Am I the only one suffering from brittle nails? I swear this extended Winter is to blame!
In fact cold weather can be a culprit; extremes of cold weather and the heat indoors actually confuses our poor nails as there is difficulty regulating moisture. Who knew? So, glove up when you can.
Is it possible you are over washing your hands? Limit the amount of very hot water you use and avoid chemical laden soaps (all liquid soap, in other words) and always finish with a hand moisturiser. Busy hands are guilty of not always wearing gloves when doing housework but just remember, everyday household chemical cleaners are not doing your nails any favours either.
Cold hands: warm heart, so they say, but if that’s you, it could just mean your circulation is reduced and this will limit nail growth – they need to be warm. Just like hair, nails tend to grow slower in the winter for this very reason. Moisturising them means you’re massaging them and keeping blood flow going. Keep a good natural moisturiser (like, ahem…ANU!) not just near the sink, but in your bag or in the car so traffic jams can actually be beneficial – win/win!
The biggest baddie for brittle nails is nail varnish remover – even the acetone free version is harmful, especially as we need to use more of it to effectively remove that colour. While you’re working on your nail health, try going nail naked, or if you really do like varnish, use clear or barely clear so chipping isn’t as obvious (and you get away with longer time between removing). Nail strengtheners are a better option, or indeed look to your diet – always the better option in the end; Omega 3, 6 and 9 rich food is beneficial and zinc, iron or biotin supplements can work wonders.
Our hands are important; we look at them all day and yet, most of us neglect them. And with very little attention your hands and nails can look so much better, so long as it’s consistent. Make good habits. As with all skin health, moisturise and then moisturise some more. Think about what you’re touching and ask yourself if you’d let such things near your face. We all admire beautiful hands. Imagine if those beautiful hands were yours.
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