My nails have been in bad shape for quite sometime now.  They’re brittle, peel, break, snag and my cuticles… yuck!  I’ve always had nice strong healthy natural nails so I’m so over this.  I touched on it in Wednesday’s Wear and Share post but I’m going to take the next 4 weeks and really see if I can restore my nails back to what I know they can be.  Here is the Alicia plan of action to improve my nails in a month!

Strengthener:

Starting externally is the easiest for me.  So step one is to start with strengthening basecoat.  Essie brand polishes seem to work well for me so I decided to start with Essie’s Grow Stronger.

The Claim:  Get a fresh start. add strength, durability and superior protection against chipping. this fast drying, glossy finish formula helps put an end to breakage.  I liked this one because it said I could wear it as a basecoat under my normal polish.  Since there’s no way I’m going without polish I figured I’d give this one a go!

Cuticles and hand care:

I wash my hands a lot through out the day , do a lot of dishes and it’s summer so I swim like a mo fo making my hands and nails see a lot of wear and tear in addition to living in a hot and dry climate.  I need to restore the moisture and work at not loosing it in the first place, so I’m switching soap.  I’ve switched to a moisturizing hand soap (luckily we have this at work) and I’m trying out the Dawn Ultra Hand Renewal with Olay Beauty Dishwashing Soap Liquid. 

The Claim:  Get the cleaning power of Dawn combined with the hand-nurturing power of Olay Beauty. And in just 5 uses, your hands will feel even softer than before.  I’m already a fan of Dawn and Olay so we’ll see if this makes a difference and is still tough on grease, haha!

Nighttime Regimen:

To continue with the improvement of my cuticles and hands before bed each night I will be applying a killer hand cream and cuticle oil.  This will also help restore moisture after the day has taken its toll.  Moisturizers are best at night because your body temperature rises so the lotion really penetrates, plus you aren’t doing anything to wash it off, remove it.  I’m using Julep’s Rock Star hand cream.

The Claim:  Anti-aging, emollient blend of shea butter, glycerin, coconut oil, and vitamin E keeps hands hydrated, even after washing. This non-greasy, fast-absorbing formula will leave you cheering for an encore. Rock on.  Plus the scent is overwhelming as your laying there in bed and it definitely isn’t greasy!  For my cuticle oil I’m just using one that I got from a manicure a while ago.  Its just a basic mineral oil based product with vitamin e.

Internal:

Nails are a great indicator of how things are functioning in the inside, so I guess that means not so well for me.  Not only am I going to try to eat better (good thing I LOVE veggies!) but I will also be taking my daily vitamins and a hair, nail and skin supplement.

The Claim:  Dietary Supplement. New improved formula with collagen/gelatin. 29 key ingredients including antioxidants C & E plus biotin 3000 mcg! Helps promote: healthy hair; vibrant skin; strong nails. Provides a combination of nutrients including vitamin C and biotin, that support the structural foundation of your hair, skin and nails. (These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.)  With any dietary supplements you should consult your doctor first.  I also make no claims to actually  really know anything, these are just things, after doing some personal research, I have made the personal choice to try and review.

In addition to eating better and taking my vitamins I’m really really really trying to drink more water.  Its not that I don’t like water its that I don’t like that much liquid, like of anything.  I pretty much have my cup of tea (or 2!) in the morning and then I’m lucky if I drink anything else for the rest of the day.  Maybe a few sips of water with my meals but really I’m just not thirsty not do I like the feeling of that sloshy feeling from too much liquid!  My plan is to drink a full 20 ounces at work through out the day and another 20 after work before bed.

So there’s my plan, doesn’t seem too hard to follow.  Join me each week as I update and review (and post a new mani look!)  Let’s see if I can get these nails of mine back to working order in time to celebrate my day of birth!  Which you know I’m already pinning a ton of looks on my Nailed It board to do for such an occasion!