Natural Nail Care Routine For Foot and Hand

Nail care routine is very important, and if the routine is natural, it is even better. We all yearn for perfect looking, healthy, and beautiful nails; however, getting manicures is not the only option.

 Taking care of nails regularly at home is essential. If you want strong and beautiful natural nails, then you should start following a proper nail care routine.

In this article, we have mentioned some tips and tricks to make your nails healthy at home using minimal effort.

Signs of Healthy Nails:

•  pinkish-white nail plate color
• Cuticles are existent 
• Nails and white tips even in length
• A prominent half-moon-shaped white section at nail base

Signs of Unhealthy Nails:

• Peeling or splitting nails 
• Tiny white spots on nails
• Horizontal grooves 
• Red, swollen skin around nails 
• Spoon-shaped nails 

If your nails are unhealthy, you should consult a dermatologist. This could be a sign of underlying diseases. You can easily tell if you have an issue, and it can help in getting early treatment.

Natural Foot & Hand nail care tips to get beautiful and strong nails:

• Keep hands very clean always

Before starting with any nail care routine at home, it is important to clean the nails and skin around them to make it dirt free. Remove old nail paint using acetone-free nail polish remover.

 To clean under the nails, you can use a toothbrush and soap to scrub gently and exfoliate the dead skin.

• Be gentle with your nails.

Nails and skin around them are very delicate. If you scrub them too roughly, it can expose you to getting infections easily. Using metal tools under the nails is also a big no-no. 

Too much digging can cause the nail plate and skin to separate. This is a very common issue in people who are above 50 years of age. This can also cause white, irregular arching nail tips.

• Clip nails regularly

Clipping nails is a part of a nail care routine. It is important to trim your nails regularly, similar to hair. Clip your nails every two weeks. You can adjust the time based on your nail growth.

• Nail health comes above nail length.

Women love long nails, but not if they are prone to chipping and breaking. Then how to make your nails look good? If your nails break easily, it is best to keep them short. Short nails with round edges look neat and are easy to manage.

While your nails are short, you can focus on building their strength. As long as you keep your nails length and shape uniform, your nails will look naturally beautiful.

• Keep nail filer always closeby

If you regularly work out or go to the gym, it can cause a lot of wear and tear to the nails. This is where nail filers come in handy. Use nail filers to smoothen out the rough edges on the spot. Always work in the same direction to get a smoother finish.

The emery board in your drawer could be the reason your nails snag and peel. Use a glass or crystal nail file. A glass file will create an even and smooth edge and is also safe to use on weak, damaged, and brittle nails.

• Take care of your nail tools.

Just like regular cleaning of makeup brushes, disinfecting, and cleaning nail tools is also important to prevent the growth of bacteria. If you want to keep your nails infection-free and healthy, wash metal nail tools with water and soap and wipe them with rubbing alcohol.

Always dispose of replaceable nail tools regularly. Do not use old and shattered nail tools when you can replace them for a few bucks.

• Do not mess with the cuticles.

Do you want to know how to take care of the cuticles at home? By leaving them alone. Yes, you heard it right. Cuticles are essential; it seals the base area of the nails.

When you remove the cuticles, the protection seal breaks, which makes your nails vulnerable to bacteria and infections. The more you leave the cuticles alone, the healthier your nails will be.

If you still plan on messing with your cuticles, then push them back gently using a wooden orange stick when you get out of the shower. Massage them with a creamy lotion or cuticle oil.

• Basecoat to protect the nails

When doing a manicure at home, don’t skip the base coat to cut corners. The base coat not only prevents the nail from being stained but also makes the color look more saturated in one coat.

If you want to take things up a notch, add a clear gloss coat between every layer to add more shine and protection.

• Read polish labels

Just like makeup products, every nail polish brand is different. Always read the product label before buying to make sure you are buying only good.

Stay away from polishes that contain toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate. These chemicals make the nails brittle and cause cracking and splitting.

• Use topcoat on nails

Don’t avoid applying a top coat on your nails. This step is also important. It seals the top coat of nail polish and also adds a glossy finish to the nails. 

Add a new topcoat layer every three days to minimize chipping to get the most of your manicure. After all, what is the point of spending so much time in a manicure if it won’t last a day?

• Minimal gel or acrylic treatments

If you want nice and beautiful natural nails, then try to stay away for gel or acrylic nail treatments as much as possible. No doubt, they are long-lasting, but they can be very hard for your nail health.

If you like gel nails so much, try to follow these tips to minimize the damage to your hand & foot nails.

• When you get gel manicures or pedicures, your nails are exposed to UV light to dry the nails, which can damage the skin underneath the nails and around the nails. This increases the risk of cancer. Make sure you apply sunscreen before getting the manicure. This will block the UV damage and shield your hands from the rays.

• Give your nails some break.

Save those bold colors, nail art, and pigments for the weekends. Give your nails some break during the weekdays and help them repair. 

Regularly changing polish color without giving a break in between can make your nails yellow and weak in the long run. Nail polish removers can also make your nails weak.

Sometimes a natural nail care routine at home and giving your nails some time to heal and repair is the best thing you can do.

• Moisturize the nails regularly 

Moisturizing the face even at night is a part of your skincare routine, then why not pay similar attention to nails—mix avocado oil and almond oil to keep your nails and cuticles hydrated.

 If you don’t have these oils, you can also use any good moisturizer or nutrient-rich oil. Even a lip balm will do. 

• Always wear gloves when doing the dishes.

When you are gardening or cleaning with harsh chemicals or anything involving soaking your hands in the dirt, always wear gloves. You can choose any material gloves, be it rubber, nitrite, vinyl or plastic.

Cleaning dishes in soapy water can make your nails weak, while gardening can make your nails exposed to infections. Similarly, during colder months, make sure to wear woolen gloves to protect your nails from chilly winds. Chilly winds can make your nails dry, flaky, and the skin around the nails scaly.

• Eat protein-rich food

Our fingernails are made up of a protein called Keratin. So you can improve your nail health by eating the right food, just like the way you do for your skin and hair.

Add vitamins, proteins, and supplements like biotin, fish oil, and vitamin E to your diet along with nuts, beans, and fish.

Find out the combination that works for you, and once you do, you will be rewarded with healthy, strong, and clear nails.

Final words:

Healthy and beautiful nails are desired by all. But only a few people follow the proper nail care routine. Regular gel nail treatments and lack of care can make your nails weak, damaged, and brittle.

It is important to pay close attention to your nail health and follow natural nail care methods to repair them. The tips mentioned above will prevent your nails from damage. A healthy diet and proper care will make them look beautiful and make them strong from within.