I’ve been told by everyone that sees my hands and nails that they are gorgeous. A gift from birth, I’m told. My nails are strong. They grow to any length I want. The majority or nail colors and designs look great on them. What’s my secret? This is the question most women ask me. They’re usually surprised by the tips I share. Really, I don’t do anything special- rather I scrub pots with my nails when I do the dishes-yes. I do dishes.
I think my life long healthy diet, and the healthy diet of my mother when I was in her womb (I was born with ten long, perfect finger nails), is the starting point for my strong, healthy nails. You see, what you put IN your body, shows ON your body. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, I have a mostly vegetarian diet, balanced with plant based protein and beans. I drink a ton of water. don’t eat processed foods and I stay away from soda, juice, candy and most desserts-most of the time.
The rest is just genetics, and a few simple tips:
Use a really good base coat-even if you’re not going to put on any color. The base coat is like the primer- it helps to strengthen and protect the nail. This is a critical step if you find that your nails peel, are brittle, crack, or are dry. I use Rejuvacote. It’s about $8-$10. I get it from my nail salon.
Regular manicures-wether you do them yourself or get them done professionally, it’s important to keep your cuticles at bay and the hands and nails properly moisturized. The more moisture they have, the more likely they will look youthful and beautiful.
Keep your nail length consistent. If one of my nails breaks, I cut them all to the same length. It just looks better and more pulled together.
Keep your polish fresh- I used to apply top coat to my color about every 3 days to make the color last. Now my nails are so healthy, my $7 manicure lasts for 9 days without needing to reapply color or top coat.
I don’t peel my nail polish off. If it’s time to remove my polish, I use nail polish remover. There are little minerals in the nail polish remover that help to strengthen the nail, definitely an added benefit. Plus, peeling the polish off could strip some of the nail off. IF your nails are already brittle and weak, you want to stay away from this bad habit.
Natural Nails, No Polish Circa 2012
Half Moon Manicure on Natural Nails. Circa 2013
Essie’s “Need a Vacation” on Natural Nails. Circa 2014
Rejuvacote, the Base Coat I Swear By.
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