How to Strengthen and Get Healthier Nails During Winter

Gentle buff your nails first before treating them to this soak.

Besides all the headaches associated with winter, there is another thing to have against this season.  Not only does it dry out the skin more and add static electricity to our hair, it also does a number on nails as far as brittleness is concerned.  Therefore, it’s important to pay extra attention to lubricating your hands and nails often with hand creams and lotions as well as trying this DIY Moisturizing Nail Soak every chance you get.

There are not many ingredients involved or time wasted to benefit from what this winter nail fix can do.  What’s great about this recipe is that it whitens nails somewhat as it returns ample lubrication to dry nails with its simple mix of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, vitamin E 400 I.U. capsule, and lavender essential oil. 

You don’t want to wear any nail polish before you do this.  Allow your nails to breathe every now and then because never giving them a break from nail enamels further contribute to this problem.   

I like to do this soak when I’m watching some television before bedtime.  Before I pop my nails in this aromatic lavender nail soak, I make it a point to gently exfoliate with my nail buffer to smooth any ridges.  You don’t have to use a file like this, but I found it helps the soak penetrate better.

By the time you wake up in the morning, your nails will appear healthier and a bit stronger than before.  

DIY Moisturizing Nail Soak

1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 vitamin E 400 I.U. capsule, pierced
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 drops of lavender essential oil

Mix all the ingredients in a small container that you can soak your nails in comfortably.

Keep your nails in this soak for at least 7-10 minutes.  You won’t be rinsing this mixture off.  Instead, you will be slipping your hands into a pair of cotton gloves for continuing the treatment while you sleep.

Try my recipe and your nails will be grateful!

My DIY Intensive Moisture Cuticle Fix Is What Winter Nails Cry Out for

Your nails will smoother and healthier.

Here is a wonderful kitchen beauty fix that I have been using lately to keep the cuticles in great shape as it softens them and the surrounding skin.  This homemade soak smooths, disinfects, and nourishes with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, pineapple juice, and an egg yolk.  

Just remember, you need to push your cuticles back at least once a week.  Otherwise, you might risk suffocating nail growth.  If you have been wondering why your nails refuse to grow, neglected cuticles could be the reason.  

Winter Cuticle Smoother!

1 egg yolk
1-1/2  teaspoons of olive oil
½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of pineapple juice

Mix all the ingredients in a clean bowl.  

Immerse your nails and plan to soak them in the mixture for about 15 minutes or longer is even better.  (I like to treat my nails while I am watching some television instead of just clocking it to make the time fly by).

When you soaked long enough, wipe your nails because your cuticles will be softer now to push them back with an orange stick.


Do try this simple fix because it does help.

Winter Nail Survival and How to Stop Nail Breakage

Nails need special consideration during winter.

Winter is particularly hard on your nails due to the lack of moisture in the air that can dry them out. Even healthy condition nails are not immune.  The problem is even worse every year that you age since nails also develop a bit more brittleness with each birthday. However, there are some measures you can take to better strengthen your nails.

Changing Your Nail Care to Adjust to Winter Can Keep Them Strong 

Filing and shaping your nails is important, but don’t be fanatical about it.  Too much overdoing at this time of year with how dry the nails can be can weaken them further and cause splitting. 

Your best option is to go with a shorter nail. The longer you keep your nails, the more chance of subjecting them to breakage.  

Besides the nail surface, you also need to take better care of your cuticles now as well since they also are affected by harsh winter weather.  Moisturize your hands and cuticles every chance you get to help counteract the damage and keep them healthy.  After all, they defend the nails against infection.

Habitually moisturize both your hands and cuticles.  You can try hand lotions or creams specially formulated for both hands and cuticles in mind or separate products of hand creams, lotions, and cuticle creams and soaks.

Polishing nails also helps strengthen them in addition to separate strengthening products.  Yet, it is just as crucial to look for products without nail-drying chemicals like toulene and DBP.  Ingredients like acetone can be more brutal for weak nails.

If you don’t have a dishwasher or when doing housework, your nails would thank you if you wore gloves since the ingredients in those products can further weaken nails, especially the ones with antibacterial formulas.  Nonetheless, latex or rubber gloves often are hard to work in.  

What I found that work better is buying a box of surgical gloves at a pharmacy or one online that is latex-free and disposable.  They are about $10-$18 for about 100-120 count.  This type of glove is thinner for easier maneuvering for when doing dishes instead of the bulkier latex gloves.

For additional help in this area, I have two other posts that you should read:


http://nuts4stuff.blogspot.com/2014/02/restore-fragile-nails-with-these.html

http://nuts4stuff.blogspot.com/2014/03/tips-for-growing-and-strengthening-weak.html