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Evelyn Lim is a nail expert with more than 18 years of experience. She currently serves as the chief educator of Paintbox, a top nail studio in NYC.
From first impressions to overall health, nails can be one of the trickiest areas to upkeep, particularly if you're one to indulge regularly in gel manicures or acrylics. It's not only our beauty habits that wear down nails. Hand-heavy activitieslike certain sports, gardening, or even using harsh chemicals while cleaning can affect nail healthand have a huge impact on both appearance and comfort. So what’s the best way to fix nails once the damage is done? We chatted with nail experts, who gave us some great insight.
Closeup Of Brittle Nails Damage To The Nail After Using Shellac Or Gel Polish Peeling On The Nails Stock Photo
Remark notes that one of the easiest ways to repair damaged nails is to apply a cuticle oil followed by a hand cream. "Cuticle oils deliver vitamins and nourishment and the cream will lock moisture. Moisture loss is a common symptom of gel nail damage, " Remark says. Lippman adds, "Your cuticle is the end of your skin and is meant to be a barrier to keep bacteria and free radicals from entering the body, therefore preventing infections. Keeping your cuticle moisturized helps to keep it healthy and healthy cuticles are key to healthy nail growth.Using a cuticle oil such asDeborah Lippmann Cuticle Oilsoftens and hydrates your cuticles. Every drop softens cuticles with jojoba and coconut oils while protecting with vitamin E. Spend a full minute massaging the oil into the cuticle. Less is more when applying cuticle oil. Don't wash hands for 20 minutes after applying cuticle oil to allow for absorption."
This is one of the least expensive methods for potential DIY nail repair. Simply soak your nails in olive oil for about 10 to 15 minutes daily. If you suffer from dry skin, soaking your feet (or hands during dry winter months) can be a luxurious treatment for both nails and skin.
Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin that helps to process glucose (sugars), fats, and proteins and convert them into energy for the body, which is important for many different functions.
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One of the most popular nutrients for hair, skin, and nails is biotin. Aim to consume 30 microgramsdaily, and consider incorporating a multivitamin into your daily wellness regimen. Remark says, "This absolutely works, but don't expect instant results. Nails take three months to grow out from root to tip, so be persistent and you'll see fundamentally stronger nails in three months."
You might have thought that keratin treatments are only for your hair‚ but you can use it for your nails, too, especially after removing acrylics or gels.
"Keratin is a natural protein that forms the building blocks for our skin, hair, and nails. A keratin treatment can help strengthen the nail and help prevent the nail from peeling, splitting, or breaking. Using a nail strengthener such asHard Rockfrom my line, which is a protein-enriched base and topcoat designed to strengthen nails will encourage healthy, strong nail growth. Hard Rock is especially beneficial for weak nails or for use after gel or artificial nail removal, " explains Lippmann.
Structured Gel Manicures Are The Underrated Trick Every Nail Biter Needs To Know
Collagen refers to a family of proteins that are the primary structural component of connective tissues, such as skin, ligaments, and cartilage. Topical collagen creams are said to improve fine lines and wrinkles by replacing the lost collagen, though its main benefit is moisturizing the skin.
In addition to a Keratin option, Remark highly recommends a steady regime of Essie's Treat Love and Color line, which includes ingredients such as collagen and camellia extract. "It’s strong enough to heal your nails, not just shield them. It also comes in plenty of colors to cover any physical evidence of nail damage on the surface of your nail."
Who doesn't love a hand massage? Now you can add repairing damaged nails to the list of reasons why. "Do this every time you apply cuticle oil for added benefit. I'd also recommend filing your nails every three days to stimulate blood flow (which can increase the delivery of vital nutrients and improve circulation), " Remark says. "Think of it as the same technique you use to grow your hair: getting a trim every couple of months to manage dead ends and stimulate growth."
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One of the best ways to repair damaged nails is to minimize your exposure to chemical-heavy products. "If you have really strong nails, you can use an acetone remover with treatment properties.I don’t recommend ever using just acetone without something to soften it. I really love using the remover in my collection, The Stripper.It’s a hydrating remover that won’t strip nails of their essential moisture and doesn’t leave a chalky residue on the nail. Plus, it's infused with lavender, essential oils and aloe vera extract to prevent drying the nail, " says Lippmann.
Our hands come into contact with a variety of harsh substances each day. Opt for gentle soaps and cleansers, and wear gloves when you're performing tasks that might be rough on your skin and nails. Lippmann adds, "Keeping hands and nails, including the cuticles, cared for is essential to maintaining the health of your hands and extending the life of your manicure. Avoid using the tips of your nails as tools and always wear gloves when doing the dishes or other housework in order to protect the luster and wear of your manicure."
Getting into the habit of moisturizing your hands can be a fantastic way to habitually repair damaged nails. Keep a bottle of lotion beside every sink in your house to experience the difference. Lippmann recommends using her hand cream after applying cuticle oil. The Cure - Cuticle Repair Cream($24) promises to deeply condition and soothe dry, cracked cuticles. The award-winning formulais infused with raspberry stem cell extract, red algae, shea butter, sodium hyaluronate, and vitamins A, C, and E meant to help repair the look of damaged cuticles. Other favorites include Glossier's iconic Hand Cream ($18) and Aesop's Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm ($31).
Gel Polish Vs Acrylic Nails
Takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.This week saw one of the biggest blows to the indie nail polish community, sparking concerns over the safety of indie polish and the chemicals they contain. Mentality Polish has allegedly been the cause of several adverse reactions to their latest neon nail polishes. Effects include: burning, discoloration, dehydrated, peely nails that are lifting. Wearers of the polish have specifically cited Mentality Polish as the brand responsible for their condition.
It’s safe to say that no one, let alone nail bloggers or nail varnish afficionados would delight in seeing their nails deteriorate to that extent. It’s easy to understand how pictures of these shocking nails have gone viral, and the story has even been picked up by Huffington Post (CA), Cosmopolitan and Seventeen Magazine. Not good news for indie polish which has worked so hard to make a name for itself.
In the presence of photographic evidence of injuries, multiple complaints and mainstream media coverage, it’s no surprise that lawyers are now involved. Mentality Polish has claimed that the suspension base may be to blame. The suspension base company in question vehemently deny any association between their products and these injuries. In legal documents they have issued Mentality Polish with a ‘Cease-and-Desist’ requiring them to “stop making these accusations immediately.”
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The drama escalated further when customers were unhappy with the ‘apology’ that Mentality Polish issued via their Facebook page. As well as posting a flash sale (yes, they really did this) on the rest of the suspected problematic nail polishes! As of now, there is a full recall on the suspected polishes.
The success of indie polish brands has been a breakthrough that the nail community has celebrated in more recent years. Flooding us with chunky glitter, spectraflare, making glimmering combinations that major nail polish brands seemed to shy away from.
The Mentality Polish Saga will go down in indie polish history. Let’s just hope that mainstream media does not cast all indie polish in the unsafe category.Gel manicures give us everything we want from a nail salon visit: a high-shine finish that’s long-lasting, chip-free and low-maintenance. It’s a no brainer to opt for a gel manicure over a traditional nail polish – if you can spare the cash upfront, that is, and it can work out as value for money in the long term.
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But while they look good, are they doing good? Do gel manicures damage your nails and what can you do to limit that damage if you can’t ditch the habit?
HuffPost sat down with nail experts to find out what they had to say about where to go for gel manicures, how they should be applied and removed – and whether it’s ever advisable to do it yourself at home.
A gel nail manicure uses UV liquid gel polish
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