Hands down healthy nails are our must-haves. They look better and give more possibilities as far as manicure goes. What can you do when your nails are brittle, thin and fragile? Make them stronger using one of these five simple, home remedies.

Nail breakage and splitting is a very common problem that many of us encounter. To remedy the situation, we should know the cause of the nail condition first.

The most common causes of nail breakage and splitting

Few of us realize that we are the wrongdoers and we should be blamed for nail damage. Careless, improper nail care or the lack of any care quickly makes your nails look awful. Take a look at the most common causes of bad nails:

• filing the nails in different directions.
• regular nail extensions.
• gel manicure without breaks.
• no nail care, not using conditioners/oils.
• cuticle and nail biting.
• low intake of nutrients, zero supplements.
• various diseases (including systemic diseases).

How to strengthen brittle nails?

You might think that repairing split, brittle nails is a tricky task. When you keep failing to bring them back to life, remember that there are five things you can do to keep the nails healthy and strong. Some of them may come as a surprise.

1. Use oils for nail care

Natural oil is the best nail conditioner. The choice of oil that you’re going to rub into the nails regularly is up to you but you shouldn’t skip castor oil (known for strengthening and stimulating nail growth), argan oil (strongly repairing and protecting effect) and olive oil (deeply nourishing, good pick for a nail soak). Regular application of any oil you choose or a blend of oils is an easy way to repair, reinforce and improve appearance of nails.

2. Never forget about a base coat nail polish

Nail polishes are one of the most popular causes of nail breakage, ones featuring formaldehyde in particular. You can save your nails from the destructive effect by applying a base coat. A thin coat of nail polish base effectively shields nails against the harmful substances and prevents stains caused by the nail polish. What’s important, your base coat can work as a nail conditioner if it’s rich in extra nutrients e.g. vitamin E.

3. Moisturize the hands regularly

Those thinking that a hand lotion only nourishes the hands are wrong- regular application of a hand cream benefits the nails as well. By using this simple product you deliver necessary nutrients, enhance nail repair and – above all – keep them hydrated. Most hand lotions are designed so as to leave a protective coat on the skin and nails, locking in moisture for example.

4. Protect your nails while cleaning the house

Wearing protective gloves is a great way to strengthen the nails and keep them damage-proof. Never forget about them while cleaning the house, doing the dishes or gardening – whenever the nails come into contact with hazardous detergents and chemicals. Simply-looking gloves don’t let strongly dehydrating detergents or mechanical damage make day-to-day nail care with oils and lotions pointless.

5. Remember about a healthy diet and supplements

Finally, never forget that nail care is (or at least should be!) based on a healthy diet. You must deliver nutrients essential for nail repair from within, not just with cosmetics. Eat lots of veggies, fruit, whole grains and take supplements to correct deficiency of substances e.g. zinc, iron, vitamin B, vitamin E.