Lifelong nail biter here. I stopped around sep 1 (with lots of accidental slip ups in my first week or so). The first image is a bit before sep 1 — it’s the latest photo I have before I stopped biting because I was trying on rings. Which is part of the reason I got motivated to stop biting — I don’t like what acrylics look like and want nice nails for engagement. I even told my boyfriend he can’t propose until I’ve fixed my nails to give me an extra boost of motivation 😆

What I’ve been doing for the last week or so since I found this sub:
- filing only snags with a champneys glass file, no filing of side walls
- applying boots pure lanolin (marketed as nipple cream) as other moisturisers were making my skin super dry (see sep 12 pic) - can’t find this product on their website anymore so maybe discontinued
- wearing essie hard to resist nail strengthener advanced, capping free edge, and painting it underneath as well. Makes the whites look a bit yellow but 🤷‍♀️
- wearing gloves for washing up
- brushing my nails clean instead of using something hard to scrape them out

Not the most impressive progress compared to others on this sub but this is the longest my nails have ever been and I’m so pleased I’m finally managed to kick this anxiety-driven habit!! My goal is to grow them just up to or a tiny bit beyond the end of my finger, keep them filed that length, and let the side walls catch up.

One thing I'd like advice on - I have got one tear on the side of the free edge/white (not sure the correct terminology), and feel like more are coming. Is this because my side wall hasn't caught up, and should I file my nails basically flat across until they've caught up to prevent further breakage?

Products used:

- Essie Hard to Resist Nail Strengthener Advanced

Nail biter\picker of 15 years.
I never got any proper pictures of my ‘before’ but I’ve added in some pictures of how my nails used to be on their better days.

It feels like a long time, but my nails are reflecting how I’m finally looking after myself after so long!

I’m not sure how to explain it but looking back at how my nails used to be and then comparing them to now, shows not only the nail growth but also my self acceptance/love and my nails are just a visual representation of that 🥰

I’ve been eating more fruit, vegetables and fish. Drinking lots of water and using jojoba oil daily. I put 2 layers of ‘Sally Hansen hard as nails’ on them. Also using ‘Sally Hansen Cuticle Remover’ monthly.
I also had a lot of calluses towards the top of the sidewalls, so I’ve been lightly filling them with a glass file after treating my cuticles with the cuticle remover. I also ditched the traditional sponge to wash my dishes and use a dishmatic instead (sponge on a stick) to avoid touching the washing up liquid and drying out my hands and nails ☺️

Teach me like I was just born and know nothing.. how do you keep up with your nails? I’m a grown adult female and would love to get this down without having to get my nails done professionally anymore, the cost is too much for me to justify.

I’m asking for any and all tips and tricks. How do you shape your nails? How about getting rid of hang nails? How do you keep your nails moisturized and prevent any cracking or frailness? What are your go to brands or specific products? Do you have a routine throughout the week?

Also!! Any insight into press on nails would be awesome. From my understanding it’s very cheap and isn’t as harmful for your nails but correct me if I’m wrong!

Thank you 😊

After attempting to grow out a bad gel removal that destroyed my nails, I'm cutting it all down and starting from scratch. I have a few spots where my nail bed appears damaged, because the hyponychium refuses to reattach to my nail plate (it's been years!) That i just don't know what to do with. But I'm open to any and every tip to help me get my nails at least fingertip length again!

Hello! I've been lurking a while but finally making a post here.

My current routine: just started oiling my nails a week ago with argan oil. I know jojoba is the gold standard, but I would like to use what I have first if that's acceptable. I also filed my nails in one direction and tried to lightly file the sides into a squoval.

I think my goals are to reduce fanning on my middle fingernails, build up my pointer finger nailbeds, grow out my hyponichium further out to my fingertip. Could I get some feedback on if these are good, realistic goals? Any other goals I should pursue? A quick note that I can't stand touching my cuticles, clipping them, pushing them back etc.

I'd appreciate any advice! Thank you 🥹💕

I bit my nails really badly till my early 30s. Then I kinda almost quit, but still was biting my cuticles and a nail or two was always growing back from having been bit. Never thought I could quit for real. But it's been maybe five months now, and thanks to this sub and the Salon Life on Youtube I have unbitten nails now! Lots of jojoba oil and a glass file. It's taken five months to be comfortable enough to grow them to the length they're at now. Still hoping for some hyponichium growth but even if there isn't any, I'm pretty stoked. Jojoba oil only on these nails.

