Nails:

To keep your nails healthy and looking their best, treat them gently and moisturise them regularly. Take care of them, providing protection from soap and water by wearing lined rubber gloves when at work, for example dishwashing detergent can be very harsh on nails, drying out the natural oils.

Don't abuse your nails by using them as tools to prise things open. Similarly, don't bite or suck your nails as this can cause long-term damage to the nail growth. Remember that any injury to the nails will have to grow out - this takes time...

Do moisturise your nails frequently. Rub your hand lotion into the nails as well and massage down into the cuticles. A few drops of almond oil on a piece of cottonwool rubbed into nails is particularly soothing after the removal of nail varnish. Try not to use nail varnish remover too frequently as it is very drying to the nails and strips them of their natural oils. Also, try and have a week off every six weeks to allow nails to recover and breathe after wearing nail varnish.

Caring for weak nails:

Toughening up weak fingernails can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help you protect and nurture them, making them a little less likely to split or to break.

Try and keep them short and square shaped rather than rounded. This provides 'touch' strength. Brittle nails are easier to trim once they have had a good soak in the bath with oil added to the water. Apply oil or moisturiser after the soak.

Remember to apply moisturiser to your hands and nails each time they are washed or immersed in water.

Weak fingernails can be a challenge to toughen up. If you have weak fingernails, the following tips can help you protect them, making your nails less likely to split or break.

Avoid using nail varnish remover that contains acetone as it is very drying to the nails. Use a nail hardener to give them a chance to grow and repair any tears with nail glue. Prolong the life of your nail varnish by touching up instead of removing and repainting. This allows the nails a chance to gain strength.

Cod liver oil as a dietary supplement can be good for nails, as it is for joints - keeps nails flexible and prevents brittleness.

At the salon, we use two forms of moisturising during your manicure; the first is a wonderful, hot paraffin wax dip for the entire hand. Once immersed the hands are wrapped in soft mittens to allow the warmth and moisture to benefit skin, nails and tissue during relaxation. Thereafter, the nails are dipped in a hand bath containing a mixture of warm water and oil, allowing the cuticles to soften so that excess skin may be gently removed. Nails are then shaped, and finally the finishing varnishes applied.