Grow Long Nails

How to grow your longest, strongest nails ever

Growing long nails can be a challenge, but these 10 finger tips are designed to make the task a little easier. Try on makeup trends to go with your gorgeous long nails in our virtual makeup studio.

1. Nervous nail pickers take heed: peeling or picking off polish can strip nails of their top layer, leaving them dry and brittle. Forgo the nail color altogether, opting for a soft buffer or chamois to impart natural-looking shine.

2. Flu season is in high gear, which means everyone should be washing their hands more often. Just don’t forget to slather on a decadent hand cream afterwards to keep your cuticles moisturized and nails flexible.

3. Are you a chronic nail biter? The best way to stop cold turkey is to get weekly manicures by a professional. When you just paid in time and money for a manicure, chances are you’ll think twice about biting them. Neem oil also works: apply it on nails and cuticles daily. It not only contains antifungal properties, but it taste horrible and will stop you from putting your nails near your mouth.

4. Every evening, apply night cream or oil in the nails and cuticles. Add a few drops of the oil to warm water to create a hydrating cuticle treatment.

5. Don’t do the dishes without wearing protective gloves. Many hars cleaning chemicals, particularly anything containing bleach, will wreak havoc on even the healthiest nails.

6. Dark nail polishes can leave the whites of your nails looking yellow over time. To reduce stain, soak your nails in a mixture of warm water and lemon juice after removing your polish.

7. The best and most effective way to prevent hangnails is caring for your cuticles daily. Moisturize them frequently and never cut them. Push them back with an orange stick or cuticle pusher.

8. File your nails every few days to keep the edges smooth and to prevent snagging. Use a gentle file and move it in one direction instead of back and forth.

9. In lieu of a french manicure, use a nail white pencil to keep the tips of your nails looking clean. The prettier they look, the more incentive you have to grow them out.

10. Never use your nails as tools for opening soda cans or picking off stickers. They are precious and should be treated as such! --Stephanie Simons

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