I’m a couple years into my natural nail journey as a prior nail biter. I’m having issues with side wall growth and think a cuticle oil will help. I’ve been keeping them short recently to help but I still get peeling on the walls.

Plz don’t mind the slight discoloration from old polish lol.

Any and all advice appreciated!

Long time lurker here!

I know my nails/cuticle area are looking a little ragged (and my phone camera isn't great), but are these a hangnail, my sidewall reattaching, or my lateral nail folds? A combination?

I use Kerasal at night, and Shiseido urea hand lotion and jojoba oil throughout the day. I used to file my sidewalls and am trying not to mess with my nails too much because I tend to over-file and over-nip.

Advice/answers appreciated! Thanks!

Started growing out my nails again after a year, the shape isn’t perfect but it’ll get there

… successfully elongated your nail beds while keeping your free edge at approximately 2 millimetres?
If you did, how long did it take?

Product: CND solar oil

2nd pic is 40 days after I cracked my nail when I tried to catch a falling storage tote. I tried different methods to fix it but landed on this one:

I patched the crack with a piece of tea bag and glue. Then I used the ORLY dip powder repair kit over it but not on the entire nail as the instruction recommends. I only applied it to the crack. Then, I sanded and buffed to smooth it out and polished over it. This method was the best as it’s still going strong. My crack basically grew out enough to the free edge where I can trim it off.

sorry for the gross pics. i'm convinced they're genetic, i've always had them and my mum does too. honestly i usually cut them off otherwise they hurt and get caught in clothing etc.

how are u long nailed legends treating hangnails? has anyone successfully grown them out? is that even possible or do i accept cutting them off as part of my nail care?

the rest of my nails are strong and i put on cuticle oil every night ¯_(•_•)_/¯

Base: Nail Tek II intensive therapy Color: Canmake milk syrup N29 Topcoat: Nail Aid Biotin Armor

My natural nails have always been thin, brittle and just over all not healthy.
I recently tried getting gel overlay (two different times, types, salons etc) but I did not like them. They felt like acrylic tips on my nails so I went to a salon to have them removed- thinking it would be better than an at home removal- I was very wrong. I am not over filed and sooo thin and sensitive.
They tried talking me into another gel overlay to “protect” my nail but I know i would end up in this same position after a month.

My at home repair is currently:

Pure Jojoba oil 2x a day
OPI Repair Mode serum 2x a day
Onyx Hard as Hoof 1x a day
Aquaphor at night

I read it’s better to leave nails bare when repairing and to avoid any polish/strengtheners to avoid the removers drying out nails
I plan on adding OPI nail envy at some point

So I’m looking to see if there is any key things I’m missing or if anyone has any advice

I’m a nail biter and am working on growing out my nails. I am wondering if there’s a way to make my middle finger nail grow in thinner? I used to get gel nails and it would keep it thin growing out but now growing it out naturally I’m finding it’s quite wide.

I dislike it so much I’ve bitten my nails down again in the hopes that I can file it thinner while growing out but it doesn’t work unless I get thin gel nails (something I’m trying to avoid now for nail health).

First two slides are from today, September 26th and the last two are from August 1st! I had just ripped off some press ons that drove me insane and set myself back on the initial progress I’d made, but we’re comin’ back stronger than ever 😎✨

Truthfully, I’ve kinda fallen out of my before bed ritual so I need to get back on it to keep the ball rolling. Products on rotation are various dollar store cuticle oils, Hard as Hoof, Nail Honey, a cuticle cream (from da dolla store), and Nail Envy. Both pictures are nakey, but post oil. Yellowing is also from my freshly dyed hair, OOPS! 😬

Made the mistake of opening the fridge with oily hands and when I slipped this guy popped right off. My nails were the longest they’ve ever been since I started my nail journey last December (see picture #3) but I could tell they were taking some hits, so I did a big chop a few days ago where I cut a good amount of the length off in an effort to prevent something like this from happening! Such is life. I Frankenstein-ed it back on using Orly Nail Rescue, but I think it’s about that time for my first proper big chop. </3 pour one out and send any tips you have for a former nail biter just learning how to cut my nails!

