Nail care at home

Issues discussed in the material:

• 5 basic principles of nail care at home
• Moisturizing skin and nail care
• Moisturizing and caring for nails and skin: home first aid kit products
• Rules for caring for nails using cuticle oil
• What role does a nail file play in caring for fingernails at home?
• Nail care with baths
• Recipes for baths and masks for nail care at home: strengthening and growth
• Homemade nail care to maintain healthy color
• Useful tips for nail care

Competent and timely nail care will help not only preserve the beauty and freshness of your hands (and legs) for a long time, but also save on manicures. Yes, yes, you didn’t think so. If you take care of your nails from time to time, and only from a nail specialist, getting your fingers in order (removing dry and rough cuticles, repairing a broken or cracked nail, etc.) will require much more time and effort, and as a result - money.

If you moisturize the skin of your hands and feet, maintain hygiene and prevent brittle nails, the result will please both you and your manicurist. Well, we will tell you how to properly care for your nails.

Moisturizing skin and nail care

A woman constantly performs some household chores and is forced to come into contact with substances that have an aggressive effect on the skin and nails. Unfortunately, not all housewives remember the simplest hand care measures to avoid excessive dryness.

Recommended articles on this topic:

• Where to buy nail files
• How to open a manicure salon: step-by-step instructions
• Professional pedicure files

Only after discovering a problem do women ask themselves: what should nail and cuticle care be like at home? Most of them are mistaken in thinking that only cream is needed for complete hydration - this is not enough.

• When performing any household work that involves the use of aggressive detergents, you must wear rubber gloves to protect your hands. It is not advisable for your hands to remain in cold water for a long time, as this contributes to roughening of the skin.
• In frosty weather, keep your hands warm. Exposure to wind and cold will negatively affect the condition of the skin - it will become chapped and become too dry.
• Diet must be carefully monitored. A lack of any substances will lead to dry skin, as well as the formation of painful cracks on its surface. To avoid this, you need to eat a lot of raw vegetables and fruits (during the heat treatment process, many useful components are destroyed).
• At home, you need to constantly perform cosmetic measures using special hand masks made from natural ingredients. We will tell you how to prepare these care products.

It must be remembered that washing your hands too often leads to dry skin. To keep your skin smooth and soft, you need to nourish it from the inside. Plain water will help with this. To fill the epidermal cells with moisture, it is recommended to drink a lot. Then the dryness and tightness will disappear.

How to care for weak fingernails

If your nails are painted, you should avoid picking off the polish at all costs. Together with biting, this is one of the worst bad habits, which weakens them, disrupts the uniformity of their surface and damages the top layer. Once the polish starts to peel and needs to be removed, you should use a natural, acetone-free nail polish remover that will reliably remove residue without drying out your nails and providing them with the nourishment they need.

We learned how to properly care for fingernails at home for women. If you have any questions, ask in the comments. Love yourself and be beautiful.

Moisturizing and caring for nails and skin: home first aid kit products

Here are recipes for homemade skin care products for hands and feet:

• It will take 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil (preferably olive) and 1 tsp. glycerin (sold at the pharmacy). Mix all ingredients. Apply the mixture to the skin of your hands (feet) and leave for 30 minutes. After this, wash your hands (feet) with cool water without soap. Important: the water should not be cold.
• 1 tbsp. l. Mix freshly squeezed parsley juice with 1 tbsp. l. fish oil. To increase the effectiveness of the mask, add full-fat cottage cheese (a small amount) to the mixture. Apply the product to problem areas and wait 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water.
• Leave freshly brewed green tea to brew until strong. Prepare a mixture of 2 tablespoons of tea, 1-2 tablespoons of any vegetable oil and a small amount of lemon juice. Treat the skin of your hands (or feet) with the resulting product. The exposure time of this mask is about 30 minutes, after which it should be washed off with warm water.
• Mash half a banana with a fork until smooth. Pour 1 tsp into the resulting mass. olive oil, add a small amount of fat cottage cheese. Apply the mask for 20 minutes, then rinse off.
• Mix full-fat milk, liquid honey, crushed oatmeal in a ratio of 2:1:1. Apply the mixture to the surface of the skin of your hands. Wear thin cotton gloves. Wait 15-20 minutes and rinse off.
• If possible, pamper your hands with a fresh strawberry mask. To prepare the mixture, mash the berries with a fork, add 1 tsp. glycerin and 1 tbsp. l. sour cream. Leave to absorb for approximately 40 minutes.
• Add rye bread pulp to hot milk. After swelling, squeeze it out. Beat raw egg yolk into the mask and mix everything well. The exposure time of the product is 30 minutes.

