How to maintain your nails

…To keep them from breaking, peeling

In Nigeria, nails suffer from water, detergents, typing, yam pounding and harsh weather, among other things. Here’s how to keep them clean, strong, and fine, whether natural or with polish.

Non-negotiable daily habits:

•Keep them dry and clean. Water and soap weaken nails. After washing plates or clothes, dry your hands and under the under the nails. Bacteria love wet nails.

•Moisturize like your life depends on it. Nails are like hair – dry and brittle. Rub hand cream, cuticle oil, or even Vaseline on nails and cuticles every night. Shea butter works too.

• Stop using nails as tools to open tins, scratch stickers or pick things. Use a pen, not your nail. One chip ruins three weeks of growth.

• Wear gloves for house chores. When washing or  cleaning with bleach or gardening, wear rubber gloves. Detergent is the number one nail killer in Nigerian homes.

15 Minutes weekly maintenance routine

•Trim and file. Cut straight across, then file in one direction, to shape it. Sawing back and forth causes splits. Oval or square shape is strongest.

• Don’t cut cuticles. Push them back gently after showering with a towel or orange stick. Cutting leads to infections. Cuticles provide protection.

• Buff lightly. Once a month is the maximum. Over-buffing thins nails. You want your nails smooth, not paper-thin.

• Soak-treat your nails with warm water, one tea-spoonful of olive oil and lemon for five minutes. This softens the cuticles cuticles and brightens stains from stew and rice.

•Adapted from Google.com