An original manicure on well-groomed nails is not only fashionable, but beautiful and sophisticated. However, there are reasons due to which the nail plates become thinner, become brittle and dull.
Decorative varnish briefly masks visible problems, while exacerbating them even more.
There are many effective ways to strengthen nails: from beauty salon procedures to folk recipes and methods.
Having learned the most popular recipes, it becomes clear how to strengthen your nails. It turns out that it is not difficult to do this at home.
Fortifying nail polish
Many cosmetic companies engaged in the production of decorative manicure products are also developing a line of care products whose action is aimed at strengthening the nail plate. Such medicinal products are presented in the form of colorless varnish.
This liquid can be applied as a standalone product when nails need a break from permanent manicure or as a base for decorative varnish.
Cosmetologists recommend paying attention to such well-proven strengthening varnishes:
- Calcium Shield from ORLY;
- "Bend Don't Break" by Jessica;
- "Diamond Strength" by Sally Hansen;
- "Nail Envy" by OPI.
They include plasticizers that create a protective layer on the nail plate, providing external reinforcement. Vitamin complexes, calcium, wheat proteins are designed to treat the nail from the inside. These substances penetrate into the deep layers of the plate and improve its structure.
The firming treatment is simple:
- wash your hands thoroughly;
- treat the marigolds with a liquid for degreasing (a liquid for removing nail polish is suitable, but in no case containing acetone);
- then a medical varnish is applied to the nail plates.
It is enough to make 1 layer. You do not need to use the product every day, apply it 2-3 times a week.
Simple recipes with vitamins
The nail plates react sharply to the lack of vitamins in the body, this is manifested by their stratification. Therefore, before strengthening nails at home with the help of external agents, it is necessary to take a course of vitamins, for example, "Complivit".
Vitamin preparations can also be used as an external remedy. To do this, the contents of the capsule of the vitamin complex "Aevit" (or mix the liquid from the capsules of vitamins "E" and "A") are rubbed into the nail plate. This can be done with a cotton pad, cotton swab, or fingers.
Such procedures are carried out every day, preferably in the evenings. The product is removed from the nails, it should be left overnight.
Pharmacy vitamin products can be successfully replaced with natural products rich in vitamins "A" and "E". For this, freshly squeezed juice of berries and vegetables is suitable. For example, a large amount of vitamin "A" is found in carrots, viburnum, and vitamin "E" - in sea buckthorn, rose hips, spinach.
In this case, the vitamin remedy will have to be washed off after 15-20 minutes, since these products leave marks on the skin.
Massage with vitamins "A" and "E"
The application of liquid vitamins to the nails is best combined with massage.
Moisten the pads of the fingers of one hand in a vitamin composition and process the nails on the other hand with gentle circular movements and soft pats. In this case, one should act not only on the plate, but also on the skin around it.
During the massage, the blood supply in the treated area is accelerated, the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the plate increases, which are necessary for the health of nails.
Rubbing also leads to an increase in the temperature of the problem area of the body and warming up of the applied product, and this ensures the quickest penetration of active ingredients under the skin and into the cuticles.
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When asked how to effectively strengthen nails at home, experts answer: "One of the best remedies is nutritious baths."
They are made from water or other liquids with the addition of useful components. The best time for the procedure is evening. The bath will take about half an hour until the liquid has cooled. But initially it should be comfortably warm, not hot.
At the end, hands should be rinsed with clean water and lubricated with a nourishing cream. Cosmetologists advise wearing thin cotton gloves after bathing at night.
This method of recovery, regardless of the composition of the bath, is carried out in a course - 20 days, then it is necessary to take a break of the same duration, and, if necessary, repeat the course.
Salt baths
For such baths, sea salt is used. This product is rich in minerals essential for nails. But salt should be taken natural, without dyes and flavorings.
For a salt bath you will need:
- Sea salt - 4 tablespoons;
- Warm water - 2 cups.
The salt does not need to be completely dissolved in water. You can rub small crystals with your hands while taking the bath, this will be an additional scrubbing effect. The procedure takes 15 minutes.
