Beautiful ‘buff' nails are all about giving your hands, feet and nails a whole lotta love, and nurturing their natural beauty, rather than covering up with polish what you may see as imperfections.
Nails that constantly break or peel could signal being dried out. Frequent hand washing, washing the dishes without gloves, dry weather, laundry and house cleaning, gardening, frequent manicures, hand sanitiser, and even not drinking enough water, can all contribute to nails drying out.
Here's some tips to help you have healthy, beautiful natural nails.
1. Avoid harsh detergents
Number one for us is to avoid harsh detergents, synthetic fragrances and chemicals: liquid hand wash, conventional dish washing liquid, laundry whiteners and hand sanitisers cause greatest damage.
Most of the detergents available in the supermarket are incredibly harsh on your skin as they contain petrochemicals, synthetic preservatives and synthetic fragrances.
I have found that using rubber gloves for washing up makes a huge difference, particularly if you are using synthetic dishwashing liquids. However, if I use synthetic-free, natural detergents and liquid hand soap, then I find that I do not need gloves.
We have some lovely gentle dish washing choices in our kitchen cleaning department.
2. Moisturise your hands and nails
Moisturise often, not just once a day! Keep a hand cream in your bag or on the sink, so you can moisturise after every hand wash. And don't forget your feet and toe nails. Rub a balm into your feet before bed.
Find here our moisturising hand creams and balms
3. Buff instead of polish
Trim, file and buff for a healthy natural look. When filing, pull the file from the outer edge to the middle, never back and forth. Look for a special buffing board that has several surfaces from fine to more coarse, and be gentle.
Read here why we think nail polishes marketed as "free from" or natural, still contain harmful toxins. Let's say they are great for the occasional wear, but keep in mind they are not "toxin free" as sometimes suggested.
4. Homemade nail brightening recipe
Once you stop wearing polish you may notice some yellowing. Give your nails a boost with this brightening treatment:
- Mix to a paste ½ tsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp bi carb + juice of ½ lemon.
- Use an old toothbrush or nail brush to gently scrub nails for a minute and then let the mixture sit on nails for five minutes.
- Rinse.
Time without any polish will solve this also, but in the meantime, gentle buffing may also help to shed the top layer of enamel.
5. Natural cuticle care
Cuticles are a barrier to bacteria and cutting them back is risky. Rub in olive or almond oil then gently push back with a cuticle pusher.
Homemade Nail Strengthening Treatment recipe:
- Mix 2 tsp castor oil + 2 tsp salt + 1 tsp wheat germ oil.
- Mix and store in an airtight bottle.
- Rub a small amount onto your nails. Leave for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Wipe off.
Homemade Cuticle Oil recipe:
- 3 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp jojoba oil + 1 tsp avocado oil, 12 drops each lavender, rosemary and lemon essential oils.
- Mix and store in an airtight container.
6. Diet and water
Nails and hair are made up of keratin, and that means the same foods that are good for your hair are good for your nails. Choose a varied diet rich in omega fatty acids, vitamins, antioxidant fruits and veggies, protein, and minerals.
Drink plenty of water too.
Why Biome no longer stocks nail polish
One of our core values at Biome is being toxic free, another being palm oil free. In the early years we did not stock any nail polish due to the ingredients, but our customers were asking for the "3 free", "7 free" and "10 free" polishes. We were brought some vegan brands onboard to give our customers a less toxic alternative. Brands can do their utmost to remove the highly toxic nasties contained in nail varnish. But, truth be known, the remaining ingredients still contain toxins that can absorb into the skin.
So, we asked ourselves the question. As a toxin-free business, should we be stocking nail polish? During a palm oil auditing process, Palm Oil Investigations came across ingredients that are used in the manufacturing process of nail polish. Stearalkonium bentonite and Stearalkonium hectorite have never previously been flagged by any organisation as having palm oil content. The word Stearal in the name caused the team to look deeply into these ingredients contact the manufacturers of these ingredients.
So where is the palm oil? Both Stearalkonium bentonite and Stearalkonium Hectorite are chemical compositions mixed with bentonite clay or hectorite, which is a principal part of bentonite clay. In both cases, these clays are then combined with Stearalkonium Chloride, which contains ammonium salt and Stearic acid. The palm oil content is in the Stearic Acid. We then searched every brand of nail polish, all of which contained either Stearalkonium Bentonite or Stearalkonium Hectorite.
Biome places ethics and values before profit. We were the first retail store to take a stance against products containing palm oil. Now, we are one of the few retail outlets with toxin-free values to choose not to offer nail polish. We plan to simply promote more natural alternatives to nail care.
How to make your own nail polish
Using olive oil and vitamin E: You can make a natural and nourishing nail polish with olive oil, vitamin E oil, beeswax, and natural colourants, such as turmeric, beetroot, or cocoa powder. You’ll need to heat the olive oil and the colourant in a small pan until very warm, then strain the oil through a cheesecloth. Then add the beeswax and let it melt, and add the vitamin E oil and jojoba oil. Blend well and pour the mixture into a small glass jar or bottle. You can apply this polish with a small brush or a cotton swab.
MORE READING
Why non toxic nail polish may still be harming you and the environment