Nail & Cuticle Care 101: Get Strong, Healthy Nails In No Time

Although your nails aren’t actually living skin, taking good care of them should be a regular part of your skincare regime, especially if you suffer from weak and brittle nails. In today’s post, we’re sharing some of our top tips on nail and cuticle care to give you strong, healthy nails in no time.

Keep them in good shape

As our nails continually grow, it’s essential that we trim them back or file them down to keep them looking tidy and, more importantly, to reduce the risk of snagging. Before getting stuck in, you’ll need to make sure you’re using the right tools and techniques to avoid causing further stress on your nails.

When it comes to trimming nails, soak them in water for a few minutes to soften, before trimming away with nail scissors or clippers - being careful not to trim them too close to the skin. Once fully dry, remove rough edges with a fine-grit nail file, always filing in a single direction to gently smooth and shape the nail.

Moisturise daily

Even if you aren’t prone to weak nail beds, keeping them well conditioned is essential for maintaining their health and longevity. If you don’t moisturise, you may find your dry nails become brittle and hangnails start to appear under your cuticles.

Showing your hands a little TLC can go a long way when it comes to conditioning your skin, nails and cuticles. Aim to use a rich moisturiser like our Enriching Hand Cream regularly throughout the day and immediately after hand-washing.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet 

If your nails are looking a little lacklustre lately, it could be a sign that you need to make some changes to your diet. Eating a well-balanced diet that provides your body with all the essential oils, nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs is a great place to start on the road to improving nail condition - and your health in general.

Some symptoms, such as pale nail colouring, brittle nails or white flecks within the nail, can be indications of a deficiency in minerals such as iron, calcium or zinc - so be sure to include a healthy amount of core nutrients to boost your immune system. Nail-friendly foods like nuts, beans and legumes are packed with protein and will stimulate nail growth, while green vegetables like broccoli, asparagus and spinach boast high levels of minerals and vitamins to strengthen nails and help you to absorb proteins.

Care for cuticles

The cuticle forms as a thin layer of skin at the base of the nail that works to form a protective seal between the nail and the skin above. With dry nails, cuticles can become ragged and dry - causing the skin to tear and leaving the surrounding area sore and open to bacteria.

To reduce the chances of this happening, simply treat cuticles with our nourishing Nail & Cuticle Oil twice a day to soften and lock-in moisture. While manicurists often push cuticles back to make the nail look longer, we’d advise leaving that task to the professionals to avoid damaging the delicate skin at the base of the nail.

Taking care of your nails doesn’t have to be a nightmare, and we hope our nail and cuticle care handbook helps you to achieve strong, healthy nails that you can show off with pride.