Rules for caring for nails using cuticle oil

Nail care should include cuticle care.
These measures involve the use of a special oil that has a softening, moisturizing and nourishing effect. This product helps prevent microtraumas and maintain a neat appearance of nails. Read material on the topic: Wholesale manicure files: saving time and money

The oil can be used for both manicure and pedicure. This product is suitable for daily use. A large number of oils are produced with different compositions and prices. Pharmacy chains offer a large selection of high-quality and effective drugs at affordable prices. Specialized beauty salons use products from well-known brands with a higher cost.

There are the following types of natural oils for nail care:

• Apricot, which is the most useful remedy. This oil can moisturize and soften even the roughest and most dry cuticles. In addition, this remedy promotes the process of tissue regeneration and healing of minor injuries.
• Almond, rich in fatty acids. This oil has the ability to absorb quickly. It is used to soften dry skin and restore peeling nail plates.
• Avocado contains vitamin F and natural antioxidants. Due to its fat content and viscosity, this oil perfectly removes hangnails and makes the cuticle soft and elastic.
• Castor oil has a liquid consistency, so it is convenient to use a brush or cotton swab to apply it. This remedy treats local inflammatory processes, as it promotes the regeneration of damaged tissue.
• Grapeseed oil is a popular product used in beauty salons. This product has the ability to absorb quickly without leaving a sticky film. The oil contains a lot of tocopherol, thanks to which damaged skin is restored faster and nails are well strengthened.
• Coconut oil is the optimal product to use in caring for cuticles and nails after trimmed manicure. The product contains a large amount of vitamins A and E, thanks to which it has a moisturizing, nourishing and accelerating nail growth effect.
• Peach oil, rich in rare vitamin B15, promotes rapid restoration of skin and nails after trimmed manicure. In addition, this remedy is often used to prevent fungal diseases.

In the absence of the above natural products, ordinary edible oils (for example, flaxseed, sunflower, soybean, olive) are used to care for the cuticle.

For home care of hands and nails, you can use mixtures containing beneficial essential oils. To prepare a health mask, take 1 tbsp. spoon of the base preparation and add 5 drops of orange, lemon, geranium or tea tree oil. Pour the resulting mixture into a bottle (preferably dark glass) and place in a cool place.

What role does a nail file play in caring for fingernails at home?

As mentioned above, the main rule in nail care is to adjust their length in a timely manner, preventing brittleness.
A nail service specialist will work with extended nail plates. If you have natural nails, you should always have a properly selected nail file on hand. The file is used to give nails the correct shape, adjust their length, and also to polish the surface of the nail plates.

Firstly, when choosing a file, pay attention to what material it is made of.

• Disposable files are based on cardboard or foam plastic with fine chips (quartz, Teflon or granite) applied on top. Such products are called disposable, as they become unusable as a result of exposure to high temperatures and moisture. Therefore, they can only be used once; they cannot be washed or sterilized.
• Files with a wooden base are reusable products for individual use, subject to timely disinfection. They are based on a rigid structure, so they do not bend and are easy to use.
• metal files when working only with extended nails. Experts do not recommend using such a manicure tool to care for your nails at home, as this does not contribute to their strengthening and overall health.
• Glass files are made of glass that is quite resistant to high temperatures and various chemicals. Therefore, they tolerate sterilization well. Such files are more preferable, as they do not injure the nails and help to correctly and accurately adjust the length of the nail plate.
• Ceramic files are ideal for caring for brittle, thin, weak nails. Thanks to their soft base, they carefully file nails, eliminating their further delamination. The skin around the nails is also treated with ceramic files.
• Laser files are a popular innovation among manicure and pedicure tools that have appeared quite recently. With this cutting-edge product you can forget about peeling nails. The effect of a laser file is that it seems to seal the edges of the nail plate, after which the nails remain healthy and beautiful for a long time.

