Here’s How To Prevent Your Nails From Breaking

We all know that nail polish, like any other beauty product, has a potential to cause minor (and even major) harm. It can stain clothing or make shampoo smelly, causing it to curl or stick. You may be happy with how your nails look, but if they become brittle, you’ll need to get new ones. Some techniques increase the chance that your polish will crack, peel or fall off. So if you’re worried that your nails might break or split, here are some tips to keep your strands in place.

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Be aware of nail polish wrinkles, whether you wear gel manicures or not.

Styled nails can create a pattern which can get scratched or damaged over time. If the pattern is inks or paints, check the bottle warning about the process and potential hazard.

Do not reuse nail polish unless you absolutely have to, especially if you only use it twice.

“Do not reuse any previous nail polish. It will only cause that nail to break and split,” says Carol Najarian, a celebrity nail technician with Aquavit Nails Bar in West Hollywood.

Najarian also warns against lightly using your nail polish for the same nail, even in the same color, to prevent splitting. To keep from wearing the same nail twice, she suggests waiting a few hours after your polish is off to apply it, rather than immediately after.

Do not place a nail in your ear.

Do not get wax build-up under your fingernails, and wash your hands when you are done using the nail polish.

“Because of the build-up on the nail, when the paint dries, you may have to get your nail a little nibbled, which can lead to breakage,” Najarian says. “You should never put a fingernail into the ear, but it is OK to put a bit of nail in there.”

Do not use nail polish remover in microwave mode.

Nail polish remover should not be used in the microwave. Najarian says it can burn the skin. If you do use nail polish remover in a microwave, turn off the power and let the remover dry on a paper towel or paper plate.

Nail polish remover can also contain triclosan, a chemical found in some toothpaste and soap that is linked to bacteria and also can cause cancer in animals. When use in water, hand towels are safer to wear while working with nail polish remover, although they can irritate your skin.