How To Stay Calm When You’re in The Midst Of Nail Stress

You know the one: it’s the worst feeling in the world. You’re probably trying to work in your final project, but little by little, you’re coming up with shortcuts and working just a little bit too much. You’re the type who finishes most of her day on her phone, and has a life filled with all kinds of content. You finish early and go home early. You hate 9 to 5. At times like this, nail biting seems to be the only outlet that seems to work — for the moment. So, to help you ease your stress and keep your motivation, we consulted some of the best nail professionals in New York City. Their shared tips are simple but effective, and will help you fight the “unhelpful side of you.”

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“Stress over pressure often causes us to use too much hand movement. When we do that, stress builds and it can affect our fingernails in unpredictable ways. There are many ways to ease stress by relaxing your hands and calming down. These 10 tips can help you cure the manicure stress. You can even try them out at home and see if it helps!” — Leanne Ehrlich, Salon Demonstrator, Clean Nails NY Co. ([email protected])

“Stress is a bad thing for nails because it causes stress on your whole body, and nails are sensitive to other stressors (hair loss, acupuncture, etc.) so when one area of your body is stressed, it can affect nails. I recommend staying away from crunchy or rough textures like patterns and fried pastels. This softens the nail and reduces stress.” — Thomas Griffin, Nail Technician, Friends and Nails ([email protected])

“Stress releases hydrogen sulphide, a smell that starts to smell like rotten eggs at high levels. It’s a very bad smell, but luckily, it doesn’t penetrate your skin, which means you can wash it off.” — Luciana Attardo, Nail Technician, Clean Nails NY ([email protected])

“My tips to deal with stress are to hydrate, relax, and relieve the tension. How does this relate to nails? Make sure you’re getting enough water and massage into the skin. I also go for a deep tissue massage.

“A sheet mask, which blocks the visual, takes the stress out of your skin. Research shows that it acts like a tranquilizer and calms down your body.” — Andreana Giglio, Nail Technician, Hair & Beauty ([email protected])

“Stress and stress level lead to over-processing and irritation, and from there, bad things can happen. Use basic over-the-counter lubricants like gel, which moisturizes your nails and can help speed up the healing process.” — Shoshana Marie Milano, Nail Technician, Pure Green Sally ([email protected])

“If you find your nail biting becoming a habit, I suggest you give it a try.” — Lauren Rosso, Nail Technician, Kim’s Nails ([email protected])

“Stress can lead to slight redness, darken the nail and bumpiness. If this is more than you can handle, seek help.” — Valtun Rajbhar, Nail Technician, Pure Green Sally ([email protected])

“A good rule of thumb to combat nail biting and stress is to finish all your work by 6 pm and then stop all other work—including multitasking tasks and jumping between programs—for the night and start it up in the morning.” — Avi Eshan, Nail Technician, Ananda Nails ([email protected])

“Have healthy bedtime routines. For me, that means I start out the day with morning therapy. I wake up with the right amount of minerals, antioxidants and vitamins—which help balance and soothe my body.” — Marisa Lurie, Nail Technician, Tea Tree Spa and Day Spa ([email protected])

“Stress can affect the feel of the skin underneath your nails, and that includes the color you get as a result of your stress. So, it’s good to stay hydrated. Try to keep a hand on yourself and try not to get distracted by the way your nails look, since this can lead to sagging too.” — Paula Tieff, Senior Nail Technician, Bee Bite Salon ([email protected])