Whilst long acrylic nails can look lovely, a lot of time and expense has to go into them, which means they just aren’t an option for a lot of people. Read on for our advice on how to get longer nails, naturally.

Wear polish

Extra layers will help to fortify your nails, reducing the likeliness of breakages. Gel polish is extremely strong, which makes it a great option if your nails are quite weak and help your natural nail to grow underneath. When you aren’t wearing coloured polish, apply a strengthening nail treatment instead.

File carefully

Don’t file your nails back and forth – the friction will weaken them and make breakages, chips and cracks far more likely. Instead, use clean strokes in one direction. It’ll take longer, but your nails will be left in a much better condition.

Protect

Always wear rubber gloves when you’re doing the dishes – the harsh chemicals in washing up liquid will strip your nails of their natural oils, which can weaken them and dry out your hands, too.

Find Your Local SkinBase™ Therapist

SkinBase™ is the leading microdermabrasion treatment. With over 2,000 accredited salons and spas in the UK & Ireland, there’s bound to be a salon near you.

Are you a beauty professional, and would like to offer SkinBase™ treatments? Find out more.

Be kind to your cuticles

Don’t cut away your cuticles, they’re there for a reason – they protect your nail bed from infection by bacteria and germs. Instead, push them back gently after softening with a cuticle oil.

Oil is your friend

You know all about the benefits of oil and massage for your body and hair, but did you know that oil is essential for your nails too? Your nails are made out of the same substance as your hair, which means they don’t secrete their own oil, but they do need it to stay healthy. Whenever you have bare nails, massage an oil into them to keep them strong and smooth. The massaging action will help to stimulate circulation around the cuticles too, which could make your nails grow faster!

Image:istock.com/Anna_Om