Recently, I did something I haven't done since my early 20s—look after my own nails. Without regular manicures and pedicures that include polish or gel, I began to really enjoy the look of nice clean, natural nails again. Whether you're a woman or a man, there is something lovely about clean, white, strong nails that just feels good.
So, how do you get bright, white nails?
Try These DIY Fix-Ups
For new stains, like when you have first removed dark nail polish, try using a toothpaste with baking soda in the formula. Simply massage about a 10 cent piece sized drop into each nail. Let sit for 10 minutes and then rinse off.
Another option is to squeeze a lemon into a shallow bowl and soak your nails in the juice for 10 minutes.
If your nails have older stains that are quite yellow, make a paste with baking soda and lemon juice. Apply to each nail and let sit for 15 minutes. Again rinse and dry thoroughly. If totally natural ingredients are not cutting it, add 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to 3 tablespoons of baking soda add a dash of water or lemon juice and apply to each nail and leave for 15 minutes. Again, rinse and dry thoroughly.
After doing any whitening treatment on your nails make sure you apply a cuticle oil and hand cream to soften and moisturise the skin.
Once you've got those white nails, you want to maintain them.
Massage cuticle oil or simple almond or jojoba oil into the cuticles at night. Oil keeps the cuticles moisturised, they then feed the nail that grows through helping prevent them from becoming brittle and breaking. The massaging stimulates blood flow and growth.
File gently with an emery board, not a metal file. And, file in one direction only rather than see-sawing back and forth, which can weaken the nails.
Don’t over buff your nails. Whilst buffing makes your nails super shiny, it also makes them thinner and weaker, unless you have super thick nails.