Gone are the days of needing nasty chemicals on your nails to create that beautiful look! Your natural nails – with tender loving care and time to breathe will look amazing in no time.
Follow these simple tips to grow your own healthy, strong natural nails. It’s worth it!
The natural nails look is in!
There are not many of us who don’t crave the natural nail look! Gone are the days when fashion tips shaped like a coffin were on trend.
The natural nail look is in at last. And with that comes the importance of natural nails care.
From the foods you eat to the vitamins you take – there is a real science to healthy, natural-looking nails.
If you believe people are born with healthy, natural-looking nails, think again! It’s something we can all achieve if we follow some simple steps, which I’ll share in this post.
Read on to discover how to get beautiful nails without nail polish or using other chemicals which actually damage your nails rather than nurture them.
These tips I’ll share below really work – and they’re something everyone can do, so there’s no excuse!
Take care of those cuticles!
The fact is, our cuticles are all too often overlooked when caring for our nails. However, the key to healthy nails is strong, healthy cuticles!
Using cuticle oil softens the cuticles, protecting the nails and improving their overall condition.
Stay hydrated
Some experts believe that healthy nails contain around 18% water, whereby dry, flaky, weak nails contain less than 16% water.
This shows the importance of drinking more water when it comes to having healthier and stronger natural nails.
So, first off, increase your fluid intake to improve natural nail health. This can be through drinking pure water or none caffeinated drinks such as herbal teas and juices.
Not only that but fruits and vegetables contain water, which the body readily absorbs. Cucumber, zucchini, and watermelon are all great for nail health!
You’ll also find that if you’re better hydrated, you’ll improve the condition of your skin, have better digestion, and have more energy to tackle the day.
Win-win!
Use hand lotion
If you’re anything like me, you use your hands for everything, from picking the kids up to washing the floor, the dishes, the gardening, and the laundry.
The to-do list for our hands is immense, so it’s super important to add moisture back when your hands have been working hard.
I love this hand cream and try and moisturize my hands as often as I can, particularly after doing the dishes or washing my hands.
Saying that, if I miss moisturizing my hands once in a while, I don’t panic, as I know my hands will recover the next time I do moisturize.
Weekly nail soaks
Having a go-to nail soak is a must, especially for working hands! Of course, I make my own nail soak, and though you may find the ingredients odd, it really does work wonders!
Nail soaks help with stained/discolored nails as well as help strengthen weak, brittle nails.
Limit nail polish remover
Now I certainly don’t want to be the nail polish police here!
But seriously, most nail polishes are terrible for your nails because of the toxic chemicals within them. Plus, they need to be removed at some point, too, using nail polish remover.
Many nail polishes you buy in-store are full of synthetic ingredients, which dry out the nail bed, leading to flaky, brittle nails.
Add to this that you likely use an alcohol-based solvent to remove the nail polish when you fancy a change, or it becomes chipped and unsightly.
So you’ve got a double hit of drying, toxic, nasty ingredients on your nails right there.
All in all, I say use nail polish for special occasions only or opt for natural nail polish, which is somewhat less drying to the nails.
I love the nude look personally, and I always advise letting nails be as natural as possible.
Check out my natural nail polish remover.
Practice good hygiene
It’s perhaps one of the things we don’t associate with healthy natural nails – but it matters!
Nails can be prone to infection, fungus, and other nasties, especially if we overuse chemicals or don’t keep them clean.
We’re talking about washing hands after doing dirty work, which may seem obvious, but it really helps improve the natural condition of your nails and strengthens them too.
Take your vitamins!
You can purchase all sorts of expensive vitamins which claim to help hair and nail growth. This article covers the top 8 vitamins/nutrients needed for healthy nails.
You can get these in a simple multivitamin formula, or why not improve your diet to get the vitamin boost?
Studies show that the body absorbs vitamins from foods better than taking a tablet.
Good foods for vitamin B12 include meats, dairy products, and breakfast cereals with added vitamins.
And for vitamin C, consider increasing your citrus fruits and leafy green vegetables.
Go naked
I mean – go without anything on your nails! Let your nails breathe by avoiding using nail polish for some time.
The same goes for using anything on the nails, in fact.
Avoid using tips, nail polish remover, or anything like acrylic or gel manicures which, let’s face it, look great but end up damaging the nail underneath.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure HERE.
Be patient
If you haven’t had bare nails for a while, then it’s good to check in and remind yourself that it takes time to develop beautiful, natural nails.
Be patient and let your nails recover from the overuse of nail polish or other nail products you’ve been using.
It’ll be worth it – a few days of sacrifice is all it takes until you start seeing excellent natural nail growth.
Essential oils for nails
Using essential oils on your nails is one of the best ways to better nail health!
Essential oils such as lavender and myrrh are incredibly soothing to the nail bed, which results in more robust, healthier nail growth.
If you want to learn more about using essential oils on your nails, check out this post.
Protect your nails
It may seem obvious, but if you’re doing anything heavy, labor-wise, such as gardening, lifting bricks, or housework, please ensure you protect your hands.
Wear thick gloves, and always slather on the moisturizer once you’re done!
Protecting your nails is essential in maintaining nail health and preventing unwanted breakages.
Best natural nude nail polish
If you can’t go 100% natural with your nails, here are my best natural nude nail polishes (in no particular order!) These contain fewer chemicals than standard nail polish.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and that you opt for natural-looking nails more often.
Feel free to comment below and ask any questions you may have.
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