Manicure is definitely the best way to make nails look better. To make it possible, though, your nails must be strong and healthy. This is what makes the correct day-to-day nail care so big. See how to care for the nails to prime them for mani.

Many people think that nail care doesn’t make any sense because nails are… dead. Just like hair. Still, let’s remember that the nail grows out of the living matrix which needs enhancement and gentleness. If you don’t provide it with the essential ingredients (vitamins, minerals, proteins), your nails will be thin, brittle and split. How to avoid ruined nails then?

First things first: nail-strengthening diet

The buzz phrase you are what you eat doesn’t sound convincing when we think about nails. However, the truth is that your nails take nutrients from foods you eat. There’s a simple rule: if you eat a poor diet which isn’t varied, your nails are under-nourished, limp and thin.

Thankfully, you can change that by incorporating products rich in mineral salts, essential vitamins and phytosterols into the menu. The richest foods include vegetables, fruit and wheat products but also foods high in healthy omega acids like oils, fish, nuts.

Note! Making diet changes doesn’t give instant results. If your nails are brittle and thin, they need time to absorb the nutrients from food and grow stronger.

Nourish your nails naturally: oils for better nails

Healthy diet is just one of the elements making up stunning nails. To reinforce them, you also need to get equipped in suitable conditioning products. Before you get some professional treatments and cosmetics, it’s good to try natural nail strengtheners. Oils are unbeatable – rich in EFAs (essential fatty acids), vitamins and minerals.

Nail-care oils that speed up repair, strengthen and condition after just several uses:

  • argan nut oil
  • castor oil
  • natural shea butter

Use suitable products: nail conditioner

If you need a pro product or simply prefer readymade solutions, try nail conditioners. The one without synthetics will give you the desired effect for sure. Regular application of a nail conditioner:

  • repairs and strengthens the nail plates.
  • speeds up the natural growth process.
  • prevents nail breakage and splitting.
  • smoothes, adds shine, conditions.
  • primes nails for manicure.

Nail conditioner is a good remedy since it’s often enriched with ingredients like kreatin or vitamin E – substances that strengthen the nails and make them more resistant.

Extra thing to do: treat your nails gently

Last of all, we must remind you that nails – like hair and skin – don’t like being treated harshly. In practice this means gentle care: use acetone-free polish remover, choose attested nail polishes, don’t bite your nails, protect the nail plate against damage and chemicals e.g. detergents.

So, if you ask how to prime the nails for manicure, we say: first make sure they’re healthy and strong. There is no mani that looks good on thin, short, dull nails.