Nail Rehab: Get Your Nails in Shape for Spring!

With temperatures FINALLY starting to break the fifties in New York City and grass FINALLY visible again, it's official: spring is upon us!

So now that your fingers won't be tucked away in gloves, it's time to get them back into shape to be on display. (Plus, you'll be well ahead of the game by the time summer comes around!)

There are three major steps I recommend to fix up your nails:

Nail Rehab: Trind Perfect Cuticle and Nail Kit

Hi everyone! I've been wanting to do a review of the Trind Perfect Cuticle and Nail Kit for ages and after completely wrecking my nails a few weeks ago, I had a really good before picture. Or rather, a not-so-good before picture that would serve as a good before picture.

I first started using the Trind Perfect Cuticle and Nail Kit after having my gel nails removed back in January. They were thin, brittle, and just entirely gross after, but I really feel as though Trind helped them grow out faster (and thus, growing out that unsightly ridge from where they'd once ended) and make them stronger.

Here is what the Trind Perfect Cuticle and Nail Kit looks like:

I'd show you mine, but the bottles only have 1/3 left in them and the labels are pretty much worn off.

Instead, I will show you the before and after... under the cut!

Nail Rehab: Week 1

I was really overwhelmed by the amount of interest in my Nail Rehab series and decided it would be best to do a weekly post while I go through rehabilitation.

Here's what my nails look like now, about two weeks after having my gels removed:

As you can see, my cuticles are heavily dried out from the removal process and there are file marks all over my nails.

You can see the ridges here and also just how thin and brittle they are. *Sad face*

From this angle, you can see the major ridge in my nail from where the gels were and where my nail has grown in. I'm about 1/4 of the way of having them grow out altogether and am getting anxious!

This week's regimen consists of two main aspects:

The first, as recommended by numerous bloggers and nail techs, is to constantly moisturize! Not just for the cuticles and skin, but also for the nails. The better moisturized they are, the healthier they are.

The second:

 

This came highly recommended to me by a friend of mine and I'll be applying it once a day for a week to see its effect. This is a nail hardener that is supposed to help toughen up nails and prevent them from breaking. We shall see!

What products would you like to see me test as part of Nail Rehab?

Nail Rehab: A Confession

Hello, my lovelies! I'm sure you've been wondering why there's been a lack of swatches lately. Well, here's why.

I have a confession to make. Since 2009, I've had gel nails. I knew they weren't great for my nails when I got them, but I'm a person that likes to work with her hands and breaks her nails frequently.

But paying $40 every two and a half weeks for a fill and not being able to swatch when they'd grown out just too much was starting to bother me. So I took the leap and had them taken off.

Now, my nails are exceptionally brittle from the years of damage. But I'm working to strengthen and rehabilitate my nails.

I'm sure a lot of you have gone through this, are going through this, are considering going through this, or just will. So I figured that I'd document my journey through what I'm not-so-affectionately calling Nail Rehab.

I'll be starting with a before picture in another few days, along with my current rehab regimen. I promise, nothing will be gross. There aren't any infections or cuts or anything. Just very short, brittle nails that I'm working to strengthen.

Hope this is something that you'll all find informative and helpful to you!