How to harden and strengthen nails

A beautiful manicure can do a lot for your loved ones, even becoming the final touch of any guest look or outfit. In fact, this season the most striking and colorful nail designs have become a full trend, although there is always room for the most classic proposals in shades such as nude, red or black. However, the excessive use of gel polishes, semi-permanent manicures and all the products used to fix the polish can end up damaging the nails and weakening them.

That is why, many times, it is advisable to let the nail breathe and protect it with some strengthening treatment. Even factors such as a poor diet or a lack of calcium and iron can cause them to split more easily. To avoid this, right here we leave you a selection with different moisturizing, repairing and strengthening products with which to care for them and improve their appearance, even without nail polish.

Why do nails break?

Nails are made up of several layers of keratin, a protein that we can also find in our hair and that provides strength and density the greater the amount present. The first layers of the nails are sensitive to various factors and can be affected or cracked by a multitude of them. Some of the factors that weaken the nails are:

Eating a poor diet: if you do not consume a balanced and varied diet, rich in protein, vegetables and fiber, it will directly affect the health of your nails and soft nails.
Lack of iron or calcium: a lack of these minerals can result in low levels of red blood cells, and this will make your nails softer and more brittle.
Deficiency of vitamins A, B12, C, D or folic acid: the lack or shortage of any of these vitamins is closely linked to the quality of the nail and its weakening.
Use of poor quality nail polishes: it is important to keep in mind that you have to use quality products if you do not want your nails to weaken excessively.
Abuse of permanent enamels: we all know how comfortable and beautiful this type of enamel is, but it is advisable to let the nail rest from time to time so that it can “breathe”.
Lack of hydration: low hydration in our body will also affect the quality and strength of our nails.
Biting your nails: It’s pretty obvious, but just in case you didn’t know, biting your nails makes them split and crack easily.
Genetics: there can always be a genetic component by which you have a predisposition to have weak nails.
Very low temperatures: excessive cold will also affect the nail quite a bit, making it drier and more brittle.

How to strengthen and harden fingernails?

Knowing what are the factors that weaken them, it is quite easy to know what steps to follow to improve the quality and health of your nails. We will start by following a balanced and varied diet, consuming fruits, vegetables and fish almost daily, to improve the levels of fiber and Omega 3 and 6 in your body. In addition, egg yolk and legumes and dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt…) can help you improve your vitamin A and B levels mainly.

On the other hand, it is important that you use quality products to polish your nails, always applying a pre-base before the color. If you are going to do your semi-permanent manicure at home or in a beauty center, it is advisable to rest from time to time and apply specific products to restore the vitality and strength of your nails, such as the ones we have recommended in this article.

Do not forget about the cuticles, which often go unnoticed and directly affect the quality of the nail. There are special oils and products to take care of them that can help you a lot to get more beautiful, stronger and healthier nails. Finally, regularly using a moisturizing hand cream will also help you in the process.

The best nail strengthening products

Mavala Nail Care Nailactan Nutritive, Nail Cream

This is a nourishing cream that, thanks to the vitamins and amino acids it contains, helps to improve and strengthen the elasticity and strength of the nails. It is rich in vitamins A, B5, B6, C, and E, in Omega 3 and 6, soy protein, and collagen, ingredients that contribute to giving vitality and improving the appearance of brittle, dry, and dull nails.

Yves Rocher Go Green Oil Elixir

Yves Rocher’s Go Green elixir is a natural treatment focused on moisturizing both the nail and the cuticle to repair and beautify them. A cosmetic whose vegan formula has been enriched with jojoba oil and sweet almond oil, ingredients that deeply moisturize.

ISDIN SI-NAILS

The well-known brand ISDIN also joins the world of manicures with the nail strengthener with an invisible and easy-to-apply finish. Among its formula to promote growth and increase resistance, thus helping to avoid its dreaded breakage, stands out cationic hyaluronic acid, the star moisturizer for cuticles. In addition, its application favors the remineralization and restructuring of the nails, thanks to the increase in the quantity and quality of silicon and keratin.

CND RescueRXX Care Pen 2.36ml

Also in pencil format, from the semi-permanent nail polish brand CND Shellac we have found this keratin treatment for the nail that strengthens and improves its appearance in just one week. If your problem is that these tend to open up in layers when you do the semi-permanent, we recommend using this product between manicures and manicures for a few days.

Mia Cosmetics Paris KERATINIST

One of the most acclaimed nail treatments by pharmacists is, without a doubt, the Keratinist Nail Mask from Mia Cosmetics Paris. It is a nail polish mask whose power lies in restoring strength to the weakest, thinnest and therefore most fragile nails. Made from wool keratin, working reinforcing the natural keratin layers of your nails as a reinforcement.