To avoid splitting of nails and to maintain their health, you should adhere to the rules of filing: move clearly in one direction. In addition, it is not recommended to file wet, softened nails immediately after a shower or wellness bath (4 hours should pass).

Required Tools

If you have ever had to use the services of a beauty salon, you probably could see what a variety of different tools and means the specialist used. Many girls, seeing so many tools, think that it is simply impossible to treat their nails using them at home, but in reality everything is not as difficult and scary as it seems at first.

As surprising as this may sound, to get a good and professional manicure at home, you only need a standard set, which won’t be difficult to find. So, what you definitely need to prepare:

Regular and sanding files.

• Scissors for removing cuticles.
• Trimmer.
• Nippers that will help you carefully remove burrs.
• Ceramic file.
• Nail polish remover.
• Cotton pads.
• Paper towels.
• A plate or any other container with hot water that is convenient for you.
• A product that will help soften the cuticle.
• Cream for delicate skin of hands.

Only after preparing all the above tools and products can you start manicure. Usually the procedure takes about an hour, but it all depends on the condition of your hands and, of course, professionalism. It’s no secret that the more experience you have, the faster and more accurately you can complete the task, so don’t be discouraged if the first time you didn’t get exactly what you expected.

Immediately before the procedure itself, it would be a good idea to massage your fingers to relax and prepare them.

It doesn’t hurt to create a suitable atmosphere at home: light candles and play your favorite music. It’s better to place the tools next to you, so you don’t have to constantly reach out and be distracted from the process. Remember, when creating a home manicure, every detail, even the smallest, is important.

It is worth noting that beautiful nails should be not only on the hands, but also on the feet. However, some representatives of the fair sex are faced with such an unpleasant problem as nail fungus. Most often, this not very pleasant disease appears due to tight shoes that you are forced to wear all day.

However, toenail fungus is not a death sentence, and if you approach the problem in time and correctly, you can get rid of it quickly and easily. First, be sure to change your shoes. Secondly, trim your nails using nail scissors and a nail file. Thirdly, if possible, remove the fungus-affected areas of the nails.

Nail care with baths

All nail care activities are aimed at strengthening and growing them.
Strengthening baths are excellent helpers for this. They are done 2-3 times a week. Various useful ingredients can be added to the base, depending on which “sea”, herbal, fruit, and oil baths are distinguished. "Sea" baths

These add iodine or sea salt. Cooking recipe: add 2 tbsp to 400 ml of slightly warmed water. l. unflavored sea salt, half a glass of vegetable oil (castor, flaxseed, olive). Place your hands in the resulting solution for about 20 minutes.

If you have a fungal disease or brittle, peeling nails, an iodine bath will help. To prepare it you will need warm water (400 ml), table or sea salt (2 tbsp.), iodine (5-6 drops). With the help of such a solution, you can strengthen and heal the nail plate and improve blood circulation in the nail bed.

Herbal baths

To multiply the whitening, therapeutic, aesthetic and cosmetic effects, various beneficial herbal decoctions are added to the water. To prepare a herbal infusion, you can use chamomile, sage, peppermint, horsetail and other medicinal herbs.

Fruit baths

Fruit baths are very easy to prepare. You just need to cut any citrus fruit into two parts (lemon, grapefruit, orange are suitable). Immerse your nails in the pulp for 7–10 minutes. Substances found in citrus have a whitening, strengthening, and nourishing effect.

Oil baths

Oil-based baths help improve the overall condition of nails and gain a beautiful appearance. Excellent strengthening agents include burdock, olive, sunflower, castor, peach, flaxseed and jojoba oils. The recipe is simple: take 1 tbsp. l. base (vegetable oil) and add 2 drops of essential oil (lemon, tea tree, rosemary). Directions for use: dip your nails into the solution or rub it into your nails with massaging movements.

Before using an oil-based product, you need to warm it up a little in a water bath. You cannot use metal utensils to prepare oil baths.

You can add apple cider vinegar, potassium permanganate, soda or pepper to the composition so that your nails do not peel and become strong. When preparing such solutions, be sure to strictly adhere to the recipe proportions. Otherwise, there is a possibility of discomfort during the procedure.

