Are long nails your dream? Maybe that dream can quickly come true, even though you maybe had no idea your nails could actually be long and last like that without being broken. Unfortunately, some people really have problems letting their nails grow out, but even these issues can be fixed. We have the top ten tips to make your nails naturally attractive without visiting beauty salons – save your money and time!
10. Don't Let Beauty Salons Touch Your Nails
Learn from her experience!
Nail salons, or beauty salons in general, can sometimes help you get the perfect look you want. However, they usually do you harm more than they help. Nails don't like excessive treatments, as they prefer growing out naturally – nail polish that you do on your own won't hurt them, but nail salon work can make them weaker.
Yet, don't get us wrong – you can, and you should, visit a nail salon when you have a special occasion, and gorgeous nails are a must. However, hitting those places regularly won't help you grow your nails. On the contrary, they'll make the situation worse than it was before you came.
9. Avoid Gel Nails and Extensions
Both are bad, though
As we stated in the title, you want "naturally" long nails, not artificial ones. Extensions can never look as pretty as real nails, and it's easy to spot the difference. Gel nails can be quickly done at home, without dangerous and harmful treatments, so try to stick to the traditional methods!
Of course, extensions can be 100% safe without damaging nails when applied correctly and professionally. However, doing extensions or acrylic nails too often will ruin every chance to have naturally long and strong, hard nails. Try to achieve the look you wanted slowly and naturally, since nothing can replace that!
8. Paint Nails on Your Own
Doing it at home is way better than going to any beauty salon!
If you are insecure, you can actually achieve the beauty salon look of your nails at home quite easily! All you need is good nail polish and some skills, which will develop once you paint your own nails regularly. You'll save money and still won't spend too much time, and you'll be happy with the results!
Furthermore, if you thought that gel nails last longer than regular nail polish, that's just a myth! Gel nails usually look perfect and brand new only for up to two weeks, but that's also the length when you do your own nails properly. Get nail polishes with an intense color base, and you'll never stop using them! If you are going to a summer vacation, choose something bright!
7. Use a Nail Strengthener
Some of these are pretty cheap and available!
Besides painting your nails with basic nail polish, you can also get some nail strengtheners in stores. Nail hardeners are getting more famous now, and many of them actually provide excellent help or at least combine well with nail polish. The strengtheners can also come in the form of nail polish – figure out if it's your best option!
However, you shouldn't have too high hopes, since these products sometimes might not work for you. Physical health is way more significant than any strengtheners that you put on your nails. Nonetheless, some of them are cheap, smell very good, and even give your nails a decent glow – they'll either be beneficial, or they'll at least make your nails pretty!
6. Shorten Nails Once They Get Too Long
Here are some general tips on how to properly trim nails!
Long nails also have their limit – as they should have. There is a certain length that you should reach, and when they get too long, you should shorten them a bit to get them back to the desired length. Way too long nails aren't even pretty anymore, so try to figure out what works for you!
Of course, you should know that long nails can easily get broken if they're longer than usual. It's also hard to do your daily chores if the nails reach an uncomfortable size. Hence, don't get too caught up in letting them grow out – set goals and don't go too far, since it won't look as great as it seems!
5. Don't Cut All Other Nails When One Is Broken
These look amazing, but they're not precisely long as you wish
Some people are obsessed with symmetry, but you shouldn't act like your nails must have the same size all the time. Of course, you might like having at least a similar size, and you should, but don't obsess over the symmetry if one nail gets broken a bit. Trim that nail, and let it grow out without touching the other ones.
You might dislike the situation you see, especially when a forefinger has a shorter nail than the rest. Still, you'll have to accept that your forefinger and thumb always do the most job, so they mainly get broken. Don't worry, because they'll grow out again, and you'll have the perfect size you wanted to achieve!
4. Don't Even Consider Biting Your Nails
Look at the remarkable transformation after this terrible habit
Have you had problems with letting your nails grow out since childhood? Maybe you did something wrong back then, like biting your nails. Unfortunately, it's a bad habit that's hard to quit, but this one does you harm just like any other. If you continue chewing your nails, they will never be hard and long.
Moreover, doing so can bring even more health problems, so it isn't even about beauty only – quit this habit to avoid infections, too. What could help you are the experiences of people who kept biting their nails. They finally achieved a decent nail length only once they quit this harmful practice!
3. Keep Your Nails Clean
These tips might help you!
It's not a myth that long nails need more effort – you cut them not too often, but you have to clean them literally every day! If you finally manage to maintain some longer nails than before, you should get used to washing them together with your hands. In conclusion, nails must be immaculate to stay long and healthy!
Of course, dirty nails can "collect" bacteria under them, causing problems in other areas of your body. That's why you should find your ideal method to clean them with care – from sticks to tiny sponges, anything that works for you is fine. Just don't let your nails stay muddy or dirty in any way. Otherwise, you won't keep that length for too long!
2. Consume More Calcium and Biotin
Dr. Meghan explained this well to you
Did you know that calcium controls your nails' hardness and structure? Nail and bone health have a lot to do with this mineral, so if you don't consume it enough, you might struggle with your nail plate, even though you're trying to let your nails grow out. Nails will always be dry and weak if you lack several vitamins, especially calcium and vitamin B.
Hence, vitamin B might play an even more significant role in this problem – that's where biotin jumps in. A biotin is a necessary form of vitamin B found in cooked eggs, mushrooms, bananas, and several other foods. If you keep consuming enough of it, your nails (and your hair as well) should become more vital than ever!
1. Eat Healthier, It Matters
Beauty can't exist without health, and food has a lot to do with that
Besides the specific vitamins that you need, if you want a hard nail plate, you literally have to eat healthy to really reach that goal. Nails indeed say a lot about your health overall, and health determines how pretty your nails will look – it's all connected. Don't ignore healthy food and hope to have beautiful nails, because that won't work!
When it comes to consuming food, bad habits will always do you harm, even if you think you'll avoid that effect. The body simply knows what's suitable for it and what should be avoided. Hence, nails can get prettier and stronger when you're eating stuff such as almonds, eggs, or cereals – find out what foods help your nails glow!
Of course, some of these top ten tips maybe won't work for your nails type and for your conditions. However, they should help you maintain a healthier life, and the beautiful nails will come along. Don't forget that health goes hand in hand with beauty, especially with skin, hair, weight, and nails!
Do you trim your nails regularly? Is having long nails attractive to you? Let us know in the comments section!
Photo: Laura Chouette on Unsplash