It’s not until you meet someone with beautifully manicured talons that your own short, scrubby nails begin to look kind of bad. I have to admit, most of the time I forget about my hands, but every now and again, someone with amazing claws comes along and I find myself unconsciously hiding my own from sight. Now ladies I believe confidence is key, so if something’s bringing me down, it needs to be fixed. I’ve compiled a list of seven effective tips you’ll love if you, like me, have nightmare nails …
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Zinc Kick
Add zinc rich foods to your daily diet. Eating eggs and drinking milk is a great way to strengthen up those claws, and tucking into high fibre cereals, soy beans and nuts is sure to help as well. These zinc-ed up snacks will have your talons in shape in no time, especially if you’re afflicted with those little white marks – a tell tale sign of zinc deficiency.
Acetate is Ace
A lot of polish removers are acetone based and dry out nails, making them brittle and easily breakable. Instead of settling for this kind of harmful product, hunt around for one that uses acetate. This chemical, manicurists agree, is much less damaging and equally as effective.
Frequently asked questions
Hydration Happy
Drinking the right amount of water is good for your body generally and will also help to keep your talons in great shape. While dry nails tend to break and split, hydrated ones stay stronger and grow longer.
File in Style
Manicurists tell us that most girls file their nails incorrectly. Apparently, shaping your claws using a back and forth motion encourages brittleness and predisposes nails to tearing. Instead we’re advised to go only in one direction … who knew?!
Super Supplements
Studies have found that swallowing a B vitamin called Biotin strengthens and hardens nails considerably. Experts suggest it’s taken four times a day (which seems like a lot!) but ladies there is a whole host of supplements out there dedicated specifically to nail-care. Have a chat to your manicurist and see what she recommends, or alternatively, hunt through the pharmacy yourself.
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Beautiful Cuticles
Don’t forget to moisturize your nail beds. Dry skin around your nails becomes flaky and unattractive, and worse can lead to infection underneath the nail itself. There are products out there designed specifically to keep cuticles hydrated but girls, you know what? Any petroleum jelly will do: it’s a whole lot cheaper and just as effective.
Perfect Polish
Choose a nail polish with active strengthening ingredients. There are a lot of these around and they really do the trick. Just remember that like all nail varnishes they should not be left on to chip and disintegrate. Not only does this look terrible, but it weakens the nails too.
What do you think ladies? Got any great nail care tips to share? How do you keep your claws in shape? Fill us in on your manicure secrets; we’d love to hear them!
Top Photo Credit: Fing'rs
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