Health

OPI Matte Nail Strengthener

Strengthens fingernails

My husband has dry fingernails that are very thin and are prone to breaking. Once we get into the dry season, they start to peel, and he’s always biting them off as soon as they start to snag.

There’s all sorts of things you can brush onto your nails, but one that I like is from a nail polish company called OPI (that’s Oh-Pee-Eye, not “ohpee”). They have a line of nail care products called Nail Envy. They all look like white or beige nail polish (in nail polish bottles), and most of them are designed to be worn underneath or on top of nail color.

There IS one version of Nail Envy, however, that’s designed for men. It’s called Matte Nail Envy, and as the name implies, it’s a nail polish that dries into a matte, non-shiny coating. Now, my husband swears up and down it’s shiny–it DOES give your nails a sheen, but I wouldn’t call it a shine at all. OPI is sold in most hair and nail salons as well as higher-end stores that sell cosmetics. If you have a store like Sally Beauty Products or ULTA in your neighborhood, they will have it in stock.

If you’re embarrassed to walk into a beauty store, you can always write down the product name on a piece of paper, and go to the cashier right away and ask them to get it for you. The nail polish aisle will likely look pretty overwhelming for you. Another option is to simply buy them online.

If you try it, and you agree with my husband that the sheen is too much for you, my suggestion is that you use an extra fine nail sander to buff off the surface a bit.
Another thing you can do is keep some moisturizer on hand, especially when the weather is cold and dry. Just dab a little bit on your fingernail, then pat your finger down at each of your nail beds, and then just lightly rub back and forth. It will keep your nail area moist and less likely to chip and crack.

-- Lani Teshima 02/14/12

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