Beauty is a journey and our nails can take us into the depths of self-care and relaxation. Natural nail care is a process of nurturing and strengthening the delicate balance of your nails. Caring for your nails involves more than just regular manicures and pedicures. Natural nail care looks to not only enhance the look of your nails but also ensure their health and strength so that they can stand the test of time. In this article, we’ll provide you with some tips for nurturing and strengthening your nails in a natural way.
1. Pampering Your Nails: The Essential Steps
Getting your nails pampered is an important part of any beauty routine. It can leave your nails looking perfect, make the perfect impression and give your hands and feet a much-needed TLC. But what are the essential steps to ensure your nails are kept in tip-top condition?
Cleanse and Shape: Start by cutting and cleaning your nails, using a suitable cuticle pusher to remove any excess cuticle, and finishing with a nail file and buffer to even out and shape. Give your nails a good buff to give them a nice shine.
Protect: Use a suitable base coat on your nails, before painting your nails with a quality polish – this will help protect your nails from any damage and give them a flawless finish.
Rejuvenate: Keep your nails looking beautiful by maintaining them with regular treatments. Choose from:
- Cuticle oil to help nourish and hydrate your cuticles.
- Nail strengthening polish or cream to help keep your nails strong and healthy.
- Hand and foot creams to help the skin around your nails stay soft and hydrated.
- Polish removers to help you maintain your manicure and pedicure.
Finish: Once you have finished the manicure or pedicure, give your nails a final layer of a topcoat for a high-shine, protected finish. You can also use a nail hardener or topcoat for extra protection.
2. Healthy Habits to Strengthen Your Nails
Having strong nails that don’t break easily can give you great confidence and help you feel your best. Here are some easy tricks to get healthier nails in no time!
1. Take Care of Your Cuticles
The best way to keep your nails healthy is to regularly take care of your cuticles. Cuticles help to protect the new nail growth from any dirt, bacteria and fungi. To keep your cuticles healthy, gently push them back with a cuticle pusher or an orange stick and trim them neatly. Also, they can be hydrated with sweet almond oil to make them look and feel smooth.
2. Don’t Overdo the Manicures
Manicures are great for maintaining healthy nails but too often or too much buffing or polishing can damage your nails. If you want to have your nails polished, apply it in thin layers and avoid soaking them in acetone for too long. The right amount of filing, buffing and polishing helps to make nails stronger.
3. Eat Healthy Food
Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is essential for keeping your nails healthy and strong. Nails need vitamins A and C, zinc, protein, calcium and iron to stay strong and healthy. Some good food choices include:
- Oily fish like salmon, tuna and herring.
- Eggs and dairy products.
- Beans, nuts and seeds.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables.
4. Stay Hydrated
Another tip to keep your nails strong is to stay hydrated. As water helps nourish the nail beds and keeps them healthy. Aim to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day to replenish the body’s fluids.
5. Wear Protective Gloves
When doing any house chores or using products that may contain harsh chemicals, it is best to wear gloves to protect your nails. This will also help keep your nails safe from breaking or chipping.
3. Nourishing Nail Care: Treat Yourself to Good Habits
The state of your nails could tell us a lot about your general health and well-being. It’s often said that nails may reflect an individual’s dietary and lifestyle practices. The good news? With a little effort, you can do what it takes to keep them healthy and looking glamorous. Here are a few simple tips for nourishing nail care:
- Stay hydrated: Your nails generally get parched and brittle if you don’t have enough water intake and other fluids. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and include fruit juices and herbal teas in your diet.
- Be gentle when cleaning them: Soap and water are enough to clean your nails. Use a brush or a cotton ball for vigorous scrubbing. Avoid using harsh or abrasive cleaners on them, as this can make them dry out quickly.
- Make use of hand creams: Especially during dry and cold seasons, use hand creams as often as possible. This helps keep them soft and hydrated and also ward off fungal infections.
- Get regular manicures: Regular manicures help keep your nails looking their best. They also help prevent infections and prevent your nails from becoming dry, brittle, and cracked.
For healthier and more attractive nails, make sure to add nourishing nail care to your beauty routine. Along with these tips, visit your podiatrist or dermatologist for professional tips on proper nail care.
With familiar habits and tools, it’s relatively easy to keep those nails looking beautiful and healthy. Treat yourself to good habits, and your nails will thank you!
4. Herbal Remedies for Ill-Kept Nails
Taking care of your nails can feel like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be. Nail health is linked to general wellbeing, so it’s worth giving them some special attention. Luckily, there are some helpful herbal remedies that can help get your nails looking and feeling their best:
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is not only a great source of moisture, it also helps to nourish and protect nails. Simply massage small amounts of coconut oil into your nails every night, and you’ll start to see improvements in no time.
- Tea Tree Oil: This natural oil can effectively prevent and treat nail infections. Swab a cotton ball lightly with some tea tree oil, then apply to the infected nail. Reapply this remedy every night before you go to bed.
- Garlic: An unlikely remedy, but garlic is a surprisingly effective remedy for nail fungus. Mince two cloves of garlic, and then make a paste by combining them with a tablespoon of olive oil. Massage the paste into the affected nail, and then leave it on overnight.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is known for its many health benefits, and this includes its ability to promote nail health. Soak your nails in a bowl of diluted apple cider vinegar for 20 minutes, and then gently scrub the affected area before rinsing it off.
These herbal remedies can help stop or slow down the deterioration of your nails. In addition to this, it’s important to keep your nails clean and dry so that fungi and bacteria don’t have an environment in which to grow. Cutting back on the use of nail polish and harsh cleaning chemicals will also help, as these can damage your nails in the long-term.
If you’ve been following the tips in this article, you should be well on your way to having strong and healthy natural nails. With a few easy changes and simple maintenance, you can leap into thumb-tapping self-enter without even a second thought. Your nails can look beautiful and feel good too without all the fuss of expensive nail salons—all thanks to you!
