Brittle nails

The Number 1 cause of brittle fingernails is water.

Have you ever soaked in the bath tub and noticed — not only how your shrunken, prune-like finger pads soften up — but how your fingernails and toenails will soften? And they pick much easier when they’re soft…

Nails absorb up to 25 percent of their weight in water when soaking. To keep your nails strong and healthy during extended bouts of water sports, dish washing, or bathing do the following:

• Keeping your nails short makes them less likely to split from being brittle (this makes it harder to obsessively pick your skin, too)
• Eat lots of peanuts, cauliflower or lentils — which have tons of nail-strengthening biotin
• Soak your nails in olive oil
• Keep your hands hydrated with a urea or lactic acid-rich moisturizer
• Massaging your finger pads increases blood flow
• Wear gloves when you wash the dishes