No matter how well you take care of your manicure, it can be easy to fall into bad habts that can actually cause damage and leave you with dry, brittle nails. Celebrity nail technician Lucy Tucker has worked with stars from Felicity Jones to Olivia Wilde, getting their manicures ready for the red carpet. She reveals the top bad habits and problems that can damage your nails, and shares her secrets for avoiding and fixing them.
Certain nail habits can actually damage your cuticles
Letting your nails dry out
Use oil both externally and in your diet. Fatty acids and omegas help hydrate your nails. Fingernails grow about 1/8 of an inch per month, and eating and using oil will help with nail growth even more. You can even stop while you’re cooking and rub some nails into your cuticles to stop them drying out.
Picking your cuticles
Never poke or pick at cuticles – not only will it make them sore but it might cause an infection as they grow back much thicker. Instead, apply cuticle oil regularly to help prevent drying out.
Weak nails
If you suffer from weak nails, put a teaspoon of finely chopped garlic into your base coat. Apply three times a week to natural nails for a quick fix. It strengthens nails really well for a fraction of the cost of nail strengtheners, and some people have said it helped their nails grow faster.
Using cuticle oil can help prevent your nails from drying out
Shaking your nail varnish
Shake your nail polish can actually create air bubbles in it, which will stick to the bed of your nail when painting them. Hold the nail polish vertically, roll it back and forth between your two hands to ensure the liquid comes out smooth.
Filing the wrong way
Get in the habit of filing your natural nail in one direction. Use long, light strokes as this will minimise friction and heat build-up which can split and damage the nail. Keeping a nail file in your bag is a handy way of not being caught out if you break a nail.
Eating an unhealthy diet
Nails thrive when you eat foods like salmon, chicken, eggs, coconut oil and green vegetables like spinach and avocados. However, if you can’t resist the odd biscuit then help maintain healthy, strong nails by taking supplements rich in Zinc, Vitamin E and Biotin like Seven Seas Perfect7 – this has got the added bonus of being great for hair as well!
For more information head to perfect7.co.uk