Last Updated on July 1, 2021 by Ellen Christian
The winter weather is hard on your skin and your nails but learning how to keep your manicure from chipping will help with this problem.
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Whether you have your nails done at the salon or polish them at home, you want them to look good for as long as possible. Nothing is more frustrating than to be admiring your new manicure only to notice a chip or a hangnail.
How To Keep Your Manicure From Chipping
Cold temperatures mean shoveling snow, ice skating, warm nights by the woodstove and ragged nails and cuticles. The air is colder during the winter time and that means that it can be more damaging to your skin. Since your hands are often exposed to the cold air, they need a little bit of extra love during the winter.
Your skin and nails lose moisture during the winter. Because your nails normally have about 18% water content, the moisture loss leaves them dry and brittle. Nails that are dry are more prone to split, break and chip. This can not only destroy your nail but damage your manicure. Of course, it always helps to drink more water too.
Unfortunately, nail polish, hand sanitizers and nail polish remover can also be drying to your nails. To combat this dryness, it’s very important that you rub in a cuticle oil into your nails each night. If you don’t have an oil made specifically for your nails, no worries. You can use coconut oil or olive oil if you need to. Just coat your nails with oil and put on a pair of inexpensive gloves before bedtime (or at least an hour).
When you go outside, it’s very important that you wear gloves or mittens. This added layer of protection will form an extra barrier between your hands and nails and the cold air. Remember to wear gloves while you’re washing dishes too.
Never bit your nails or your cuticles. Both are very bad habits and can be damaging to your nails. Instead, file your nails carefully with a nail file and clip hangnails and jagged cuticles with a pair of cuticle scissors.
How do you keep your manicure looking good in the winter?
Ellen believes you can feel beautiful at any age and size. She shares healthy beauty and fashion information geared toward women over 40. She is a direct sales rep for several fashion and beauty businesses.
I do something similar with my feet and cozy socks, I never though to do this with my hands though! Staying hydrated will also help keep your body’s skin, hair, and nails looking their best through the extreme weather!
Very true. It definitely works well for your feet too!
Great tips, thanks! I was thinking of getting a manicure with some fun holiday design next week so I’ll be using all of your advice!
That does sound like fun!
Great tips! I sometimes avoid painting my nails because I hate the chipping.
I’m the same way, Heather!
I’ll certain do that as soon as it gets cold here in Texas. We’ve had a very mild winter thus far. My manicures last only about a week – I think b/c I’ve got my hands in water all the time.
Water definitely can damage a manicure!
Great tips! I just got gel to keep my nails looking nice through the holidays. 🙂
That definitely works!