You might not think it, but you really can tell a lot about a person from their fingernails. Bitten or distended nails are often seen as a sign of nervousness or low confidence, whereas someone who always has 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 it’s not just about what others think. We all get an extra boost of confidence from going out with a perfect set of nails. So here are a few tips to keep your nails looking great.
Firstly and most importantly, never allow your nails to dry out. Always use hand cream after you wash your hands and again regularly throughout the day as required. This will help your nails and cuticles to retain their moisture and prevent them from becoming brittle and 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 nails to peel or break, and white spots can often be caused by not getting enough iron. All these things can easily be remedied by making sure you eat a balanced diet. Any manual work, 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 great but can really damage the nails if used too much. Only paint your nails when you want to go out and look your best, there’s no point going to all that effort otherwise when they will just get chipped anyway. When you do use nail polish, always use a base coat to prevent the colour from staining your nails. 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 your hands and use moisturiser straight afterwards to prevent your nails from drying out.
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