How to Get Good Looking Nails Fast: Expert Tips

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Maintain healthy, beautiful nails with our easy-to-follow tips and tricks

Co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: March 1, 2024 Fact Checked

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Caring for Your Nails

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Maintaining a Healthy Diet

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Getting a Fun Manicure

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Q&A

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Tips

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Hangnails, torn nails, and nail ridges—oh my! With so many things that can make our nails look a little, well… unkempt, it’s a wonder that nail care isn’t a full time job. Fortunately, keeping your nails in tip top shape is easy, and all it requires is the right products and a little know-how. Keep reading to learn the best ways to care for your nails, as well as which foods to go for to strengthen your nails from the inside out.

Things You Should Know

Trim your nails once a week, and use a nail file to keep them flat and smooth.
Apply cuticle oil and a nail hardener to strengthen your nails and the skin around them.
Use natural products that don’t include acetone to avoid damaging your nails.
Eat foods that are rich in biotin and zinc to promote healthy nail growth.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Caring for Your Nails

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1
Clip your nails once every other week. Try not to bite your fingernails when they get long. Instead, maintain a set of beautiful nails by trimming them on a regular basis. While it might be tempting to grow them out, aim to keep your nails a manageable length. Use a pair of sanitized nail clippers to create an even, consistent trim.^{[1]
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- You don’t need to clip your nails constantly. If you cut your nails too short, you could risk hurting your nail bed.
- Ideally, your nails should be cut straight, with a slight curve around the corners. This will help prevent ingrown nails.
2
Keep the edges of your nails smooth with a nail file. Don’t panic if you break or scrape a nail against a rough surface. Instead of biting or chewing off the nail, use a smooth file to buff out the sharp edge. Use smooth, quick motions as you file, working the tool in a single direction. Try keeping a nail file on your person at all times in case of emergencies.^{[2]
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- If your nails require a lot of daily maintenance, consider keeping a nail file in your purse, as well as at home.
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3
Use nail clippers to trim your hangnails at the root. Don’t rip off your hangnails by hand—this can cause you to tear away the skin around your fingers (ouch!). To prevent infection, use a pair of clippers to cut your hangnails at the root. Additionally, try to avoid biting or nibbling at your hangnails, as this will do more harm than good.^{[3]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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- Take care of hangnails as soon as you notice them to stop them from getting worse.
4
Apply cuticle oil once a day. Keep your nails looking refreshed and hydrated by saturating them with cuticle oil each day. Use the brush applicator to apply a generous layer of oil around the cuticle. Unless the oil is dripping off your fingers, don’t worry about blotting it away.^{[4]
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- If you don’t have any cuticle oil on hand, you can always make your own by mixing essential oils or a combination of vitamin E, coconut, almond, and olive oil.
- Nourished cuticles will make your nails grow healthier and stronger.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Mohiba Tareen, MD
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  
  Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.}
Apply a nail strengthener to harden your nails. Do your nails feel brittle or weak? If so, a nail hardener might be just the product for you. Swipe the product on once a day just like you would normal nail polish, then let it soak in. Over time, your nails will toughen up and grow in stronger.^{[6]
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Leave your cuticles alone to prevent infection. Avoid the temptation to pick at or bite around your nails. While they can seem pesky at times, you need healthy, intact cuticles to keep bad bacteria out of your nails. If they’re really bothering you, use a cuticle pusher to nudge them further down your nail.^{[7]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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- If your cuticles become infected, your nails will look inflamed.
7
Use nail products that don’t include acetone. Avoid products with ingredients that can cause damage to your nails, like acetone. Instead, remove polish without using a remover with products like hydrogen peroxide or toothpaste. Test out different methods until you find one that works well for your nails!^{[8]
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- Harsh chemicals can wear down your nails after long-term use, making them visually unappealing.
8
Scrub beneath your nails with soap and water as needed. Avoid picking out dirt and other gunk from your nails with anything pointy, like a metal tool. If you do this on a regular basis, you could cause your nail plate to separate from the nail bed. Instead, wash your hands as needed, using gentle motions to scrub beneath your nails.^{[9]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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- Don’t wash your hands too vigorously. If you scrub a lot beneath your nails, you can still do damage to your nail beds.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