Firming Salt and Iodine Bath
It is no coincidence that many people note the fact that after a vacation at sea, the condition of the nails improves significantly. They do not exfoliate, they grow faster, they become strong. So they are positively influenced by 2 main marine components - iodine and salt.
You can also organize a kind of "vacation" for your marigolds at home. To do this, take a bath with iodine and salt for 15 minutes.
For her you need to take 2 glasses of warm water, 2 tablespoons. sea salt and 5 drops of iodine. Iodine should not be added in large quantities, the solution should only be slightly colored. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting a cuticle burn.
Bath with iodine and orange juice
There is another type of iodine bath when this drug is mixed with orange juice.
Lack of iodine in the human body negatively affects the condition of hair and nails. Therefore, if the level of this chemical element in the blood is lowered, it is necessary to include in the diet foods rich in iodine.
Orange juice has a unique composition, which includes vitamins "A", "B", "K", "E", "C", as well as amino acids and minerals, among which calcium, zinc, phosphorus are especially relevant for nails.
Baths with an alcoholic solution of iodine, enriched with freshly squeezed orange juice, will be useful for strengthening the nail plates.
To prepare a remedy, you need to mix 5-7 drops of iodine with 1 glass of juice, previously slightly warmed up in a water bath.
Apply a mixture of orange juice with iodine and as an ointment for nails. To do this, both ingredients are combined in equal proportions (10 drops each) and gently applied with a cotton swab to the nail plate. Cuticles must not be touched.
Such sessions are held once a week, before bedtime. The solution does not need to be washed off, it will be absorbed overnight and by the morning the nails will have a natural color.
Strengthening nails with wine
There is such an exotic way to strengthen nails at home, like wine baths.
For these purposes, natural white or red wines are used, and there is no need to save on the quality of the alcoholic product. The drinks contain:
- Polyphenols;
- Tannins;
- Pectins;
- Flavonoids;
- Phenols;
- Tannins;
- Proteins;
- Fats;
- Fructose;
- Alcohol.
Wines used as baths have good warming properties, they nourish, moisturize the nail plate, and activate the recovery processes. 200 g of the drink should be warmed up to 36-38 degrees and your fingers should be kept in the liquid for 25-30 minutes.
You can also mix wines with other useful ingredients: add 1 tbsp to red. sea salt, in white - 1 tbsp. butter or honey.
1 session will not bring a visible improvement in the condition of the nails; baths with wine should be done regularly for 10-15 days.
Green tea baths
Since ancient times, green tea has been used in oriental medicine not only as a tonic drink, but also as an external remedy.
The presence of a large amount of tannin, essential oils, minerals, amino acids in the product endows it with nourishing, rejuvenating and disinfecting properties.
To prepare a bath, you need 2 tablespoons. Pour 0.5 liters of hot water over dried green tea leaves and let it brew. When the tea leaves have cooled down to the required comfortable temperature, it should be filtered and used as directed until the liquid has cooled completely.
To enhance the therapeutic effect, it is permissible to add honey, lemon juice, olive oil, liquid vitamins to the tea leaves.
Herbal bath to strengthen and nourish nails
Infusions and decoctions of herbal herbs are an excellent tool for improving nails. Herbal baths not only moisturize and nourish the nail plates, but also strengthen them, relieve delamination and brittleness.
To prepare the infusion, a medicinal collection from any herbs is used: St. John's wort, plantain, calendula, nettle. But the most relevant for solving these problems are burdock root and chamomile.
The herb is brewed both dried and fresh. 3-4 tbsp Pour 300 ml of boiling water over the crushed raw materials, close the lid and leave for 1 hour. Strain before the procedure.
You can prepare an infusion for several procedures by increasing the amount of ingredients. In this case, the liquid should be warmed up before use.
The broth is prepared according to the same recipe, only the grass is dipped in boiling water, and cooked for 4-5 minutes, after which it cools.
