Take a look at your nails and you should be able to tell if they are healthy and well-maintained. Even with a nail polish on top of the surface, the shape and condition of the nail bed and ridges tell a lot of stories about the health of your nails. You can’t expect to have beautiful-looking nails without keeping them healthy in the first place.

Healthier nails are actually easier to get (and maintain) than you think. With simple treatments, you can keep your nails healthy and beautiful rather easily. We are going to discuss the top 5 tips and tricks you can use to get healthier nails in this article.

Cleanliness First

Keeping the nails and the area around them clean is the first and most important tip to keep in mind. Dirt, excess moisture, and other substances trapped on the edges or near the cuticle are often the source of fungi buildup and other common nail problems.

Aside from washing your hands and nails thoroughly, you want to remote remnants of nail polish as well as dirt and other substances using the right tools for the job. A soft toothbrush and soap are often more than enough for the job. Try to stick with acetone-free polish remover whenever possible.

Don’t forget to stay gentle when cleaning the nails. When cleaning using a soft toothbrush, scrub gently and don’t overdo it. Scrubbing too roughly can damage the outer layer of the nails and the skin around them; this could lead to issues such as the nails turning yellow. Complete your cleaning routine by trimming the edges to keep them tidy.

Add Moisturizer

Your nails need to stay moisturized as much as your skin; this is the one healthy nail maintenance tip that many often neglect to pay attention to. There are a lot of products designed to moisturize the nails, but you can also use any skin moisturizer to get the job done.

Apply a thin layer of moisturizer and leave no excess moisturizer cream around the edges of the nails. Make sure you apply the moisturizer to the cuticles too so that you have a beautiful set of nails that is also very healthy.

Switch to Dip Powder

Nail polish is great for accentuating your nails, adding a protective layer to them, and for spicing up your look altogether. However, most nail polish products contain ingredients that can dry out your nails when used in the long run. For a healthier nail, it is time to make the switch to dip powder.

Professionals have been using dip powder for a long time. New lines of products designed for consumers are starting to hit the market, offering all the gorgeous colours – more than 200 of them – and plenty of other benefits to customers.

Since you don’t need a primer and you get the benefits of calcium and vitamin E when using dip powder, adding colours to your nails actually helps keep them healthier for longer. Speaking of vitamin E…

Use Supplements

Your diet and your daily nutrient intake will also influence the health of your nails. Nails need sufficient vitamin E, calcium, iron, and other nutrients to grow healthily. You will be able to get the thick and gorgeous nails you have always wanted once you start adjusting your diet and meeting the daily requirement for these nutrients.

You can also consider biotin. While it may be known as a way to get healthier hair, biotin helps keep the nails healthy too. It is a supplement that helps slow down hair loss and brittle nails as well.

Stay Committed

Keeping your nails healthy isn’t something you can do and forget. It requires a balanced diet, a good cleaning and maintenance routine, and a mix of using high quality nail products and giving your nails extra care whenever needed.

The biggest challenge of them all is staying committed to the healthy nail routine. It is easy to forget about the importance of cleaning your nails after eating some crisps or doing some gardening. Avoid falling into this trap, and you will start seeing your nails getting stronger, healthier, and prettier in no time at all.

All images from The Beautiful Nail by Brandon Titaro for DESIGN SCENE STYLE, see more.