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1
Eat foods that are high in biotin to make your nails thicker. Add fresh, biotin-rich foods to your diet like cauliflower, eggs, beans, bananas, lentils, salmon, and peanuts. Monitor your nails over several weeks to see if they feel stronger and thicker.^{[10]
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- You can also take a biotin supplement.^{[11]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Mohiba Tareen, MD
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  
  Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} Always talk to your doctor when adding a new supplement to your diet, and read the label to make sure you’re taking the proper dosage.
- As a bonus, biotin also helps strengthen your hair.
2
Snack on foods that contain a lot of protein to strengthen your nails.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Mohiba Tareen, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} If you eat meat and other animal products, try adding chicken, lean red meat, dairy, and eggs to your diet. Additionally, you can opt for whole grains, soybeans, and nuts, regardless of your dietary preferences. As you make these small changes to your diet, keep an eye on your nails to see if you notice them getting stronger and fuller.^{[13]
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- Protein is essential in any diet, even if your nails are already in great condition!
- If you have the option, choose foods and drinks that have the lowest level of fat. For instance, skim or 2% milk has a lot less fat than whole milk.
3
Avoid foods with a lot of processed ingredients to keep your nails healthy. Try to eat fresh, natural foods, or prepared foods that have few ingredients. When given the choice, opt for produce and other fresh foods over packaged snacks and meals. If you keep a more organic diet, your nails are more likely to grow and improve.^{[14]
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- Processed foods don’t specifically hurt your nails; however, your nails (and the rest of your body) are a lot better off when you make healthier choices in your diet.
4
Prevent brittle nails by eating a lot of zinc. Opt for cashews, oysters, lobster, lean beef, soybeans, and green beans as a remedy for weak nails. If you’d like a more concentrated dose of zinc, try taking zinc supplements.^{[15]
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- If you eat a lot of zinc-rich foods on a regular basis, you don’t need to worry about taking supplements. Always talk to your doctor before adding supplements to your diet.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Getting a Fun Manicure

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1
Paint your nails with a few strokes of colored polish. Pick your favorite polish color and apply it smoothly to the surface of the nail. Don’t use a lot of brushing motions to apply the product; instead, coax the polish to the center, right, and left of the nail for a smooth appearance. Let the first coat of polish dry completely before adding a second.^{[16]
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- Check the instructions on the bottle to see how long the polish takes to dry.
- For a more long-lasting manicure, apply a base coat on your nails before adding any colored polish. Additionally, consider applying a top coat over the colorful lacquer to add an extra layer of protection.
2
Do a French manicure if you want defined nail tips. Paint your nails in a rosy pink shade, or a nude tone that matches the natural color of your nails. Finish off the look by adding a rounded outline of white polish around the tip of the nail. If you’d like your nails to look especially sleek, go to a salon to get them done.^{[17]
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- The reverse French manicure is also a great option for making your nails look beautiful. Instead of painting an outline on the nail tip, the outline goes along the base of your nail.
3
Opt for a gel, shellac, or acrylic manicure if you want artificial nails. Treat yourself to a fun manicure where you can get longer, fake nails. Choose an acrylic manicure if you’d prefer a powder-base for your nail. If you’d prefer a harder, more long-lasting manicure, opt for a gel procedure instead. If you’d prefer a mixture of gel and regular nail polish, choose a shellac manicure at the salon.^{[18]
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- Looking for a new salon? Always go to a licensed professional to keep your nails healthy.
- Keep in mind that applying fake nails can damage your natural nails over time. Experts typically recommend saving fake nails for a special occasion, like a wedding or a school dance.
4
Try a dip manicure to add some shimmer to your nails. Opt for a beautiful, low-maintenance manicure by requesting a dip powder manicure at your next salon visit. Unlike gel and acrylic manicures, you don’t need to rest dipped nails beneath a UV light.^{[19]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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- Dip powder nails are a lot easier to remove than regular nails.

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Can I eat nail polish?

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Nail polish ingredients aren’t meant for human consumption, so you should try avoid nibbling at your polish whenever possible. If you’re tempted to bite your polished nails, try applying a polish with a bitter flavor!

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What is a nail vinyl?

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Nail vinyls are stencils that you can use to paint specialized patterns and designs on your nails. You can easily find them at most beauty shops, or buy them online.

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How can I strengthen my fingernails?

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Keeping your fingernails dry, clean, and neatly trimmed will help prevent breakage and damage. Use moisturizer on your hands and avoid harsh manicures to keep your nails from getting overly dried out and brittle. When you do work that’s hard on your hands or exposes them to lots of hot water or detergent, like washing the dishes, wear rubber gloves to protect your nails. You may also be able to add strength by applying a nail hardener and taking healthy hair and nail supplements, like biotin.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Rather than nail hardeners which can make nails rigid, try massaging in jojoba, vitamin E, or coconut oil daily to keep nails flexible yet strong. The vitamins and oils nourish nails and cuticles without harsh chemicals. Mix together several oil types for an even more powerful home remedy.
Glitter polishes or long-wear stick-on nails may damage natural nails when removed. Save those products for special occasions, not daily wear. And never rip off fake nails, as doing that can pull off layers of your real nails too!
When painting nails, first apply polish to within 1-3 mm of the cuticle, then push the brush flush against the cuticle and smoothly drag it to the nail tip. This coats the entire nail evenly for a salon-perfect manicure.
Stop nail biting by applying a bitter anti-bite polish. Though not a taste you’ll acquire, it quickly teaches you not to put fingers in mouth. As an alternative bad habit though, be sure to keep nails filed smooth.
Never share manicure tools, polishes, files, etc. with others. Using someone else's supplies risks transferring fungus or infection. Invest in your own personal nail care items.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water to remove dirt and bacteria from beneath nails, especially visible dirt!

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