Very effective are nourishing masks, which need to be done at least 2 times a month to enrich the nails with useful microelements. These products are based on a creamy substance. Honey, sour cream, mashed potatoes, and glycerin are used as a base. To enhance the beneficial properties, you can add oil. Vegetable (1 tbsp.), essential (2-3 drops) oils or a few drops of retinol will do.

Immerse your nails in the prepared mixture and wait 10–12 minutes. After using this mask, you will notice that the color of your nails has become much better, they have begun to grow faster.

The same measures apply to toenails. It is necessary to cover your feet with a cream with a high percentage of fat several times a week before going to bed, while actively massaging your feet. After applying the product, you need to put on socks made of natural material. This mask is necessary to moisturize and nourish the skin of your feet.

To enhance the effect, it is good to alternate masks and baths.

Bath recipes

An oil-based bath will help strengthen the nail plates.

Add a few drops of essential oils to base olive oil, slightly heated in a water bath:

• sandalwood;
• bergamot;
• lemon;
• ylang-ylang;
• orange;

Dip your fingertips into a bowl with the mixture for 15-20 minutes. After the session, just blot your hands with a dry cloth to remove excess. No need to wash off with soap. The course consists of 8-10 sessions with regular use 2 times a week.

A bath to accelerate nail growth includes:

• warm water (200 ml);
• grape seed oil (10 ml);
• freshly squeezed lemon juice (20 ml);

Session duration is 20 minutes. Use 2-3 times a week. For prevention purposes, it is enough to carry out procedures once a week.

A bath for restoring the structure of the nail plate consists of:

• mineral water (100 ml);
• freshly squeezed cabbage juice (100 ml);
• sesame oil (1 tablespoon);
• ylang-ylang essential oil (4 drops);

The procedures are carried out for 15 minutes daily for 2 weeks. For minor damage, 2-3 sessions per week are sufficient.

Recipes for baths and masks for nail care at home: strengthening and growth

• Milk bath . Nails often suffer from a lack of calcium, and it is known to be found in milk. To prepare the bath, you need to heat the milk (preferably whole milk). Its temperature should not be too high. Pour the milk into a deep bowl and soak your nails in it for half an hour. If you perform this procedure daily, the effect will be noticeable after a week.
• Gelatinous . The bath, despite its simplicity, is very effective. To prepare it, you need food gelatin, which is diluted in hot water (1 tablespoon per 1 glass, respectively). The exposure time is 15–20 minutes.
• Paraffin mask . This is a long-lasting product as its effect is to seal the nails using beeswax (or cosmetic paraffin). The components contained in the mask promote rapid nail growth, increase their strength, make the nail plate smooth and moisturize it. Recipe: melt the base in a water bath to a paste-like consistency and drop a little oil or liquid vitamins into it. Treat your nails with the resulting product, using a soft buff for rubbing.
• Chamomile . Chamomile flowers have excellent healing properties. To get a healthy mask, you need to take chamomile, mix it with oatmeal, and then pour boiling water over it. Before applying, let the mixture cool and grind it in a blender.
• Cottage cheese mask . Cottage cheese has a strengthening effect. To enhance the effect, it is better to use a fatty product at room temperature. Cottage cheese should be mixed with vegetable oil. Then apply the mixture in a thick layer on your nails and leave to act for half an hour.

How to properly do a manicure at home - choose a shape

Nail modeling is an important part of the procedure that helps to create a perfect look. The shape of the nails can visually lengthen the fingers and make the hands look more graceful and aristocratic. Conversely, insufficient attention to the free edge of the nail will reduce all efforts to “no”. Even if you managed to get a perfect gel manicure at home, but your nails are of different lengths and have an ugly shape, you won’t be able to pleasantly impress others. Rather, the opposite effect will follow.

It is important to trim all nails, focusing on the shortest ones - usually they belong to the index and middle fingers.

More details about the form:

• Oval is a universal option that suits both thin and wide fingers; it can be done on short and long nails, while they remain strong.



• The circle is a shape for short nails and is characterized by particular strength, which is why practical women choose it. This shape is most advantageous for those with large hands and massive fingers. Round nails will make your hands harmonious and neat.



