Nail it! Cuticle care this rainy season

Without compromising on your neatly painted nails, this guide is your one stop shop to getting beautiful healthy nails

With monsoon in full swing, we are busy tweaking our skin and hair care routines to adjust with the humid and damp weather, many of us often miss out on protecting our nails. Nails demand more attention during this season as they tend to get brittle and dull, especially our toe nails, which often come in contact with muddy waters. Additionally, we all want healthy and perfectly manicured nails, regardless if you are the type of person who obsessively paints your nails as a form of self-care or if you continuously pick your cuticles and bite your nails. There is also no doubt that well-maintained nails can give you an instantly polished appearance.

The damp and humid weather calls for extra care of your nails which are susceptible to infections and breakage (Photo: Shutterstock)

In order to deal with the consequences of excessive nail extensions and missed nail care, try this DIY guide at home for healthy nails. Read on to know how you can achieve this easily:

File your nails correctly

If you like to do your manicures at home, you must know how to file your nails the right way. While it’s not a particularly difficult task, filing your nails incorrectly can actually leave you with weak, severly jagged nails that may be prone to peeling or breaking. Instead of moving the nail file back and forth across your nail, start from one of the outside edges and work your way towards the centre of your nail. Trimming and filing your toenails is equally important to keep them dirt-free.

Moisturise away

Yes, moisturising your fingertips is important too! Just like your skin, nails need daily hydration to remain healthy. Massaging your fingernails with petroleum jelly, vitamin E or products that have good sources of lactic acid (including other alpha hydroxy acids) can reduce cracks, brittleness and dryness.

Use enriching cuticle oil When it comes to nails, hydration is everything. Adding a good cuticle oil to your nail care regimen will help keep your cuticles and nail beds hydrated at all times. Packed with vitamins, jojoba oil for cuticles will ensure stronger, beautiful nails that grow better.

Switch to natural nail polish

While switching to natural and clean beauty products, ditch the traditional nail paints for non-toxic ones. Natural nail polishes do not contain harsh chemicals that affect the nail plate and bed. It will also give you the same long-lasting polish look while preserving the strength, beauty, and health of your nails.

Allow your nails to repair

Elaborate manicures and properly filed nails look good and can boost our confidence, but it is important to give your nails a breather too. Let your nails be bare and remain pigment free for at least two weeks. Without that break, the nails could dry out, turn yellow, become weaker, and cause keratin granulation.

Adopt a rich diet

Since our nails are made out of keratin (a protein), adding more protein (lean meats work best) to your meals will without a doubt, help build stronger nails. Leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, nuts, salmon, eggs and beans are some foods to include.