For me, there's nothing more meditative than doing my nails in front of the TV in the evening. But this is something that can easily take a few hours. You see, I don't just paint them, I give myself a full-on gel manicure. Either in one colour or, if I'm feeling a bit wild, then one with a fancy design. And then I usually get a craving for something new after a couple of days, remove everything and start the process all over again. A nice way to spend time for me, but naturally a bit of an ordeal for my nails.

Because of the constant painting, hardening under the UV lamp, removing with acetone and filing, my nails are so thin that they regularly break. So I slap a new layer of gel varnish on them to make them more resistant - a vicious circle, because in between, the nails need air to breathe.

A product that is made exactly for this problem: nail strengthener. It's supposed to, unsurprisingly, - make the nails harder again and care for them along the way. But does it actually work? I tested it for six weeks to find out.

Does nail strengthener really work?

First of all: Brushing a nail strengthener on once is unfortunately not enough to see a difference, so that's why I tested it for six weeks. The whole thing requires a little patience and, above all, consistency. Before my test, I spent time extensively researching nail strengthener online to see which supposedly gave the best results according to reviews. I eventually decided on the “Microcell 2000” (available on Amazon for £18.30), but there are definitely several other nail strengtheners that work in the same way.

62 dreamy nail designs to save for your next maniGallery36 Photos

By Elle Turner

View GalleryHow nail strengthener works

First, I clean and dry my hands and nails, then apply the nail strengthener very thinly and find myself amazed at how quickly it dries. One layer feels like plenty and that's it for the day. On day two, I repeat the process and apply a second layer. On the third day, the two layers are taken off with nail polish remover, to then go in again directly afterwards with a thin layer, then the next day again with a second layer, taking everything off and reapplying on the third day. The process is really that simple.

In week one, I'm still enjoying the whole thing because I'm quite curious to see when I'll actually notice a change in the strength of my nails. In week two, though, I'm beginning to get a little over the whole process. Although the process itself takes hardly any time (applying or removing the nail strengthener takes a maximum of three minutes), somehow it still stresses me out because it's an additional item on my to-do list. But consistency is key here, because you'll only see the results you want if you stick with it. In fact, after just a few days, I notice how my nails become stronger and don't bend as easily.

My nails after six weeks of nail strengthener

How do my nails feel after six weeks of nail strengthener? Rock hard! In fact, they are stronger than ever and for the first time, I feel like I can do any manual labour without fear of breaking a nail. While my nails were extremely short at the start of the experiment, partly even broken, they are nice and even in length after six weeks. My nails would have never grown this long before (without UV varnish). After six weeks I stopped using the strengthener, because my nails are not only strong, but I've also finished the bottle.

Is the result sustainable?

I managed to go without my beloved manicure for three more weeks to see how my nails would get on. They remain strong and didn't break, but I also found myself really missing my manicured hands. I'm trying to avoid gel polish right now, though, because it's proven to put more stress on nails than regular polish. Over the process, I notice another thing that surprises me: Until now, I was at war with "normal" nail polish, because it basically flakes off again only a few hours after application - regardless of the brand, I've tried them all. Now, however, it suddenly holds much better and I suspect that is due to the much stabler base I have.

Would I use nail strengthener again?

Nail strengthener is a great way to get damaged nails back on track in a short amount time. It's a little time consuming because you have to keep at it, but absolutely manageable because of the small amount of time needed for the process.

Having said that, it is important to give your nails a complete break in between to let them breathe and give them a chance to regenerate themselves. An even more effective and recommended solution to strengthen your nails is a healthy diet. Instead of using nail strengtheners for weeks, you're best off integrating protein-rich foods such as fish, dairy, legumes, nuts or oatmeal into your diet, because they strengthen nails from the inside out.

This article originally appeared in GLAMOUR DE.

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