Here, the 11 best (and research-backed) tips to help you get longer and stronger nails: This is why most natural or clean-leaning experts would tell you to avoid them, says Nadine Abramcyk, co-founder of clean salon tenoverten, as formaldehyde is a potentially dangerous ingredient. Now there are plenty of plant-based options that use ingredients like vitamin E, olive oil, garlic, and tea tree to feed the nail nutrients, rather than superficially strengthening it. One study found that when patients took collagen daily for 24 weeks, their nail health was better maintained1, including faster growth rates, reduced breakage, and improved appearance.* The same goes for biotin, a form of vitamin B that is often used in hair growth supplements.* Biotin has been shown to support thickness and firmness of nails2.* If nail growth is a regular issue for you, collagen supplementation may help.* For more supplement suggestions, checkout our nail vitamin roundup. Traditional hand sanitizers are very drying to your skin. (You can thank the high alcohol content, which is often north of 90%.) Alcohol in skin care of any kind is very drying, and it’s often an ingredient we are told to avoid by dermatologists if you have any sensitive skin woes. “Alcohol, the active ingredient in most sanitizers, will dry out your hands and strip the skin of its natural barrier,” says board-certified dermatologist Jeanine Downie, M.D. If your nails are consistently brittle, consider switching to a non-alcohol-based option or just apply hand moisturizers more regularly. Wear gloves while doing the dishes, and try to keep them dry when possible. Some common natural cleaning agents—like soap, vinegar, and lemon extract for example—are often drying and can be harsh for the hands and nails. You can also develop skin cancer under the nail. As for protection, most colored nail polishes will act as a physical barrier to UV damage, but you can find clear or nude polish with UV protection (it will indicate so on the label). The most common deficiencies are iron, vitamin B7, B12, magnesium, and proteins. Of course, changing your diet won’t be an immediate fix, it will help your nails over time. If you suspect a deficiency might be the cause of your brittle nails, see a doctor to get tested. “Your environment affects all parts of your body, so of course it will affect your skin. But the winter is drier, so that’s when we need to focus on adding moisture, preventing water loss, and making sure the skin barrier is supported, as it becomes easily compromised when it’s dry,” says board-certified dermatologist Howard Murad, M.D. While you can’t control the weather, be sure to wear warm gloves or mittens when outdoors as not to expose them to the elements. “[Picking] can damage the nail beds and matrix, which causes permanent indentations in the middle of your fingernails,” says Amy Wechsler, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and psychiatrist, who recommends applying a cuticle oil regularly—at least once a day. Barr agrees: “The matrix is the part of the nail that constantly produces new keratin at the nail plate and slowly pushes the nail forward causing it to grow. Damage to this part of the nail can interfere with growth.” If applying a daily cuticle oil seems like an arduous extra step, don’t worry: You don’t need a special oil for this. You can keep your cuticles hydrated with a variety of oils, like olive, coconut, or sweet almond. (A lot of things you can find in the kitchen can be beneficial to cuticle health.) And then just remember to rub the oil into the cuticles when you are applying your full-body moisturizer, as usual. Instead, opt for a gentle, natural chemical exfoliator. Research suggests that glycolic acid can help with restoring nail strength4. It’s a common skin care ingredient—in peels, pads, or serums—so simply rub it in your nails once a week.
