Nail Care 101

Best nail tip of all time? Don’t pick or bite them! If you follow that one simple rule, your hands will look far better than if you don’t. Pretty simple. And here are a few other facts to keep at the tips of your fingers (and toes):

• Handwashing is one of the best strategies to prevent illness - we all learned that in pandemic! - but remember to wash underneath your nails, too.
  
  
• If you notice dirt trapped under your nails where they pull away from your finger tip, you can use a nail brush (which looks like a gigantic toothbrush missing its handle) or pull the flat, pointy attachment out from the middle of a nail clipper and gently scrape underneath each nail with the fine tip. Even a toothpick can work, but make sure to clear out gunk carefully to avoid poking yourself too deep. 
  
  
• When you trim your fingernails, you may want to round them, at least at the corners, to prevent splitting and tearing. But when you trim your toenails, try cutting straight across instead - rounded toenails can grow into the surrounding cuticle skin, causing pain and even infections. If you're using a nail file, try moving it in one direction from the side to the center of your nail instead of back and forth (this also helps prevent chips or breaks!).  
  
  
• Nail polish may seem like it’s strengthening your nails, but leave it on too long and the nail underneath suffocates. Make it a habit to give your nails a break from polish every once-in-a-while, especially if you opt for gels or other semi-permanent, super-thick nail bling.