Ask Belle: Fixes for Healthy Nails

May 19, 2015

Hi Belle, 

I work in a health care setting and as such, wash my hands many, many times a day. It wreaking havoc on my nails – peeling, breaking, just generally weak and hard to maintain. I’ve tried a few Sally Hansen and Essie nail products to strengthen my nails, but to no success.

Do you have any products you’d recommend? It’s hard to keep my polish from getting chipped when my nails are constantly in shambles.

Thanks! RB

If you’re looking for a product to care for your hands, you need to start with the health of your skin and cuticles.  The best product on the market is O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream ($7).  If you’re dealing with seriously dry skin, you may want to add a pair of moisturizing gloves.

To strengthen your nails, you should start with a trim.  Keep your nails on the shorter side if you have problems with breakage.  Also, add an olive oil soak to your beauty routine.  Simply pour some olive oil in a shallow dish and soak your nails for 10-minutes.  If you struggle with fungus or discolored nails, try tea tree oil instead.

If you use hand-sanitizer, switch to one that isn’t alcohol based.  Germ-X makes a foam sanitizer that’s alcohol free.  If you’re just washing your hands a lot, Julep makes an essential cuticle oil that is portable.  You can just smudge a bit on after you wash your hands.

Once you get them strong enough for painting, Seche Vite makes a great nail strengthening clear polish.

Have more tips?  Share them in the comments.

Ask The Edit, Style

share this post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Nora says:

    Nailtiques Formula 2 is the best for peeling nails! I use it every day.

    • Virginia says:

      THIS! Nailtiques Formula 2 is the best for my peeling nails. Fair warning, though — it is killer on your cuticles, so monitor them accordingly!

  2. J says:

    Belle, I really hope you meant “try adding tea tree oil” to an olive oil soak instead of suggesting that she soak her hands in pure tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a potent essential oil and should never be used undiluted.

  3. Clementine says:

    Also, consider taking some vitamins to help strengthen them from the inside out. Prenatal vitamins are great for this- once I started taking plain old Target brand gummy prenatals, my nails were noticeably stronger and less prone to breaking and tearing.

  4. Heather says:

    You should try DURI , which can be found here https://www.amazon.com/Duri-Cosmetics-Duri_Rej-Rejuvacote-0-61oz/dp/B000G33KEO. It has save my nails. My sister is a nurse who suffered the same so I understand.

  5. Kate says:

    Biotin is the vitamin that make your nails so strong, and it does make a HUGE difference if you take it every day. You can buy it on its own – it also strengthens and nourishes your hair.

    • Anna says:

      What brand do you use? I tried the target brand and didn’t notice a big difference, but I’m so skeptical of actually getting what’s written on the label.

  6. E in Austin says:

    I swear by the Hoofmaker Hand and Nail Therapy lotion, https://www.amazon.com/STRAIGHT-PRODUCTS-544236-Hoofmaker-Therapy/dp/B000TG84BC/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1432057560&sr=1-1&keywords=hoof+and+mane.

    I keep it at my desk and on my bedside table. Its not greasy, so it’s perfect for frequent application. It softens your skin and seriously beefs up your nail’s strength. You can also get it at your local Sally Hansen Beauty supply.

  7. E says:

    Is the O’Keeffe’s lotion greasy? One complaint I have with some hand lotions is that they leave a filmy layer on my hands and things I touch.

    • R says:

      Surprisingly, it is not greasy. I have been trying different anti-aging lotions on my hands, because I thought they were looking old. O’Keeffe’s is the first hand cream that I have found to change how my hands look.

  8. Gillian says:

    OPI Nail Envy will change your life. TRUST ME. Follow the directions with application and in a week or two you will have different nails. Enjoy! 🙂

  9. Rachel B says:

    My nails definitely became healthier when I stopped pushing back and removing my cuticles. I use a nail buffer sparingly to minimize the amount of polish and polish remover that I have to use.

    I like Deborah Lippman’s It’s a Miracle Intense Cuticle Therapy Oil and her regular Cuticle Oil. They absorb quickly and keep my cuticles soft with consistent use.

  10. Rachel says:

    I second Nailtiques Formula 2. Also, the Burt’s Bees lemon cuticle balm is good to rub on your nails – it keeps them moisturized and helps with peeling.

  11. Sarah says:

    Take vitamins. I started taking pre-natal and omega-3s and my nails are rock solid and grow like weeds. I took Biotin also for a while (was trying to make my hair grow faster) but it only affected my nails.

Join The List

Stay up to date on the latest from Capitol Hill Style!

sUBSCRIBE

Gift Guide 2023: Stocking Stuffers, Pt. 1

I love stocking stuffers.  They are the best part of Christmas.  There’s just nothing quite like an affordable gift that’s funny or useful or chic (or maybe all three).  So here is Part One of my stocking stuffer gift guides, where nothing costs more than $30.

4

READ MORE 

Recent Posts

You Have, You Need: Camel Sweater Edition

In the name of fiscal responsibility, I’m taking a shopping respite through the end of the year.  When you write a fashion blog, not shopping is like being a person on a diet who moves into a McDonald’s.  But I’m determined to flex some self-discipline now that my holiday shopping is done.

4

READ MORE 

Add to Cart: Five Recent Amazon Purchases

Since my daughter was born, Amazon has claimed so much of my money that I had to buy stock just to get some of it back.  Between the formula, onesies, fruit pouches, diapers, wipes, and ever evolving list of baby development gear, I could not survive without Prime.   My husband no longer notices the […]

4

READ MORE 

VIEW ALL POSTS

Features, Gift Guide, Top Posts | November 29, 2023

Gift Guide 2023: Stocking Stuffers, Pt. 1

I love stocking stuffers.  They are the best part of Christmas.  There’s just nothing quite like an affordable gift that’s funny or useful or chic (or maybe all three).  So here is Part One of my stocking stuffer gift guides, where nothing costs more than $30.

4

READ MORE 

Posts, Style, You Have You Need | November 29, 2023

You Have, You Need: Camel Sweater Edition

In the name of fiscal responsibility, I’m taking a shopping respite through the end of the year.  When you write a fashion blog, not shopping is like being a person on a diet who moves into a McDonald’s.  But I’m determined to flex some self-discipline now that my holiday shopping is done.

4

READ MORE 

Add to Cart, Features, Posts | November 28, 2023

Add to Cart: Five Recent Amazon Purchases

Since my daughter was born, Amazon has claimed so much of my money that I had to buy stock just to get some of it back.  Between the formula, onesies, fruit pouches, diapers, wipes, and ever evolving list of baby development gear, I could not survive without Prime.   My husband no longer notices the […]

4

READ MORE 

Good/Better/Best, Posts | November 27, 2023

Good, Better, Best: A Guide to Layering

I started this blog in 2008 to provide guidance to the thousands of Capitol Hill staffers who needed to dress for professional jobs on government salaries.  Over 15 years of blogging, some questions have proved eternal — the best tights, what to wear to a formal event, makeup tips for women who don’t want to […]

5

READ MORE 

RECENT POSTS

©2023 CAPITOL HILL STYLE | SITE BY LEIGH THE STUDIO