You might not think it, but you can tell a lot about a person from their nails. Bitten or distended nails are often seen as a sign as a sign that someone is prone to nervousness or low confidence, whereas someone with perfectly manicured nails can seem a bit vain. It’s not just on a superficial level either, the condition of a person’s nails can give clues about their overall health and nail problems can be the first sign of more serious health problems. But of course it’s not just about what others think. Everyone gets an extra boost of confidence from stepping out with a perfect set of nails. So here are a few tips to keep your nails looking great.
Firstly and most importantly, never let your nails dry out. Always use hand cream after you wash your hands and regularly throughout the day as required. This will help your nails and cuticles retain their moisture and prevent them from breaking or peeling. Moisturisers like those by Elemis are a good choice as they last all day and work well with your skin. Don’t cut your cuticles, instead gently push them back when they are soft, like after a bath. If your cuticles are still dry despite keeping your hands moisturised, try using Eve Lom cuticle cream.
If your nails are dry or brittle or you get hangnails, it could be because of a dietary problem. Calcium deficiency can cause breaking or peeling, and white spots can often be caused by a lack of iron. These things can all be easily fixed by eating a balanced diet. Any manual work, including housework and washing up, can seriously damage your nails so wear gloves especially where washing up liquid is involved, and always moisturise when you’re finished.
Nail varnish looks good but can really damage the nails if you use it all the time. Only paint your nails when you want to go out and look your best, there’s really no point going to all that effort if you’re only going to work where they will only chip anyway. When you do paint your nails, always use a base coat to stop the colour from staining. OPI is a good place to start for a great range of colours that are long lasting, and they do base coats and nail treatments too. When you remove your nail polish use as little remover as possible and, yes you guessed it, wash and moisturise your hands straight afterwards to make sure your nails don’t dry out.