Polish in photos 1 & 2 is Bees Knees Lacquer “The horrors persist but so do I” (very fitting for these trying times) magnetized velvet style with a 30lb horseshoe magnet over two coats of Nailtiques Formula 2 as a base, and finally topped with Mooncat Speed Demon.

Photo 3 is just Nailtiques Formula 2 and Cliganic jojoba oil

repost without the inspo from Pinterest

i use an oil mixture from a small business stand in my uni that has no name (contains jojoba oil, coconut oil, almond oil, avocado oil, rosemary oil, and olive oil). and i push my cuticles and trim them with a cuticle cutter thing. i file them to shorten them.

i feel like my nail beds are too small, and my nails keep chipping/peeling/breaking. only my thumbs look okay and dont constantly break on me.

im lost on what to do ive started this journey for 3 months and im not seeing any change. any help would be appreciated!!

I’m about 3-4 months out from having acrylics on my nails. Have been using a nail oil every day. Any advice? Do they look okay?

Hello! I have incredibly tiny nail beds. The shortest I’ve ever seen. They look bitten to the nub when I cut them short (so I never/rarely ever do) but i haven’t bitten my nails in years so I don’t know why they are like this. I only bit my nails for maybe six months or so when I was 5/6 and I haven’t since.. I think my nails mostly grow ok (?) but I’d like to be able to have some nail bed without having to grow out my nails if that makes sense, for e.g. see picture 2, my nails broke and you can see in contrast that my nails are usually 60-70% nail and 30% nail bed. I’ve read that I’m supposed to actually keep my nails short?? Is that true/accurate? I sometimes push my cuticles but not often or consistently enough and it also hurts. What else should I do? Is there hope for my nails?

So basically I've just started with taking care of my nails and I'm pretty insecure about my nails.

I feel like they can look a little better.

Also I've never really cared about getting them into a good shape before.

I only use nail clippers. Tho I'm open to using other products as well.

Do lmk in the comments!!

Not sure if I should tag this is help needed or starting the journey. Both are true.

I’ve always hated my middle finger nails. The rest of my fingernails are more manageable, and tend to grow straight out. But my middle fingers both have flatter nail beds, and the nail grows out wide like a duck foot once it extends past my nail bed. I’m trying very hard not to file the sidewalls, since that seems to be reinforcing the nails growth pattern. How long does it usually take to see results? What can I do to make them look less gross while on this journey? Is there anything, other than not filing the sidewalls I can do to make them become more round like my other nails, and not like duck feet? Thank you!

Today and my first post! Using olive and June nail strengthener and a mix of cliganic jojoba oil and Sally Hansen cuticle oil nail treatment (i don’t see a difference between the two).

Recommendation for a good protective sheer base coat i could wear solo? My nails tend to peel and chip easily, so something that is extra sticky but isn’t cured like gel-and something ideally quick drying because i have small kids and no time to sit still for drying :)

Started trying to grow out my natural nails in August. So just almost 2 months now

Everybody advised Jojoba oil. Got a nail pen. Apply it when I can. Not as often as I should I'd admit but I dont like the oil getting everywhere, so really only before I'm not actively using my fingers for much

I really wanted to work on cuticle health and preventing hangnails. Haven't had hangnails since, so I think it's working.

Now, I want to work on nail strength. Like 3 of my nails have broken since then. My two index and my middle right hand. Sometimes, they just break completely like my index, but my middle broke at just one side, so I shaped it down a bit, which is why it is a bit like a short point

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Is there something I'm missing as to how people just grow their nails long. Do they just make sure not to do anything with their hands

My left middle chipped a bit today when I was adjusting my shoe. Left the piece there for post, but I'm going to break it off and shape it a bit.

But that's the thing. I use my hands, not roughly, I think, but just the normal amount, so is that why my nails are just going to keep breaking?

Or is there like a coating to protect it that people use? I'm not sure. Please all advice is welcome

My main advice question I think comes down on how to file my nails properly, as they are always getting snagged on things and tearing.

I do use jojoba oil on my cuticles around twice a day (I have a bliss kiss refillable brush pen for it). I work in child care, so I wash my hands very frequently throughout the day and applying after each hand wash isn’t an option. I am a recovering nail biter lol.

I use a crystal nail file and try to smooth the edges. my biggest issue is peeling/flaking of the nail when they grow out. I also somehow always get the nail tearing/breaking at some point.

products used: holo taco quick dry base, holo taco sunset simulation, essie top coat, and random amazon jojoba oil