Gelatin bath for loose nails
Gelatin is widely used in independent cosmetic procedures, it is included in the composition of masks for the skin, gelatinous lamination of hair and eyelashes is done. At home, you can use this product to strengthen your nails, using as a bath.
Recipe:
- Hot water (not boiling water!) - 1 tbsp.;
- Colorless food gelatin - 1 tsp
Gently dissolve gelatin in the liquid and leave the mixture to cool, stirring it periodically. If desired, you can add a few drops of liquid vitamin "E" or "A" to the solution. The procedure takes 20-30 minutes. At the end, hands should be rinsed with warm water without using soap.
Such sessions are organized every other day for a month.Gelatin forms a thin but rather strong film on the surface of the nail plates.
Thus, the nails, being in a protective "case", are not only protected from the harmful effects of external factors, but they are strengthened and become denser and more elastic, shine returns to them. Therefore, such baths are especially recommended for weakened nails.
Bath with olive oil, honey and egg
For dry and brittle nails, baths with vegetable oils are useful. Prolonged exposure to varnishes, the use of liquids with acetone dries the nail plate.
Rich in minerals and fatty acids, olive oil provides the nails with the necessary hydration and retains them.
Honey and eggs are the most popular products in folk recipes for beauty treatments. Since these natural remedies have a unique chemical composition, which gives the human body the necessary nutrition and health.
Protein, polyunsaturated acids, vitamins, minerals, which are the basis of eggs and honey, are good for nails.
A bath of these components is taken 3 times a week for 30 minutes. The course is 15-20 days.
How to prepare the product? Beat the egg lightly and combine with 1 tbsp. liquid honey and 2 tbsp. olive oil, mix thoroughly.
You can add a few drops of jojoba, avocado, grape seed essential oils to the bath.
Masks for strengthening nails
To increase the effect of treatment of weakened nails, the baths can be alternated with masks made from natural products.
It is also advisable to carry out such procedures in the evenings, since some masks may not be washed off, leaving them on the nails until morning.
Lemon mask
This mask does not require any prior preparation. You only need 1 lemon, which needs to be cut in half. And then immerse your nails in each half, and hold it for 10 minutes.
After the allotted time, hands should be rinsed with water and applied with a fat cream or greased with oil, for example, peach, almond.
This "mask" moisturizes and whitens the nail plates, slows down the growth of the cuticle.
But if there are burrs, cracks on the fingers, the lemon remedy cannot be used, it will cause pain.
Olive oil and lemon juice mask
The next recipe is similar to the previous one, as you will need lemon and oil to prepare it. But the action of such a mask is less aggressive, because lemon juice will be applied to the nails, diluted in equal proportions with warmed olive oily liquid.
And even the presence of wounds on the skin will not be an obstacle to the use of the composition, in this case it can be carefully applied to the nail plate.
If desired the mask can be removed after 20 minutes... But it is better to leave the product overnight, while wearing cotton gloves on your hands.
The effect will be noticeable after several procedures: the nails will stop flaking, they become smoother, pinker and shinier.
Natural wax healing mask
Cosmetologists advise using Japanese medical manicure to strengthen nails.
It can be easily done at home, and it is nothing more than the application of wax to the nail plates.
This technique is sometimes called wax sealing. To carry out the procedure, you need to buy beeswax or cosmetic paraffin.
For one session, you need a small amount of wax (1 tsp), it should be melted in a water bath. When the product becomes soft and pliable, rub it in, polishing each nail.
Also, 2-3 drops of vegetable oil and ½ tsp can be injected into a liquid wax mass. honey, mix thoroughly and until the mask begins to harden, it is applied to the nail plates.
Ideally, the wax is left on overnight, but if this option seems inconvenient, it can be removed after 2-3 hours.
Essential oil mask
To restore nails after constant extension and manicure, they are treated with a mixture of essential oils.
A remedy is being prepared according to the following scheme: to 2 tbsp. base oils (it can be olive, flaxseed, apricot, sea buckthorn oil) add 1-2 drops of oil ethers.
