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You probably know that the long winter months can be pretty hard on your hair and skin, but did you know that dry, cold weather can wreak havoc with your nails too? Ok, so it’s not entirely winter’s fault – genetics and a poor diet have a part to play in poor nail health as well. However, if you are looking for a way to strengthen your nails and improve their look this season, continue reading to get some essential, esthetic college-approved tips on how you can do it from home!

Olive Oil Isn’t Just For Salads

Esthetic collegeThough you might read this and immediately think of food, any graduate of esthetic school can assure you that there are a wide range of beauty uses for olive oil. It can serve as a hair treatment, an eye-makeup remover, and a nail conditioner – just to name a few. Winter is officially here – and this means that dry, brittle nails are pretty much inevitable – so, you’ll want to stock up on bottles of this green treasure.

A great way to strengthen your nails is to soak them in extra virgin olive oil for ten to fifteen minutes daily. After you’ve done this for one month, you can trim down the treatment to twice a week. Not only will this reduce cracking and peeling, but it’s also not as expensive as most beauty treatments.

Vitamins for Nail Health

Esthetic trainingBetween work, school, family and friends, you might not always have time to prepare nutritious, vitamin-rich meals and snacks every day – and that’s perfectly understandable. There are only so many hours in a day after all. However, all of those vitamins that you’re missing out on can really take a toll on your nails (and the rest of your body, for that matter). To keep your nails strong and healthy, you should be integrating a good balance of calcium, iron, vitamin A, D and B12 into your diet– and this can be accomplished by consuming dairy and meat regularly. Vegans and vegetarians might consider taking a multivitamin supplement daily, just to cover any vitamin or mineral gaps in their diet.

Avoid Constantly Changing Your Polish

As tempting as it may be to rock a new polish colour every day, it can be really damaging to your nails. And, if you haven’t taken any esthetic courses, you might not know that acetone is a main ingredient in most nail polish removers. Because it is a very strong solvent, acetone works perfectly for removing nail lacquer in a flash. However, it’s also powerful enough to remove many of your skin’s natural oils along with that polish – and you need these oils to keep your skin and nails from drying out and cracking! The solution to frail nails caused by acetone is to opt for acetone-free remover, or limit the number of times you use nail polish remover to once or twice a month.

Hydration Is Key

Since the human body is mostly made up of water, it only makes sense that we need a considerable amount for optimal health – right down to our nails.  Drinking lots of water will provide the hydration that dry and damaged nails so desperately need – so don’t forget to drink every last drop of those eight, 8oz glasses a day!

Do you know any other secret tips for stronger, healthier nails?