promotes healthy growth. You can find Biotin in certain foods such as eggs, fish, nuts and seeds. 

Iron plays a major role in carrying oxygen around the body. This help with circulation will definitely improve the growing rate of your nails. 

Make a switch to a gentler nail polish remover 

As good as it is at removing your polish, acetone isn’t the most forgiving on your nails. Products containing high amounts of acetone can massively dry out your nails and leave them feeling brittle and fragile. 

If you don’t want to commit to acetone-free polish removers, there are many gentle alternatives to the standard remover. These will still get the job done without compromising the health of your nails. Some great ones are Nails Inc Nail Polish Remover Pot, Chanel Le Dissolvant Douceur. 

Use cuticle oil every day 

Cuticle oil will be your best friend. It has amazing nourishing properties to help your nails feel stronger and more resilient. Simply apply a drop to each nail and massage directly into the area. You can do this at night to ensure that the oil is fully absorbed before you wash your hands again. 

The process of massaging the product into the nail can actually help to promote nail growth. Small circular movements can help with circulation. Just make sure that you aren’t pressing too hard as this can damage the nail and therefore stunt the growth. 

Some of our favourites include OPI Prospa Nail and Cuticle Oil and Cowshed Nourish Cuticle Oil.

Use rubber gloves whilst doing household chores

When cleaning or washing up, your nails can begin to chip or can weaken. Many cleaning products and antibacterial wipes contain chemicals that can break down your nails, making them flimsier and drier. 

Protect your nails by wearing gloves. The weaker your nails, the more they will struggle to grow. 

Change your nail polish 

It can be easy to pick a firm favourite nail polish and never veer away from that safety blanket. Many nail polishes contain harmful toxins and chemicals that have no real benefit for your nails. 

Why not opt for a more organic brand of nail polish? Nailberry offers incredible nail polishes that last and have great pigment. They are cruelty free, vegan, halal and contain a significant amount less of harmful toxins. Read our post all about Nailberry here. 

Don’t use your nails directly 

Once you emerge from your nail appointment with long nails, it can feel customary to use them to tap on your keyboard, open things and generally use them to help you out with day to day tasks. However, this is a bad idea as your nails may break off or tear in the process. 

Blunt force and excess pressure will do nothing but harm for your nails. 

Take a break from gel polish 

We all know how lovely our nails look when we get a gel manicure, but unfortunately they can begin to take a toll on our nails. Gel is a very durable polish, so it comes as no surprise that removing it can be a difficult task. With too much use, your nails may become weak or begin to peel. 

We recommend taking a break roughly every 8 weeks to allow your nails time to strengthen and grow between applications. 

Avoid drying products 

Some products, especially those containing harsh chemicals, can be extremely drying to your hands and nails. With over-use, your nails may become brittle and this can affect their speed of growth. 

File in one direction 

Depending on the technique, you may be doing more harm than good when filing your nails. You shouldn’t be changing the angle when using an emery board or nail file, you should go in the same direction. 

Also, avoid over-filing the sides of the nails as this can actually weaken them over time. 

So here’s to healthy, strong nails! Let’s help our manicure look as great as possible.