10 tips on how to achieve healthy nails

Brittle, flaky nails look awful and can make your confidence drop. With a little care and attention you can restore nails to their former glory and you'll no longer have to resort to using false nails. Here's 10 top tips on how to achieve healthy nails.

Trim your nails regularly
If you want to grow your nails long you have to give them a trim now and again. Whilst you may not want to cut off your nails if you've grown them slightly, it's beneficial to get rid of any chipped nails and to keep them all the same length. Trim your nails straight across so your nails don't grow back bent.

Moisturise your hands
Using a hand cream is fantastic for massaging both your skin and your cuticles. Hand cream is often full of healing properties which will help to keep your skin soft and make nails stronger over time.

Keep them hydrated
Like everything, cuticles love a bit of hydration. Use a small amount of olive oil on the cuticles and surrounding areas to moisturise your nails. This will keep your nail area and the skin around it soft and healthy.

Natural treatments
Instead of just rubbing olive oil onto your cuticles you can use it for a intensive treatment. Simply dip your nails in olive oil for 2-3 minutes and relax. Over time this will strengthen your nails and will make them look a lot healthier. Don't be tempted to keep them in any longer though as that can do more harm than good!

Keep your nails clean
This one is probably harder than it sounds as it's easy to get bits of dirt and bacteria under your nails. By keeping your nails as clean as you can you're preventing your nails getting infected which will stop them becoming brittle or breaking easily. If you're cleaning make sure you're wearing gloves to avoid chemicals damaging your nails.

Avoid certain nail varnish removers
Did you know a lot of nail varnish removers contain acetone which can dry out your nail, leaving them weak with no hydration? Opt for healthier nail removers that contain acetate as this is kinder to your nails.

Supplements may help
Biotin is often used for horses to strengthen their hooves. In the same way it can really help to strengthen your nails. Don't worry it's perfectly safe, horses hooves contain keratin which are found in human nails. Opt to take it 4-5 times a day for really strong nails.

Give them a massage
Massaging any part of the body brings blood to the area which can result in more circulation in the area. The extra blood supply will over time help the nail to grow as it's getting more nutrients then it would normally.

Don't share your nail file!
If you share a nail file with anyone you're sharing germs and bacteria that are caught in the file. Nail files are so cheap there's no need to share. Buy your own and aim to get a new one every two months.

Never cut or push back your cuticles!
If you cut or push back your cuticles you're opening yourself up for possible infection. This infection can possibly lead to your nails getting weak or brittle so it's a big no no.

I hope you found this article useful and it helps to restore the healthiness of your nails!