A broken nail now and then is not the end of the world. However, when the breakage persists for weeks, even months, it can get quite annoying. That’s precisely what happened to me this fall, and then carried over to winter months. My nails were in pretty bad shape, to be honest with you. They were splitting, breaking, bending, and peeling, and I felt like nothing seems to work to improve their condition.
One day I got lucky and discovered a way to prevent them from breaking for one whole week. Then I started adding on products that seemed to work, and eventually managed to grow out my nails to their former glory. They’re still pretty thin, but at least they no longer peel and split.
That first product was Londontown Kur Nail Hardener & Base Coat. Often nail hardeners, like OPI Nail Envy, make my nails strong, but incredibly dry. This one allowed for some flexibility, while keeping the thickness at a level where they don’t break off easily. The company recently sent me another bottle, along with a selection of their Lakur nail polishes, as well as the best-selling Gel Genius top coat. This formula works wonders for my nails! The colors are rich and glossy, and they thicken my bendy nails, so now they are so much harder to break.
Right now my favorite nail polish color is Lakur Chelsea Porcelain. I’ve been on a hunt for that perfect off-white that doesn’t look like I painted my nails in white out [I may or may not have done that in middle school], and this just might be it. A soft, warm’ish ivory looks great against my fair skin. This is more of a summer color for me, to be honest, but I am just so thrilled to have found it, that I keep wearing it for weeks.
And yes, that’s the one you saw me rave about on Snapchat, along with some SpaRitual goodies.
Speaking of SpaRitual, I’ve been taking about the brand on this blog pretty much since I started it. Airhead, Hijinks, and Home Body are among my all-time favorite nail polishes in existence, but I discovered their hand and body treatments only recently. A few weeks back I received a box of goodies to try, and found some new favorites.
First of all, I got to try Soak Tonic, Sugar Scrub, and Body Lotion from Infinitely Loving Collection. This collection is scented with Chinese Jasmine, and it’s the most heavenly fragrance! There are tons of companies who make skincare with jasmine, but a lot of them fail to showcase this amazing note. I feel like Infinitely Loving totally nailed it. I first used the Sugar Scrub on dry skin to improve the circulation, then soaked the hands in warm water with Soak Tonic to soften the nails and cuticles. Finally, I massaged Body Lotion into my hands, which is rich and balmy, so it works wonders as a hand cream.
As lovely as the scrub and lotion are, its the Soak Tonic that I am utterly obsessed with. I softened my cuticles in gentle liquid soap before and I thought that did the trick, but this is next level of awesome. My cuticles are so easy to push down after a quick 10 minute soak, and the nails feel like they are thoroughly moisturized.
Recently SpaRitual released Limited Edition Passionfruit Agave Collection, and I got to try out the Body Souffle. Loved the whipped texture, and the extra nourishing formula. I bet it would work wonders for someone with dry skin, but it was a touch too heavy for me. Now I repurposed it as a hand cream, and it’s resting in my bathroom to be used after every hand wash. Like the rest of SpaRitual collections, the fragrance is lovely, and smells like some type of exotic fruity feast.
I must also mention that I had to keep my nails rounded or oval the entire time they were growing out. As much as I love the look of square-shaped digits, the edges kept snagging on everything, from clothes, to hair, to fabrics, which increased the likelihood of breakage. In retrospect, I should have thought of that sooner.
Lastly, I started taking Biotin 5,000 again daily. I stopped for a while, because I thought it was making me regrow hair in places that I treated with at-home laser treatments. Eventually I decided that my nails really need all the help they can get right now, so after about 2 months of daily use, there are finally some visible results to speak of. This goes without saying, but for the sake of disclosure I need to state that Biotin is not for everyone, and you must consult with your physician before taking any new supplements. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think generic drugstore tablets work just as well as the fancy brand name ones I got at a health store, so no need to spend big bucks on that one.
In short, here’s what helped:
- Keeping the nails polished at all times, or at least have 2 coats of Londontown Kur Nail Hardener & Base Coat on.
- The nail shape is important. Keeping them rounded or oval helped prevent snags and eliminated one reason for breakage.
- Soak the hands regularly, and push back the cuticle to speed up the nail growth.
- Moisturize the hands and nails every time you remember: in the morning, after the shower, after washing them, and before going to bed.
- Take Biotin. I took 5,000 mcg, but it’s also available in 10,000 mcg dosage. Consult your physician to find out which one is best for you.
How do you take care of your hands and nails in the winter? What are some of your favorite nail treatments for breakage? Let me know in the comments below!
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