Nail Bitting Habits and Nail Care

First off, I will confess that I am a nail bitter :(. I've been a nail bitter ever since highschool. I guess it's kinda of a nervous awkward habit that I do to distract my mind.

A mechanism that I use to help fend off my nail bitting habits is the application of nail polish. The 'prettiness' and yucky taste of my nails is a turn off and makes my 'urge' go away. However, when my nail polish starts to chip too much, I start to chip and peel it off manually ( I don't know what compels me to do so. I guess my mind would rather have perfect nail polish or none on at all). Thus, exposing my bare nails. Aka. fresh for biting again. BAD! So I have to repaint my nails often. LOL

For the past couple months, I have been trying to reinforce the halt to my nail bitting ways. I just keep reminding myself of how much prettier long nails are or how hard I worked on my nail art. Lately, I've been really good with this and my nails often become TOO long that they irritate me. I only like to have around 3-4mm long nails ( as in, the end of the nail that isn't part of the nail bed, does that make sense? ). yes, it is quite short, but I like it. I feel like bacteria just gets stuck under longer nails much more than shorter nails.

So, here's what I use for my nail care. I am a CONSTANT nail polish wearer, so it is critical that I take care of them.

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1.) Nail File

A nail file is essential for everyday maintenance and is great for smoothing out edges. Make sure you are filing in one direction. Do not file in a back and forth motion. The back and forth motion weakens the nails and makes them more susceptible to breakage and splits.

The one I use is from Sally's Beauty Supply for around $1. It is 280/320 grit ( aka. Fine). The finer the grit, the smoother it will file your nails down. Harsher grits are used for acrylic/false nails and should not be used on your natural nails.

2.)Nail Strengthener

The one I use is the Sally Hansen: Nail Growth Miracle ( $8-10 CDN) . This product says it is geared towards weak and brittle nails ( especially nail bitters). You apply a thin layer to bare nails and re-apply every two days. I do this during my nail polish ' breaks'. In terms of strengthening nails, it does a fair job of doing so. My nails are really flexible and super susceptible to peeling and this helped to prevent peeling and strengthened my nails. However, it did NOT help my nails grow faster at all. Also, it suggested that it could also act as a base coat. Definitely a no go. My nails got stained anyways :(.

3, 4) Base Coat and Top Coat

Base coat is a MUST for any nail polish wearer. It prevents your nails from getting stained from the nail polish and also helps your nail polish last longer. I use the China Glaze Strong Adhesions Base Coat. It dries super quick and extends my nail wear by a good few days.

Top coat helps to add shine and also extends the nail polish wear. It also acts as a fixer-upper for any bumps or small deformities that may have occurred during application of the colour coat. I use China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat. I love this top coat because it isn't thick. I found that other top coats were too thick and would peel/ chip off easily. The CG top coat is just awesome and the shine it provides is just fantastic.

5.) Cuticle Oil

This isn't essential, but it's definitely a great investment if you work with your hands a lot or wear nail polish often. Cuticle oil moisturizes dry and 'peeling' cuticles. It also conditions the nail itself. After I take off all my nail polish, I like to apply cuticle oil to nourish my cuticles and nails. This is to replenish their moisture after being attacked with alcohol + acetone and spending a week covered by nail polish.

The cuticle oil I use is Vivo PER LEI - Cuticle Oil. I actually got this in a box set with a nail buffer, a file, and hand cream at some random mall vendor when I went shopping in the states. A small bottle like this will probably last me .. forever. One drop is enough to nourish all the nails on one hand. Another cheap alternative is Olive oil.

Also, I'd like to say that nail health ( and skin and hair) is linked to your diet also! So make sure you eat a healthy diet and drink lots of water. If it is hard for you to attain your everyday nutrients ( for whatever reason that may be), consider taking a multi vitamin supplement :)

- toastie