Nail Care Tips: A Guide on How to Take Care of Your Fingernails During the Winter Months

The winter months are not easy on the nails. Cold, brittle climates combined with heating indoors takes a toll on the nails and cuticles. Here are some tips on how to take care of your nails during the winter months and the best nail care products you can use.

During the winter months, you might be showering with water that is hotter than you are normally used to. While a nice, hot shower might seem very pleasant when it's freezing cold outside, the truth is hot water can actually dry your nails out and make them brittle. Try taking a shower with the water at about 70 to 75 degrees. I know this sounds hard if you love to take very hot showers (like I do) but it will be better for your nails and cuticles in the long run (as well as your hair, as it is also made of cuticles). The same goes for when you are washing your hands through out the day, keep the water temperature lukewarm.

Moisturizing your hands and nails daily is crucial to keeping them healthy. In winter months however, you will need to take it up a notch. At least one night a week, apply regular Petroleum Vaseline on your hands liberally and then cover them with white cotton sleeping gloves (stores such as Walgreen's and CVS usually carry these types of gloves). When you wake up the next day, you will be amazed at how smooth and soft your hands are and you will also notice any dead skin around your fingernails and cuticles will be gone. Do the Vaseline treatment only once a week, because if your nails get too much moisture, they will become soft and flexible. Oh, and if you have any doubt whatsoever about this nail care treatment, simply ask your grandmother all about it. The Vaseline 'soak' is a very old school beauty care treatment, and women back in the day did this regularly to ensure pretty, youthful looking hands.

When taking care of your nails, I cannot stress the importance of filing everyday. During the cold winter months, the dry air is more likely to cause small tears in a growing nail, but keeping them filed daily with an emory board is just the trick to keeping the ends hard and tough. Ladies, if you paint your nails during the winter, make sure you pick a nail polish brand by a renowned cosmetic line such as L'Oreal or Revlon. Cheap, 'Brand X' nail polish may contain lead, which is quite literally the kiss of death for your fingernails. Also be sure to use a nail polish remover that does not contain formaldehyde, and go for at least one day with unpainted nails so that your fingernails and cuticles can 'breathe'.

The Mayo Clinic's website has a very in depth guide on proper nail care. I also strongly recommend that you use unscented lotions when moisturizing your hands and nails. As pleasant as scented lotions smell, the truth is any perfume based lotion will dry your hands out in nothing flat. Stick to the basics, and you will have strong, healthy nails year round!