I’ve had a version of false nails on and off for over a decade.
It started as a teenager with those big plastic nail box sets you’d find in Coles that would last a day at best before breaking off.
I then moved on to acrylics, blowing my entire donut shop paycheque on fresh French tips every fortnight. Not to mention the ad-hoc repairs (of which, there were many).
From there, I jumped aboard the SNS train as it became known as the “healthier” alternative.
I've tried about every shape too, moving from square to oval to stiletto to almond, in tandem with the trend of the time.
I even had Kylie Jenner-coded claws for a while there. Which, albeit great back scratchers, were literally impossible to do anything with.
It was an addiction that try as I may, I could never quite kick for more than a few months at a time.
As a serial nail-biter for most of my life, false nails were a mask for the broken, brittle and paper-thin pinchers that lay underneath.
And the constant compliments from onlookers were only further validation.
I attempted to stop nail biting too. My mum even tried bribing me as a kid with new books in exchange for my dropping the habit, but that didn’t last long.
I discovered my sister had been offered a similar deal, except in her case she actually had to read a book to get her negotiated prize. Naturally, as a bookworm, I found issue with this.
Fast forward to the present day and enter, the cost of living crisis.
A $50 appointment became $80, sometimes more. And I just couldn’t justify it anymore.
The costs, both financially and in nail health, were becoming unsustainable.
I took it as a sign to finally sort my sh*t out.
With so many nail care products now at my fingertips, I stocked up on the essentials like I was hibernating for the winter.
I’m proud to share that not only have I finally kicked my bad biting habit, but I’ve now got my nail care routine down to a fine art.
Keep scrolling for all the products I use at home to keep my nails healthy (and hawt).
Nail Maintenance Essentials.
Weleda Skin Food.
I firmly believe that everyone should have a tube of Weleda Skin Food in their skincare arsenal (granted it’s suitable for your skin type).
It’s my dry skin cure-all for pretty much anywhere I experience roughness on my body–face, feet, elbows, hands; you name it.
I like to keep a travel-size tube in my handbag. Its ultra-thick texture is perfect for getting into the nooks and crannies of my genetically wrinkly hands (thanks mum <3).
Its natural formula is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic and oleic acid, which help to soothe and heal the skin–particularly beneficial for flaky and dry cuticles.
For the fragrance-adverse, consider the Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream as a multi-tasking alternative.
