Super easy to make and even better when used weekly, this all-natural nail soak works wonders to transform dry, brittle nails into stronger, healthy, natural nails. The full recipe & instructions are below.

When baking a cake or some cookies, have you ever noticed how the jelly-like bit of an egg can feel so silky on your hands?

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always been fascinated with the texture of raw eggs.

And I guess we’ve all heard that eggs are great as a hair rinse, but perhaps not heard that they make a great key ingredient for a nail soak?

They’re full of protein-strengthening goodness, which means amazing things for nails.

In this post, I’ll share a wonderful recipe for an at-home nail soak.

It’s perfect for use in the winter months when nails get notoriously flaky and break easily.

It’s moisturizing and strengthening for nails and, if used regularly, will help keep nails beautiful and strong.

Go ahead, take time back from your busy schedule, and indulge your hands with this dreamy DIY nail soak.

Dipping nails into all natural nail soak.

Table of Contents

DIY manicure soak

I don’t care that much for manicures per se, as my hands get far too much use for that type of thing.

Give me natural, strong nails any day. That’s my goal!

This is precisely what a good nail soak is all about. It’s far better than slathering on hand cream for nails and rivals a good cuticle oil in terms of its nourishing benefits.

A nail soak is where you submerge your nails for a longer amount of time, allowing the raw ingredients to deeply condition and care for your nails simultaneously. It’s like a hand soak but for the nails.

It’s a good idea to have some music on, maybe a podcast or an open book to look at, as you’ll have your hands soaking for about 5 minutes at a time.

Once you’ve finished with your nail soak, you simply rinse your hands with cool water, then dab your nails and hands dry with a towel or cloth. Then get on with whatever you need to do.

The visible improvement in the nails comes a few hours later once the ingredients have got to work. Your nails will look brighter and healthier after one soak!

You might not notice an instant physical improvement, but it will come. Be patient!

Why you’ll love this recipe

You may find the ingredients in this nail soak a touch odd, but give it a go. And trust that it’ll work wonders for your nails because it will!

Nails contain a high amount of keratin, as does the hair – which is made from proteins – and eggs contain a ton of protein based on their size.

Therefore, soaking your nails in eggs will help strengthen them (adding much-needed protein) and increase the speed at which they grow, too (yippee!)

The lemon, on the other hand, helps clean nails, removing any yellowing and discoloration and generally giving a nice shiny gloss to finish off.

You’ll notice that this recipe has only 3 ingredients. Eggs, lemon juice, and water. That’s it!

So it’s ultra-easy on your pocket, costing very little to make, and also super easy to make.

You really can’t go wrong, but do read the tips section where I explain about getting the right consistency and level of nail soak so you can submerge your fingers properly.

Lastly, all the ingredients are natural and won’t harm you, with no toxins, and no nasties. It’s nature’s goodness for your hands.

nail soak recipe

Here are the ingredients and instructions for this DIY nail soak.

Ingredients:

1 large egg
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup of lukewarm water (approx)

Instructions:

Beat egg until smooth in a bowl
Add the juice from the lemon
Top up with water to allow your fingers to fully submerge
Soak nails for approximately 5 minutes (if you want to soak for longer, you can – just be mindful not to exceed 7-8 mins)
Clean and allow to dry completely before painting nails (or whatever you normally do to your nails).

For additional benefits, follow up with this natural nail serum.

tips

Something to be aware of is that lemon juice can dry out the cuticles and the skin on your hands if it’s used too often.

If you stick to the 5-minute time guidance, you ought to be ok.

Saying that, nails can be super duper dry (every nail is different), and if this is the case, simply use less lemon juice in the mixture.

If you want to paint your nails afterward, allow nails to dry before applying polish.

This is so the nails can soak up the protein goodness from the eggs.

Now, my advice on this is not to paint your nails after a nail soak. Why?

Because it’s kind of defeating the object of doing a nail soak in the first place.

Nail polish is a nail-drying demon – and the idea with this nail soak is to add moisture and strength to your nails.

So if you can resist painting your nails for one or two days, you’ll be doing your nails a world of good!

Perhaps you’re also wondering how often to use this nail soak.

The answer is, in theory, that it’s fine to use it as often as you like, but I recommend not using it more than 2-3 times per week.

The reason is nails need breathing time, and over-soaking can do more harm than good.

Lemon juice can also irritate the skin, so it’s really not worth overdoing it – use this nail soak as it’s intended, which is 2-3 times a week at most.

Your nails will thank you!

faqs

Can I store this nail soak?

No. Raw eggs don’t store well, and neither does lemon juice, so use it when you make it, and then make a fresh round the next time.

This is an easy and fast nail soak to make, so you don’t really need to store it, in my opinion.

Can I moisturize my hands afterward?

Yes! You sure can. I would say wait a little while, maybe 30 mins or so after the nail soak, to allow maximum benefits from the ingredients to absorb into the nail bed.

The oils in the eggs need to penetrate the nails to add that much-needed protein and strength.

Why not visit my homemade moisturizing hand cream post, which would work great after this nail soak?

Will this help my nails grow faster?

In theory, yes, but results like nail growth will take time to show.

The lemon juice will also help whiten your nails after the first soak, but better results will come if you use it consistently.

Overall this nail soak is a great nail strengthener and nail health booster. It’s worthwhile using it 2 times per week for a few weeks to see better results.

I hope you enjoy this nail soak recipe. If you enjoyed reading this post, go ahead and check out one of these next.