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Maintaining strong and healthy nails is a form of self-care. If you often find yourself having dry, brittle nails that are prone to cracking, we listed 5 nail care tips below to help you keep your nails healthy and in tip-top shape:

1. Keep hands and nails dry and clean: avoid soaking your hands in water for long periods of time as prolonged water exposure can dehydrate your hands and nails. This can also help prevent bacteria from growing underneath your fingernails. A great tip is to use rubber gloves while doing any housework chores such as washing your dishes in hot water, using harsh chemicals to clean your home, or doing any gardening and yard work.
2. Keep hands and nails hydrated: dry nails are prone to peeling, breakage, and brittleness. Regularly applying hand creams and cuticle oils to nourish your nail beds are a great way to help retain moisture and promote strong and healthy nails. A simple DIY cuticle oil blend you could create at home contains only two ingredients – jojoba oil and vitamin E. Mix it all together and place it in an empty container or a nail brush pen for clean and easy application.
3. Trim nails regularly: cutting and trimming your nails regularly is crucial for avoiding damage, ingrown nails, and infections. Use a nail clipper or nail scissors to cut your nails and file down the rough edges with a nail file, moving in the same direction to avoid weakening your nails.
4. Use proper removal methods: if you’re a fan of acrylic or gel manicures, you’ll know that removing them is a process. Try not to forcefully peel off the artificial nails and instead use this safe removal method: first, use a coarse nail file to file off the top layer and then place a cotton bud soaked in 100% acetone nail polish remover over your fingernails, cover with foil, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. A pro tip is to coat the surrounding skin on your fingertips with Vaseline at the beginning of this process to avoid drying out your skin from the harsh acetone.
5. Make sure your tools are sanitized: practicing good hygiene and regularly sanitizing your clippers, files, scissors, and any other nail tools is the surest way to prevent any fungus and bacterial growth that could lead to infections. Wash your tools in hot soapy water, dry them off, and submerge them in isopropyl alcohol for at least 10 minutes to thoroughly disinfect them.