So often our image of beauty does not necessarily coincide with what is healthy for our hair, skin or nails. When we think of beautiful nails we often feel the need to cover them with acrylic or silicon wraps and polish. When the wraps have grown out and the polish has worn away, the nails often look more damaged and need more care than they did before you tried to “beautify” them. If you are tired of the typical cycle of brittle nails from polish and acrylics, try a natural approach for nails that are truly healthy and beautiful with no chemicals.

Keep Nails and Fingers Moisturized

Dryness causes the nails to become brittle and frayed. One easy way to keep nails and fingers moisturized and healthy is with olive oil. Simply rub on the nails and fingers once or twice a day, paying close attention to the sides and cuticles that tend to get dry.

Heal Nails with Honey

If you pick or bite your nails, and you have open sores that sometimes bleed on your fingers, beautification routines that use chemicals can sting and cause infection. One way to heal sores on the tips of fingers and around nails is to soak the tips in honey. Honey can be slightly warmed for ease in dipping, and you should soak the nails for 15 to 20 minutes. Try this treatment at night before bed, or for really bad sores coat tips of fingers in honey and wear a glove while you are sleeping. Honey is an antibacterial, so it will kill any bacteria on the cuts and keep them from getting infected.

Treat Cracked and Brittle Nails with Sesame Oil

Sesame oil is used for nail health in the Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions of health and beauty. To give your cracked and painfully brittle nails an easy treatment, simply heat some sesame oil on low until it is warm, and soak your nails for 15 to 20 minutes. Give your nails some time to breathe and rest after the treatment to ensure they do not break from being too soft. A regular regimen of sesame oil for damaged nails is thought to strengthen and revitalize them.

Let your Nails Breathe

Nails are just like skin; they need to breathe to be healthy. To create healthy and beautiful nails from the core, give them a break. Try keeping them free of polish and acrylics or silk for at least one month. For severely damaged nails, it may take a three-month period of not suffocating your nails and breaking them down with chemicals before they are repaired.

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