Nothing feels greater than a fresh manicure; you literally feel polished! Nail polish makes you feel like you’ve got your ducks in a row and that you’re taking care of every inch of your body.
Nail polish makes you feel pampered! It makes you feel confident even if you were wearing a simple shirt and have your hair in a bun.
However, all of this confidence and elegance come with a price to pay: The health of your nails. Nail polish contains toxic components that we would not even know how to spell.
The continuous application of these poisonous substances will dry out your nails and potentially lead to breakage. Not only that, but the frequent use of nail polish can lead to nail discoloration and overall weakness of the nails.
If you believe that being polished is a crucial part of your beauty routine and you don’t want to let it go, then you have to do it the right way. Below are our tips for decreasing the side effects of wearing nail polish all the time.
1- Look For Non-toxic Alternatives
The world of beauty has revolved rapidly; there is always a “cleaner” alternative for every product out there. In fact, the substances we apply to our nails are absorbed by our bodies.
So who knows what are the long-term side effects of wearing nail polish? Some studies have linked the frequent application of nail polish with a damaged nervous system.
That being said, there are plenty of safer options of nail polish that you can consider. The formula of these options is free of toxins and it’s considered safe to use, even for pregnant women!
If you want to look for safer alternatives, you should consider looking for the words “three-free”; it means that the product does not include the three toxic components of formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate.
2- Let ‘Em Breathe!
Give your nails a rest from time to time. Your nails need a break between manis and pedis! Give them a chance to rebuild themselves.
If you have rough white patches on your nails, it’s time to let ‘em breathe. If your cuticles look dehydrated, it’s also time for a break. Dry and brittle nails are also a sign of nail damage and it means that you should give your nails a chance to breathe.
During this time off, it’s a good idea to moisturize your nails with nail oils and serums and resist the urge to pick at your cuticles- yes, we can see you!
3- Properly Care For Your Nails
Properly caring for your nails means that you don’t remove the polish without the right tools…and yes, peeling the nail polish with your other nails is forbidden!
This also means that it’s not a good idea to vigorously bite your nails because your mouth has bacteria that could cause inflammation, and the biting would traumatize the skin around your nails, and you would be damaging the fingernails. Not to mention, you will be consuming potentially toxic substances!
Properly caring for your nails also means that you don’t soak your nails in acetone for a long period of time. In fact, it is preferred to not use acetone-based products and opt to use soy-based products to remove nail polish. It’s also good to remember that base-coat is your best friend; never apply nail polish without applying a base-coat at first.
4- It Starts From Within
Just like any other part of your body, your fingernails require nutrition to stay healthy and grow stronger and longer! Proteins and omega-3 fatty acids are crucial to maintaining the health of your nails. Did you know that your nails are mainly made of proteins, specifically keratin?
Moreover, it doesn’t hurt to take a multivitamin that would enhance your nails’ health. There are tons of options out there that give you strong and healthy nails. When buying a multivitamin for your nail, look for something that contains “biotin” or fish oil.
We do not need to remind you to practice good nail hygiene. This means that you regularly clean your clippers and scissors, or any other nail tool that you may use. It’s also better to use sharp tools rather than dull ones because dull ones might cause breakage.
5- Choose Your Nail Salon Wisely
The first thing you need to take into consideration is the sanitation quality. Do the specialists there disinfect their tools before and after each client?
Do they properly clean their hands whenever needed? Do they throw away disposable products that are meant to be used only once? You definitely don’t want to get fungus under your nails from another client!
Another thing to take into consideration is how they treat their customers. How do they welcome their customers?
Are the customers acknowledged and treated with respect? You don’t want to go to a loud salon where no one welcomes you and the receptionist is just sitting there chewing gum and scrolling through Instagram,
You might want to check their social media platforms and go over their reviews, just to see if there is anything sketchy going on there. Reading other people’s reviews can be relieving because they are people just like you and their opinions matter in this area! This way, you can get a feel of the overall vibe and you can go there with confidence.
You also want to make sure that they provide the beauty service that you’re looking for and the cost of each service.
Moreover, it’s a good idea to check out the licensing possessed by these technicians. The license should be hung on the wall and you should be able to see it when you walk into the nail salon; if you can’t see the license, walk out of that door!