Here is some of our best tips to help keep your nails pristine after your appointment.

Whether you’re the type of person who religiously paints their nails as a form of self-care or someone who’s constantly picking and biting at their cuticles, we all yearn for healthy, perfectly manicured nails. Well-groomed nails make you look instantly polished (pun intended!) and can even make hands appear more youthful.

To counteract the effects of extra hand-washing and skipped salon visits, we talked to nail-care experts to find out exactly what you should be doing for your nails.

Our Tips

Keeping your hands and nails clean.

Always ensure to wash your hands after doing tasks. Ensure underneath your nails are grime free. By applying soap to a clean tooth brush or nail brush, then gently scrub nails and surrounding skin and under the tips of your nails.

Prioritize nail health over length

Long nails are elegant, but if you’re someone who has struggled with hangnails or breakage, we recommend that you keep your nails short — at least for period of time as you allow them to grow stronger. A shorter style with rounded edges looks neat and tends to be easier to manage, so you won’t have to subject your nails to extra wear and tear.

Moisturize your hands and nails regularly

Keeping hydrated hands and nails with help prevent hang nails and dry skin, essentially avoiding picking and pulling.

Wear gloves when exposing your hands and nails to water or harsh chemicals

We’ll say it again: Whenever you’re cleaning with harsh chemicals, gardening, or doing anything that involves soaking or dirtying your hands, you need to wear rubber, vinyl, nitrile, or plastic gloves — some of which have a cotton liner. Cleaning dishes in hot, soapy water sans gloves can weaken the nails, while getting them caked with dirt from gardening will require a level of cleaning that you want to avoid wherever possible.

Similarly, when weather is chilly, remember to wear a pair of mittens or gloves so that the cold air and wind don’t undo the hard work you did moisturizing, leaving you with dry, flaky, scaly skin.

Eat a nutrient rich diet

Your fingernails are made of a protein called keratin, so just as with the clarity of your skin or the shine of your hair, you can improve your nails by tweaking your diet. By adding vitamins and supplements like biotin, Vitamin E, and fish oil to your daily regimen, along with protein-rich foods like beans, fish, and nuts. The one thing every expert agrees on: Once you hit on the combination that works for you, you’ll be rewarded with stronger, clearer nails.