Nail care tips for your best nails

Pretty nail polish colors are only the icing on the cake, what's most important is what lies below, aka healthy nails. Time to take a break from all those salon manicures and invest in specific products that keep your nails and hands in perfect shape, even without nail polish to pretty them up. You'll be surprised how simple, corrective action can transform brittle, weak nails into things of wonder! Let's get started.Here's how to take care of nails with the best nail care tips:

It all starts with clean hands and nails

Who doesn't like digging into a paratha with their fingers? But do you remember to wash your hands thoroughly playing extra attention to the inner side of your nails? Also, leaving last week's chipped nail polish to simply grow out is an ugly, unkempt and unhealthy habit. To guarantee healthy nails, it's super important to make sure your nails and the skin around them is polish and dirt-free. Always use an acetone-free remover. Then use a gentle, nourishing hand wash on a toothbrush and scrub gently around nails to remove dirt and dead skin cells.

Gently does it

Stay away from sharp, metal tools to clean under the nail because too much digging can cause the nail plate to separate from skin, leaving it prone to fungal infections and an irregular white, arching nail tip. Instead always use an orange stick or glass buffer.

Trim your nails regularly

Allowing your nails to grow out long enough for you to compete in a Guinness record is not going to help your cause. Regular nail trims are as important as hair trims so every fortnight clip them and gentle buff and file them. The best time to trim them is right after a shower when they are sifter and easier to cut. Don't forget to disinfect your tools monthly by washing in a bowl of warm soapy water and drying them afterwards thoroughly.Trim your fingernails by cutting almost straight across the nail.

Keep a nail file handy

All that flitting about, using your hands in a hundred different ways all day, can cause a lot of wear and tear. It's a good idea to keep a nail file handy to smooth away any rough edges as they happen. Never, ever bite off the ragged bits because that can cause tears in your nails and damage the nail bed.

Always use a base coat

Next up in the list of nail beauty tips is coating. Think of it as sunscreen for your nails. Whether or not you plan on applying nail polish, apply a base coat to your nails. Not only does it prevent the nail from getting stained, but it also adds a protective layer to your nails. The Maybelline New York Superstay Primer Protecting Base Coat is just what the doctor ordered for brittle, weak nails. It preps, primes and protects nails and retains the richness of your nail polish color.