Nails endure the elements just as much as skin and hair, so they need to be ready for the challenge. Cold, dry winter air, scorching summer sun, and shifting humidity levels leave nails brittle and weak. But here’s a fearless survival plan with expert tips to keep nails strong, healthy, and stunning through every season.
The Basics for Healthy Nails
Sometimes we scoff at these basic steps because they are so simple. But you can weatherproof your nails from the inside out by keeping a healthy diet, getting adequate rest, and staying hydrated. Ask anyone who’s a pro at something how they reached that level. It’s not just luck or who they know. It’s daily practice and taking care of the basics. Make it a goal to take care of your health to have healthy nails year round.
1. Hydration
Get enough liquid daily from water, fruit, soup, et cetera. There’s a lot of advice about how much is enough, but let’s just say don’t wait until you’re thirsty.
Moreover, this category includes moisturizing the skin and nails from the outside in. Use hand cream and cuticle oil often, preferably each time you wash your hands.
2. Clipping and filing
Just like you trim your hair to get rid of split ends and promote growth, you need to groom your nails and cuticles. Regular trimming and proper filing guards against breakage and pushing back the cuticles prevents hangnails. Use clean, sharp tools for clipping and the right grit of nail file for buffing and shaping. When in doubt as to which file or buffer is best, choose a soft texture to avoid damaging the nail fibers. Also, file in one direction from the edge to the center, not back-and-forth.
3. Everyday protection
Pretend you’re a hand model and give yourself permission to wear gloves to wash the dishes. Avoid soaking your hands in water and exposing them to chemicals. Also, wear sunscreen outdoors.
In summary, those are the minimum steps to healthy nails. Now, let’s go in depth with nail care for different seasons.
Seasonal Nail Challenges and How to Overcome Them
No matter where you live on this planet, your nails have to deal with at least one and possibly four seasons. Let’s cover how to keep your nails in top condition no matter the weather.
Winter
Winter woes include temperature and humidity extremes. A lot of us move between cold, damp weather outdoors and warm, dry air indoors. This constant flux wreaks havoc on nails just like it would on an acoustic guitar.
Furthermore, it’s essential to stay on top of nail hydration even if you live in a rainy winter environment. Products like cuticle oil provide a protective layer to keep moisture levels constant.
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Take the time to apply cuticle oil in the morning and night at a minimum. Also consider nail slugging once a week to revive dry skin and nails. In brief, it’s applying a thick layer of petroleum jelly and wearing cotton gloves to bed to wake up with baby soft skin.
Spring
By springtime, you might be fooled into thinking that your nail troubles are over. Sadly, the seasonal shift brings its own set of challenges. Once again, your fingertips are dealing with changes in the weather on top of increased activity. Stay the course with your regular hydration routine and double down on protecting your hands by wearing gloves for gardening and spring cleaning.
What’s more, if you have allergies, consider wearing shorter nails with rounded tips. It makes it easier to deal with a drippy nose and itchy eyes and simplifies keeping your hands clean and allergen-free.
Summer
Hot weather means sun exposure and chlorine damage that can make nails brittle and dry. Once again, staying hydrated and moisturized will save the day. Moreover, it’s crucial to wear sunscreen. No one wants melanoma under their nails.
Yes, some sunscreen ingredients may cause nail polish to yellow. You can avoid the problem by wiping off your nails after applying the product or switching to a more durable manicure like gels or dip powder nails.
Plus, there’s another defense against damage caused by UV rays, harsh weather, and pool water. Add an extra layer to your manicure to reinforce your nails. This could be something like OPI’s Nail Envy or LDS Gel Strengthener.
Like everything, use nail strengtheners in moderation so that they don’t make the nails too stiff. You may not need to apply them each time you do a manicure.
Fall
Here we go again, adapting to changing temperatures and humidity. Not to mention planning for holiday events that call for fancier nails. Stay the course with a healthy diet and hydration, keep on top of nail care maintenance, and learn how to apply and remove products properly if you do your own manicures.
Now that we’ve covered nail care throughout the seasons, let’s cover one more topic that will keep your nails looking their best all year round.
How the Pros do Cuticle Care
In a nutshell, be careful what you trim when it comes to cuticles! You can avoid a lot of problems with your nails by taking diligent care of the skin around them.
Did you know that the cuticle is dead skin stuck to the nail plate, while the eponychium is the living skin that borders the nail? It seems a lot easier to just say “cuticle” for all of that, but there’s a particularly important difference in how to care for the different parts.
When you push back the eponychium around the nails, don’t go underneath the skin fold and don’t cut it. Only remove the dead cuticle skin, never the eponychium.
Use cuticle remover or soak the nails to soften the dead skin, then push it back. If you are skilled with a nail drill, you can also use a diamond flame bit or similar tip to clean up and remove hangnails, too. But be extra cautious using cuticle nippers or other tools to cut anything. Make sure it’s dead so you don’t see red!
If you accidentally cut living skin, a styptic solution will stop the bleeding, then the wound needs to be properly dressed. Professional trainers recommend stopping the service at once, having the person wash their hands thoroughly, and covering the wound with a bandage.
At the end of the manicure, treat all the finished fingertips to a massage with cuticle oil. Then be sure to clean up your manicure tools. Remove debris and treat them with a disinfectant so that they’re ready for the next use.
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Healthy Nails All Year-Round
A final step to keep healthy nails all year long is to check for unusual changes. If you notice that there are changes in color or shape, seek medical advice. Things to watch for include dark streaks, nails that seem redder or paler than usual, blue nails, yellow nails, a spongy or brittle texture, pits, horizontal lines, or nails that flatten out or develop a spoon shape. Don’t delay because some of these changes indicate serious health issues. The good news is that the sooner you get treatment, hopefully the faster the problems will clear up!
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Conclusion
Let’s summarize nail care for every season. It comes down to taking care of your health, staying hydrated inside and out, and using the proper tools to keep your nails trimmed, shaped, and strong.
Now, go treat yourself to those shades you’ve been excited to try. You’ll find them in our store along with discounts and free shipping!
Sources:
https://www.nailpro.com/health/article/21157438/howto-take-care-of-your-cuticles
https://www.nailpro.com/news/news/22834067/manucurist-paris-21483-howto-be-careful-what-you-put-on-your-nails
https://www.nailpro.com/health/news/22807349/opi-products-howto-repair-nail-damage
https://www.nailpro.com/health/news/22043458/6-nail-changes-to-look-out-for-in-your-clients
https://www.nailpro.com/health/article/22912464/sanitation-disinfection-and-sterilization-for-nail-professionals
