A Low-Toxic Guide to Strong, Healthy Nails

Dos:

01. It all begins with your diet.

First things first, a healthy diet is vital for strong, healthy nails. Just like your skin & your hair, it all begins from the inside out. Incorporate a lot of healthy nutrients, vitamins, proteins, & lots of water in your diet if you have not already. If you have unhealthy nails, that can be a representation of what your diet may be lacking.

02. Replace your single-use nail file.

Disposable nail files are very rough on your nails. Even though they leave your nails looking perfectly shaped, it could cause your nails to be more sensitive & prone to breakage. Secondly, paper or cardboard nail files cannot be cleaned, making them the perfect home for bacteria to harbor & grow. Bacteria that you can pass on to your nails over & over again. Lastly, they are terrible for the environment. Anything that is single use & disposable is not a sustainable choice. The best alternative to a disposable nail file would be a glass nail file that can be easily cleaned with soap & water & are gentle on your nails. & let’s not forget that glass nail files can be kept forever.

03. Rethink your nail polish.

The most sustainable option when it comes to nail polish, it’s to not wear any since nail polish is plastic. But if you do, do not run to your nearby store for just any nail polish. Look for nail polishes that are sustainable, vegan & cruelty free, gluten-free, & free of toxins. Some companies create nail polishes that are labeled with 8-Free or 7-Free Formulas. This means that those polishes are free from harsh chemicals such as formaldehyde, phthalate, or phosphate. Chemicals that are toxic for your nails, hands, & specifically to your lungs. Though nail polish is not fully sustainable, making these purchasing choices will alleviate some of the environmental damage.

Since we’re in the topic of nail polishes, it is time to ditch those glitter nail polishes. Glitter is just a bunch of colorful sheets of microplastics that are made of a combination of polyester, aluminum, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), & other synthetic materials. Every time your polish chips, it ends up in our soil & our waters as microplastics. Even when you remove the polish with a cotton pad or tissue, that item will not biodegrade because of the melted plastic on it.

04. No more acetone nail polish remover.

We all have been taught that acetone nail polish remover is the finest choice for removing nail polish. But that is incorrect. However, the best alternative options are not a DIY nor lemongrass essential oil which both have been popularized on social media & on YouTube. These can be obnoxiously time consuming & tedious.

Lemongrass essential oil is an abrasive oil that should be used with a carrier oil only & it is not hypoallergenic. Lemongrass stains & creates harsh ridges on your nails. Besides, most DIYs have been found to not work.

Alternatively, you would want to use a soy-based nail polish remover. While acetone leaves your nails & the surrounding skin dehydrated & irritates your lungs, a soy-based nail polish remover leaves your nails moisturized & is non-toxic.

05. Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!

Just like your skin & hair, your nails need moisturize as well. Using a cuticle & nail moisturizing oil keeps your nails & the surrounding skin moisturized which prevents them from being susceptible to breakage & brittleness due to dehydration.  

Every time you are exposed to water, especially after you shower & every single time you wash your hands, you should moisturize your hands & feet. When you get your nails done, Jojoba Oil & Vitamin E Oil are perfect alternatives as cuticle oils. Both Jojoba oil & Vitamin E Oil moisturizes & nourishes nails promoting strong, healthy nails. If you do have damaged nails, Jojoba Oil has anti-fungal properties as well making it perfect medicine to damaged nail beds.

06. Keep your nails at a length that is cohesive to your lifestyle.

Be mindful of what type of lifestyle you are living before making any drastic changes to your manicure or pedicure. The nails you choose might not make sense if you use your fingers very frequently. You could be exposing them to frequent breakage which could be harmful for your nail beds.

Don’ts:

01. Leave your cuticles alone.

Please stop picking at your cuticles! There is no need to push them back or cut them. As a matter of fact, there is no scientific data that proves that cleaning underneath your cuticle bed, elongating your nails, or removing that “excess” skin is beneficial. As a matter of fact, the complete opposite. It can be very detrimental to your nails.

The coating of the skin that borders the bottom of your nails is not to be picked, it’s there as a protective layer. It’s there to prevent bacteria & moisture from entering & building up. When you remove it, you expose your nails to unwanted germs & infections.  

02. Avoid nail clippers.

Just like disposable nail files, nail clippers are too rough on your nails. They can create damage that is invisible to the naked eye like breakage & peeling. It is preferred that you file your nails down with a glass nail file instead for a healthier & cleaner result.

Pro Tip: Never file your nails back & forth, always file your nails in one singular, smooth motion. Filing back & forth weakens your nails because you are swaying the entire nails. For healthy nails, file fluidly so your do not cause peeling.

03. Do not peel off your nail polish.

Has anyone told you, you should not peel off your nail polish? Improper removal of nail polish or any other products on your nails can cause a lot of damage. When you remove anything off your nails, you are also removing layers off your nail bed with it. That is why sometimes you will notice that they become thin & weak after you do so. So, be gentle & patient with your beautiful nails.

04.Your nails are NOT tools.

You must always protect your nails at all costs. This means that you should not be using your nails to do things like cutting open boxes or envelopes, opening cans, or even picking at your teeth as if they were a floss pick. Even using your nails to shampoo your hair can be damaging. Using your nails as tools can lead to peeling & breakage. Rather, use additional tools to prevent you from using your own nails. Tools like a ceramic box cutter, a keychain bottle opener, or even a scalp massager shampoo brush.

05. Ignore marketing gimmicks.

Nail hardeners & strengtheners can cause more harm than they are leading on. If you are following along with these Dos & Don’ts then you will naturally & organically see that your nails become stronger & healthier without the need of any further assistance from marketing gimmicks.

The problem with hardeners & strengtheners is that they are made with toxic ingredients to create the illusion of “hardening” or “strengthening”. Ingredients that include formaldehyde which is a known irritant & linked to causing various cancers. Don’t fall for these mass produced products marketed to you as a “fix”.

06. Do not buff out the top of your nails.

Go ahead & throw out your single use nail buffers alongside those cardboard nail files. You do not need them. Just like disposable nail files, they are terrible for the environment, they cannot be cleaned, & they harbor bacteria. But we would like to know, what is its purpose anyway?

When you buff down your nails, you are actually thinning out your nail plates by removing layers & layers of your nails. Thin nails are very weak which means you consistently deal with breakage. If you are trying to remove the ridges of your nails, they are probably there as a result of your manicure routine. Healthy nails do not have these deep ridges that nail buffer are supposed to smooth out.

07. Do not soak your nails.

If you’re soaking your nails in acetone, alcohol, soaps, or any other products that contain harsh chemicals, those harsh chemicals will be absorbed into your nails or hand which can possibly cause permanent damage.

Especially if you’re soaking in water. Water can dehydrate & break down your nail beds making them brittle & weak. Water can even stunt the growth of your nails. When they get wet, they inflate & when they are dried, they deflate.