You probably know it too: If your nails are thin and brittle, they break easily or peel and crack. This is not only unpleasant but usually doesn’t look very nice either. But with these simple household remedies, you can easily strengthen brittle nails and make them healthy and beautiful again.
What causes brittle nails?
Brittle nails can have many causes: One of them is a manicure that’s too aggressive, like after acrylics. So if you roughen the surface too often with a buffer or file it too roughly, your nails can be damaged. If you also frequently bring your nails into contact with chemical substances, such as cleaning agents, nail polish remover or disinfectants, this can also attack the surface and dry out your fingernails.
But a vitamin deficiency can also be a reason for brittle nails. For example, if you do not get enough vitamins A, B, and C, biotin, calcium, and iron in your diet. Stress, medications and health problems can also cause brittle nails.
You should pay attention to these things so that your nails can slowly heal. If it is already too late, you will, of course, need SOS measures first. These 5 home remedies can help you to strengthen brittle nails and make them look healthier.
How to treat brittle nails at home?
Petroleum jelly (Vaseline)
The fact that nails break is often a consequence of dryness. You can counteract this by regularly massaging your nails with Vaseline. You probably have it at home anyway, and the extra moisture is also good for your cuticles. Alternatively, you could also use olive oil. The main thing is that your nails get an intensive treatment with pure moisture.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice is also considered a helpful home remedy for brittle nails. It is best to put a few teaspoons of it in a bowl of warm water and allow your nails to recover by soaking them in the lemon water for a few minutes. By the way, lemon juice should not only strengthen your nails, but it also lightens them a bit naturally.
Also interesting: How to remove green from hair
The right food for brittle nails
Food with a high biotin content can quickly compensate for a possible deficiency and ensure healthier and therefore more beautiful nails. Oatmeal, soybeans, peas, and peanuts, for example, have a high biotin content, so you should include them in your menu regularly. A bowl of oatmeal for breakfast supply your body with the biotin amount it needs.
Urea
The active ingredient urea, also known as carbamide, can bind moisture and thus also be a strong remedy for dry fingernails. Urea is contained in many skin care products, so check right away whether you have a hand cream or body lotion that also contains urea. Otherwise, you can buy a special hand cream with a high urea content and apply it to your hands regularly. After only a few applications you will notice that your nails feel better.
Oil bath
If you want to give your nails a real wellness treatment, you can prepare an oil bath. Simply take a bowl of lukewarm to warm water and add a few drops of oil. Almond oil is particularly suitable, but other oils such as olive oil will also have their effect. Place your hands in the bowl so that all fingernails disappear in the oil bath and leave them there for about 10 minutes. Then dry your hands with a towel and try not to wash them with soap for a while, so that they can benefit from the oil treatment as long as possible.
