Hey Nail Friends!
Let't talk about our favorite topic...healthy nails!
If you're reading this I know you're just as nail obsessed as I am. How your nails look play a significant role in your overall appearance and often how you feel. However, many people tend to overlook nail care in lieu of aesthetics and underestimate the importance of maintaining healthy nails. Just like our skin, hair, and body, our nails require proper attention and care to stay strong and beautiful. In this blog post, we'll explore some essential tips and practices to help you achieve and maintain healthy nails.
If you're familiar with Dipology and you've been following us for awhile on IG, it's no secret that we talk about nail health all the time! It's my passion and the driving force behind this business. As a pharmacist, educating and helping people are two of my favorite things so marrying that with my love for nails is truly a dream!
I truly live by these 5 "rules" and my nails have been thriving ever since!
First things first! DON'T BUFF YOUR NAIL PLATE!!! Yes technically you can do this very gently and infrequently, but trust me...just don't do it. The only time I recommend any buffing on the natural nail is if you're trying to smoothing out an area thats lifting so it doesn't snag. The practice of buffing nails before a manicure has been a long-standing tradition in many nail care routines. However, in recent years, there has been a shift in the understanding of nail care and the necessity of buffing. Skipping out on the nail buffing helps you to preserve nail thickness, retain natural oils, prevent damage and more!
Here’s an excerpt from Scher and Daniel’s Nails: Diagnosis, Surgery, Therapy Fourth Edition…
Next “rule” TRIM YOUR NAILS REGULARLY. Think of this rule the same way that you think about keeping your hair trimmed. Frequently trimming damage before it cause a break helps you to retain nail length in the long run. Small rips can be repaired and patched with tea bags or silk strips until the nail grows out without causing damage, but this area will always be a little more prone to breakage so you should be careful with your nails until this area grows out and can be trimmed.
Whether you prefer square nail shapes, rounded nail shapes or sharp/pointy nail shapes FILING YOUR NAILS IN ONE DIRECTION is very important for many reasons. Filing your nails back and forth in a sawing motion can create tiny cracks and splits along the nail's edge. These small splits can weaken the nails and make them more susceptible to breakage. Also filing back and forth can cause the layers of the nail to separate, leading to peeling and flaking. This can result in weak and thin nails. It's recommended to file in one direction, preferably from the outer edge toward the center.
For square nail shapes you can file left to right on your left hand and right to left on your right hand or you can just choose to file all nails to the left or all nails to the right.
For rounded/pointy nail shapes you should file from the outside to the center on each side of the nail to create your desired shape. Lastly for these shapes it's best to cut that nails into that general shape first so that you don't have to do as much filing to the nail.
HAVING AND MAINTAINING A HEALTHY NAIL CARE ROUTINE IS VERY IMPORTANT! Just like most things consistency is key! Take care of your nails and they will remain strong and beautiful. Nails and hair have a lot in common so once again think about your nail care like deep conditioning/treatments for your hair. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) and hot oil nail soaks are currently our favorite nail treatments!
ACV is rich in essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can nourish your nails and promote strength and resilience. It also has anti-fungal properties that can help combat fungal nail infections. Soaking your nails in a mixture of ACV and water creates an acidic environment that inhibits the growth of fungi. It can help reduce things like discoloration, thickening, and brittleness associated with fungal infections. ACV nail soaks can also be beneficial for your cuticles. Soaking your fingertips in a mixture of warm water and ACV can help soften and loosen the cuticles, making them easier to push back or remove gently. This promotes healthy nail growth and prevents the accumulation of debris or bacteria around the nail bed. We have created, Nail Rehab our special ACV nail soak formulation with added ingredients that enhance and enrich the entire ACV nail soak experience. You can learn more about Nail Rehab here.
Hot oil nail soaks are a game changer and you need to add this to your nail care routine immediately! Hot oil soaks replenish moisture and restore the nails natural flexibility. Flexible nails = healthy nails because they bend instead of break. The heat from the oil also helps open up the nail's pores, allowing the oil to penetrate deeply and deliver nourishing properties. This can help prevent and repair damage, increase blood circulation, growth and more! Hot oil soaks also strengthen weak and fragile nails. The oils used in the soak, such as olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil or vitamin E oil, contain essential nutrients like vitamins and fatty acids that promote nail strength. Regular hot oil treatments can improve the overall resilience of your nails, reducing the likelihood of breakage and splitting.
We recommend using Nail Rehab or ACV soak with each manicure and hot oil soaks once a month.
Last, but certainly not least OIL YOUR NAILS AND CUTICLES FREQUENTLY! I use to think that the cuticle oil that was applied right at the end of my nail appointment was all I needed until my next nail appointment. I know I'm not the only one who use to have this mindset...now I slather the stuff on like crazy! As many years as I've been getting my nails done I honestly can't believe that I went so long without knowing how important cuticle oil was so I'm happy to share all of the important benefits with you guys. Oiling your nails and cuticles helps to nourish and seal in moisture. Nails that lack moisture can become dry, brittle, and more prone to breakage. The nourishing properties of oils can help strengthen your nails, making them less prone to splitting, peeling, and breakage. Also using cuticle oil regularly helps replenish essential nutrients resulting in healthier and more resilient nails. Cuticle oil can also stimulate nail growth by improving blood circulation in the nail bed and promoting the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the nails, aiding in their growth and overall health. A little pro-tip I also love is to make sure you don't forget to oil the undersides of your nails it make a huge difference! Oiling your nails (after application) also helps maintain your nail enhancements better because they don't separate or lift from the nail due to being too dry.
If you made it this far thank you for reading everything that was a lot of information! I hope you found it helpful and start incorporating some or all of these things into your nail care routine. If you try any of these I would love for you to let me know how they're working for you! Let me know in the comments!
XOXO,
Erin <3
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