Help me sort out my nails

YORKSHIRELASS

My nails are a mess and I cant seem to get them to grow and look nice. I am sick of being embarrassed about my hands at work and its my New Year resolution to sort it out. I cant afford to go to a salon for manicures so I need to do this at home but I dont mind spending money on products that work.

If you have lovely nails whats your secret? Whats your routine for looking after them? What products do you recommend?

heartbreak_star

Make sure you eat healthily - plenty of calcium, fats and protein. Use a good hand cream and give your nails an olive oil rub once a week. Get a good quality nail file and use a light touch with it

HBS x

swingaloo

Don't mind me asking but, do you bite them or are they jus weak?

YORKSHIRELASS

No I dont bite them thankfully, they just seem to grow slowly and break easily. I currently dont do much to look after them though, although I do use handcream and wear gloves when I am doing housework.

Thanks for the tip about diet hs, I hadnt thought about that.

heartbreak_star

I remember reading somewhere that nails suffer on low-fat low-protein diets

HBS x

sjlou

OPI Nail Envy is great. It helps to strengthen your nails. Painting your nails actually protects them (from water, knocks etc...).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/OPI-Original-Nail-Envy-Strengthener/dp/B00178TVXG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388746669&sr=8-1&keywords=nail+envy+opi

Twisted_Cherry

Solar Oil (Look on eBay) it's fairly inexpensive to buy and a little bottle lasts a while. Get into the habit of using it on your nails and cuticles twice daily and you will soon see an improvement.

My nails were ok, but my cuticles always dry and rough, solar oil has changed them for the better and I've only been using it about six weeks! I also find my nails don't split like they use to!

Actually found the recommendation for this product on this website somewhere!

Google it as well, you'll read some interesting articles!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CND-Creative-Solar-Oils-Choose-your-bottle-size-/400397683105?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Nails_Manicure_Pedicure_CA&var=&hash=item5d398fc9a1

McKneff

If you are going to spend money on products that cost you more than a tenner a month, you might as well just go to a salon and have them filed, buffed and polished. mine cost me £10 each month and they last that long no problem.

Cottage_Economy

I use Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Hard as Wraps Acrylic gel. It's the one in the blue bottle.

Mine tend to be quite soft and flaky and it makes them very strong.

maddiemay

Nail Envy is supposed to nourish and protect the nails while they are growing through, Solar Oil will also nourish, a lot of hand models (I have read) just use numerous applications of almond oil daily (very cheap and cheerful from chemist or health food shop. I use the Sally Hansen as mentioned when gardening, heavy cleaning etc, but it is best used over Nail Envy or the like for maximum benefit.

A 15ml bottle of Nail Envy will last for weeks and weeks and the almond oil for months, so not huge outlay.

Many people, myself included, swear by a crystal nail file, Leighton Denny and OPI are great and so long as you don't drop them on a hard floor will last for donkeys years, just rinse under tap and they are as good as new. Just turns the end of the end of the nail to dust and stops it being snaggy or weakening the tip. Can be picked up from e-bay or perhaps Amazon quite reasonably if you "stalk for a while" but don't buy a cheap unbranded one on-line, the one I first bought was a waste of money.

YORKSHIRELASS

Great recommendations thank you. I have never heard of Nail Envy and it certainly gets good reviews on Amazon so I am going to treat myself to a bottle of that. Interested in the Solar Oil too.

My mum says I should paint my nails because it makes you more aware of them and more likely to look after them which sort of makes sense. I picked up some Sally Hansen Hard as Nails polish in Poundland today so thats a good start!