I Tin can Use My Nails Equally a Box Cutter — Here'due south How I Get Them So Strong

Illustration: Lyne Lucien

Some people have nails and then breakable, they tin can barely withstand the pressure of buttoning jeans or opening a tight jar, and some people have nails so long and strong that they can use them every bit a box cutter. Danielle Odiamar has been blessed with the latter prepare. The former Allure editor, who currently works at brand-communications agency Citizen Relations, has been keeping her nails long and strong without gel, without extensions, and without any aid from a professional for years. "People have e'er asked me what my boom secrets are, and I do take naturally very strong nails, but I besides become out of my way to take care of them," she says. So "other than using them to exist a box cutter, I'm non using my nails for regular wear-and-tear blazon of things." And with her tips — a mix of regular maintenance and conscious production pick — you lot, too, can have fingernails long and strong enough to handle everyday tasks.

One tip: It's important to know when to cutting your losses (literally) on your long-nail journey. "If you've got them to a signal where they're a trivial scrap long, and they experience soft and bendy, I wouldn't grow them long because if your nails are soft and you abound them long they're just gonna crack," Odiamar says. "And then I always tell people, 'If your nails are weak, don't fifty-fifty effort to abound them long. Just wait until they're stronger, and y'all tin can become them into better shape before they grow longer.'" You can exercise that past following her tips, which she shared with the states.

Zoya Nail Lacquer in Abby
Smith & Cult Nailed Lacquer

I really don't do gel manicures. I pretty strictly just practice regular shine. I experience like people will disagree with me on this, because people will say, It helps my nails last longer and stronger. Merely I honestly experience like getting them under that hot lamp and and then the removal process of having to chip abroad at your nails makes your nail beds then weak. I notice a significant difference when I get them done. I remember the secret is making sure that y'all're using a blast polish that'southward nontoxic. Before the by year or two, I never paid attending to the type of nail shine I was putting on, but I feel like I've really noticed a difference in using stuff like Zoya or Smith & Cult.

Sundays Top & Base Coat Set

Photo: retailer

Whenever I do my own nails, I always use a base of operations and top coat. I don't actually accept one that I'm religiously tied to. I take tried a bunch of unlike ones, but the ane I tried most recently from Sundays is pretty squeamish. It's a base-and-top-coat combo, and information technology helps your nail polish stay really well. It's been going on like ii or three weeks, and usually the shine will bit, but these have not broken one time. In that location has not been a single crack, then that's a adept sign.

Essie Gel Couture Top Coat

I don't recommend gel, but if you desire to get the expect of gel, I think Essie's gel formula is actually really, really adept. I've only tried it once or twice, but Essie's gel shine with the gel coat on peak really lasts, and it looks exactly like a gel, just you don't have the harsh heat and removal process.

Colorblock Nail File 3pack

Photograph: retailer

Unless I'thousand cutting them considering my blast bankrupt, I really don't cut my nails. I just file them. I have a niggling vase filled with files, merely one of the things that I always have on hand is a soft nail file. I think sometimes, when you accept but hard, glass smash files, information technology makes your nails weaker, whereas a soft nail file will just smooth and prevent any jagged edges that could snag — but information technology will not ruin or hurt your nail.

Brandless Nail Clipper Set

Photograph: retailer

When I practice have to use clippers, I won't really cut the tops of my nails. I'll cut the sides to shape them, considering I think the shape really dictates if they're gonna suspension or not. I won't fifty-fifty cutting that much, just to the point that it's shaped like an oval. This Brandless blast cutter is actually sharp. A lot of other ones you'll clip, and information technology won't even fully cut it, but this ane is very precise.

Olive and June Cuticle Serum

Olive and June made this fiddling cuticle serum pen, which is cool because y'all tin can straight put it onto your cuticles, and information technology makes them really soft. I use cuticle oil, as well, but I've started to use this more regularly, only because information technology'due south and then quick. If y'all notice your cuticles are a niggling dry, grab it and rub information technology on really quick. Information technology'due south so mess-free. I apply this once a day, and I kind of just exercise it when I'thou looking down at my nails, and I can run into that certain parts or sure corners are kind of dry.

Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil

When I do use cuticle oil, I use Deborah Lippmann. I apply it when I remove my nail polish afterward a long menstruation of time, and so a couple times a week during the down flow when I don't have nail smooth on. That'due south probably why it works, considering of that week where I'm giving my nails time to exhale. That helps strengthen it between nail-shine coats.

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
Avène Cold Cream

I'm really big on hand cream. I feel like it helps a lot because it keeps your hands hydrated, as well as your cuticles and nail beds. I always go back to the Kiehl's Hand Salve. Information technology's very thick and heavy, and then a lot of people don't like it, but I personally think it's really nice. I also actually similar 50'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream and Avène Common cold Cream.

Burt's Bees Baby Bee 30-Count Face & Hand Cloths

I used to utilize manus cream at least three or four times a 24-hour interval, just I feel similar at present that my hand-washing has gone up, with everything going on, information technology'south definitely increased to like five or half dozen times a 24-hour interval. If I tin can avert using hand sanitizer and just wash my hands instead, I will practise that considering paw sanitizer is very drying. At that place was a period of time during the early on parts of COVID where I was using hand sanitizer constantly, and my nails chipped and bankrupt, and the just thing I was actually doing differently was using paw sanitizer. And so I'1000 using hand wipes now if I need something on the go. I tin become my fingertips and the tops of my hands and stuff, and control whether information technology touches my nails or not.

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My Nails Are So Strong I Tin can Use Them Every bit Box Cutters