It is best to use oils to strengthen the nail plates:
- Bergamot;
- Rosemary;
- Tea tree;
- Sandal;
- Ylang-ylang.
Bergamot whitens nails, and tea tree oily liquid has antifungal properties.
If there are white dots and spots on the nails, it is recommended to add 1-2 drops of liquid vitamins "E" and "A" to the mask.
The mixture prepared according to this recipe is enough for the entire course. Before use, the product must be warmed up, applied every day and not washed off.
Mask with oils and honey
Honey, liquid or melted in a water bath, can be added to the warm oil mixture. This mass is more viscous and sticky than in the previous recipe. Therefore, it is not left on the nails for a long time.
The main rule here is that the mixture is not washed off, but removed with light touches of paper napkins.
With red pepper and cream
Another option for strengthening nails is a mixture of nourishing cream and ground red pepper. Prepare "burning potion" in this way: ½ tsp. pepper is combined with a little water to form a paste and then mixed with a fat cream.
It is often not recommended to use such a mask, it is enough 1-2 times a month.
What is its effect? In this case, the spice serves as an irritant causing increased blood supply, and this ensures the speedy absorption of the beneficial components of the cream into the layers of the nail and epidermis.
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Cosmetologists recommend changing the care product every 3-4 months, explaining that the cells of the nails and skin adapt to the action of the same products and stop responding to them.
High-quality professional creams are not cheap, but you can make a useful medicinal composition yourself at home.
Ointment with calendula oil, yolk and beeswax
The advantage of homemade ointments is that they contain only natural products, without preservatives and chemical flavors. For this recipe you will need:
- Beeswax - 1 tablespoon
- 1 egg yolk
- Calendula oil - ½ tsp
Hard boil the egg, remove the yolk and grind it thoroughly. Add the yolk mass and butter to the melted wax, mix until smooth.
Even the hardened composition will have a pleasant plastic texture that is easy to apply. It is necessary to rub the ointment in circular massage movements, treating the surface of the nail and cuticle.
The product nourishes and protects the nail plate.
Aloe juice cream
For the manufacture of homemade cream, products with a dense consistency are taken as a basis - wax, pork fat, ghee. Other beneficial ingredients are added to the main ingredient.
An indisputable plus of home remedies is that the recipe can include additives according to individual preferences and capabilities, it can be honey, essential oil, liquid vitamins.
Aloe juice cream recipe
For course use, it is enough to mix 1 tbsp. melted wax, 0.5 tbsp. lanolin and 0.5 tbsp. freshly squeezed aloe juice. All products are thoroughly mixed.
This cream is used for hands and nails every day.
You need to store the product in the refrigerator, but no more than 10-12 days.
The composition perfectly moisturizes the nail plates, activates their growth.
Strengthening nails with onion peels
Onion peels are an ancient remedy used to heal skin and hair. Will it be good for your nails? It turns out, yes. The raw materials include:
- Phytoncides;
- Carotene;
- Quercetin;
- Mineral salts;
- Vitamins "E", "C", "PP", group B.
All the elements are necessary for the body, vitamins and carotene are especially important for the nail plates - a natural protein - the "builder" of hair, eyelashes, nails.
Onion peel products can be prepared in 2 ways:
- In the form of decoctions and tinctures for nourishing baths
(A pinch of husk is poured over with hot water and infused for 1 hour);
- As oil
(Pour onion skins with vegetable oil and place in a cool dark place for 10 days).
Onion baths are used 2-3 times a week for 1 month, and weakened nails and cuticles are lubricated with oil once a week until recovery.
For the convenience of their use, it is recommended to draw up an individual program of how to strengthen nails at home from the list of caring and health-improving means, which indicates on which days the baths are taken, on which masks.
How to strengthen nails at home: video
Tips on how to strengthen your nails at home:
3 recipes for strengthening your nails at home:
While the treatment course is being carried out, do not apply decorative varnish to the nails. It is necessary to diversify the diet, and all household work, using detergents, should be done with gloves.