• Square - this shape is more vulnerable to chipping, so it requires care in everyday life; it is not suitable for those with short, wide fingers. But if the cuticle has a square shape, then it is recommended to perform a manicure with varnish at home so that the protruding plate follows the outline of the base.



• Almond (pointed shape) - looks good on thin hands and long fingers. And on large ones it looks completely unharmonious, as it emphasizes flaws. This option cannot be considered durable, so strong mechanical impact should be avoided.

Homemade nail care to maintain healthy color

To keep your nails healthy and beautiful, care alone is not enough - you need to eat right. If you eat so-called beauty products, then not only your nails, but also your teeth and hair will become significantly stronger and more beautiful.

• Eat foods that contain plenty of calcium. This includes all fermented milk and dairy products (kefir, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese). In addition, calcium is found in greens, liver, fish, eggs, and nuts.
• Include as many raw vegetables, fruits and berries as possible in your daily diet, as they contain vitamins and microelements necessary for the body (including nails). For example, the necessary vitamin C is found in all citrus fruits, black currants, and rose hips.
• Take vitamin supplements regularly (at least 2 courses per year). There are many multivitamin complexes sold today. However, before taking them, be sure to consult a specialist.

There are special cosmetics designed for nail care. The so-called smart enamel that protects nails can be purchased at a cosmetic store. The product helps to even out the nail texture. Thanks to the enamel, the nail plates are strengthened and the process of their delamination stops. This product can be used in nail care as a base for varnish. After applying the enamel, the varnish coating will be smoother and preserved better.

If you continuously paint your nails with red, purple, brown or black polish for a long time, their surface becomes yellowish. Therefore, it is necessary to leave your nails bare from time to time. After all, even the most expensive gel polishes have a negative effect on nails, the care of which should include periods of rest.

Important information: a number of hand creams contain elements that perfectly strengthen the nail plate and soften the cuticle. Your task is to find just such a remedy. The beautiful appearance of your hands largely depends on the condition of your nails and cuticles. Don't forget about them when applying the cream (it should be at hand at any time).

When taking care of your nails at home, try to perform a manicure following the advice of professionals. It doesn't matter whether the nail plates are long or short. The main thing is to be able to use manicure tools (scissors, nippers, files, trimmers and scrapers).

Often, after improperly removing gel polish, it is noticeable that the nail plate is very thin, so it is better to entrust nail care, in particular manicure, to professionals. Don't skimp because you may have to pay a lot more later.

Apply filler to gel-free nails. This is a wax containing a large amount of vitamins, the effect of which is to seal small cracks. To quickly restore the nail plate, you can take an oil bath.

Useful tips for nail care

To keep your hands and nails always looking well-groomed and young, give them regular attention. There are simple procedures that are used in home nail care. When performing them, adhere to the following rules:

• Choose a cream with vitamins A, E, D. Apply it daily before bed, rubbing directly into your nails.
• Don't get your nails done too often. Once every 14 days is enough, using special instruments that must be disinfected before each use.
• Choose a varnish that does not contain acetone, as it leads to deterioration of the nail condition.
• Be sure to apply a transparent base underneath the colored polish to prevent the paint from being absorbed into the nail plate.
• There are special treatment coatings. Use them instead of regular nail polish.
• Be sure to keep an eye on the cuticle: either remove it or move it with an orange stick.
• When performing household work involving water or chemicals, wear rubber gloves after treating your hands with glycerin cream.
• To avoid losing the fatty layer that protects you from the external environment, do not wash your hands with hot water. Be sure to wash off dirt with soap every time after going outside. After all, microbes can remain on your hands, causing the appearance of a harmful fungus, which is very difficult to cure.
• Do not grow very peeling nails; file them regularly with a nail file.
• Use Vaseline for care. Apply the product to your hands and wear gloves. Leave to act for 4 hours.
• Don't bite your nails. This bad habit makes your nails look very unattractive.
• Instead of shellac, use biogel, which will perfectly strengthen your nails. Gel used as a nail care product is very useful. It should be noted that the product is dried without the use of a UV lamp.
• Don't let your hands get chapped; wear gloves. Before going out into the cold, apply protective cream.

You can preserve the beauty of your hands only with the help of competent care. To keep your nails strong and healthy, treat them using properly selected manicure sets.