How Long Should Nails Grow?

9 Tips For Shorter, Nail Longer Nails

There’s nothing cuter than a life long manicure, but new research suggests that trimming the nail length can actually make it grow longer. In a study published in the online journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, researchers found that half of women who cut their nails and trimmed the length of their nails experienced longer nails than before.

Dr. Osman K. Warsi, a study author and psychologist at King’s College London, and his colleagues speculate that estheticians who perform this drastic makeover often don’t give women the time to let it grow naturally, so it’s really up to you to decide how long you want your nails to be. There are so many helpful tips on how to do this to help extend your nails:

Find the length that suits you best, and be careful with your application. Anything too long can be painful — to the point of cutting — and too short can break. Apply nail polish with the tip and do it daily so that the nail sits flat. Make sure to moisturize your hands and hair with gentle products. Massage daily in the hair, try a deep conditioning product, or apply a hydrating serum over dry skin. Use micellar water and a toner with a natural ingredient for hair care, like jojoba oil, rosehip oil, coconut oil, essential oils, or beeswax. Apply a hand cream on your hands daily and massage. Try a cooling toner. Rub your hands (not in the palms) overnight with a non-pore liner for an added lift. Cut the nails from your hands and dip them in water, which will encourage the natural hair to grow. Gently pull off the excess nail with scissors. Make sure to do this under heated, heat-resistant conditions. Do not scrub the cuticles with soap and water. This would actually shorten the nails. Never use nail polish remover directly on the nails. Instead, apply nail polish remover, half on the nail and the other half on the finger. Get gummy-raw to get rid of dead skin on your nails. Always moisturize your nails before rubbing. Also, pat the cuticles dry beforehand. Roll your nails in olive oil. Individually arrange the cuticles.

If you can’t be bothered to do it, cut your own nails with scissors. Just make sure the cuticles are not overcrowded. Cutting the nail length manually can reduce the fluffiness of the nail and make it grow faster.