It's no secret for professionals that not only the beauty of the timbre of the sound produced depends on the shape of the guitarist's nails, but also the shape plays a great role in technique. If you make your nails too short, it becomes easier to play, as your finger glides more easily over the strings, but this "sharpening" has a negative effect on the sound. It becomes too open, even unpleasant, for the ear used to the beautiful sound. If you make your nails too long, you can often achieve a beautiful tone. However, at the same time it becomes difficult to play fast passages - the nails "slow down" the fingers, slow down the speed. By the way, I read somewhere that Paco de Lucia (king of flamenco) has very short nails. There is nothing to add about Paco's technique. I heard it personally in a live concert in Kaluga and it was phenomenal !!! My emotions were overflowing.
We often try to imitate what seems to us “cool”, more perfect, beautiful. Sometimes the same thing happened to me ...
But what was my surprise when, having ceased to imitate anyone, breaking away from the usual methods of sharpening nails, I conducted my own experiment, which, by the way, could have done many years ago. It turns out that you can achieve a compromise between short and long nails by changing the shape of the nail.
Why am I writing that this method is humble and important. Modest - because mine, and I am a modest person (I smile here). And important because it works! And it works for me, in my case! Here I want to emphasize that if you repeat everything exactly as I did, then with a very high probability you will not get the same result. How lovely))). After all, I cannot give advice - do so and you will be happy! But I can definitely say - search and you will find! And this is one of the ways to search.
Why is this happening? Because we are all different. And this difference applies not only to the psyche, character, musicality, etc., but also to physiology.
I would also like to add that there are researchers who are not unsuccessfully looking for universal formulas for the development of the guitarist's technique, sharpening nails, and other aspects. More recently, after I use my new way sharpening my nails, I got the work of John Taylor "Sound production on a classical guitar". I started reading this work with a bunch of doubts, because I found something of my own and I was wondering what the new book would advise me. And in the very last chapters, changing a bunch of different formulas and arguments from the field of physics and geometry, placed at the beginning of the book, a surprise awaited me at the end. My formula is not new! Taylor distinguishes between several basic types of hands, types of fingers and nail attachments. And based on this, several methods of sharpening nails are proposed.
The attached photos show my way of sharpening my nails.
You need to be careful when placing your fingers (nails) on the buff when sharpening. I simulated putting my hands on the strings here, trying to recreate the same angle between fingers and strings.
It's no secret that the shape is unusual. Previously, I also tried to find a compromise between the aesthetics of the nail (I mean not painting nails with varnish) and the practicality of its use in playing the guitar. That was superfluous, although beauty is a pleasant thing!
Of course, after the initial sharpening, further refinement of the details is required. In this sense, I do the following: I correct the angles (you can see the sharp ones), which can be determined as a result of visual inspection and / or as a result of playing, when some parts of the nail noticeably cling to the strings, slowing down the movement; I polish my nails with different sides, especially the suspected part of the nail in contact with the string.
P.S. Like John Taylor, Charles Duncan did similar research with a number of similar discoveries and rationales, which he captured in his book The Art of Playing the Classical Guitar.
We would like to devote this article to such an important issue as nail care right hand. After all, the quality of your sound largely depends on the condition of your nails. Among the performers of classical guitar music there is even such a saying “nails for a guitarist are like a bow for a violinist” - and it really is.
Unfortunately, not everyone has naturally healthy strong nails, all the more from constant exercise weaker nails quickly grind off and lose the required length and shape. About what length and shape should be the guitarist's nails and what polishing should be used for this, we have consecrated in sufficient detail in the video tutorials section. And now I would like to talk in more detail about how to make nails stronger and healthier... Of course, you can find a lot on the Internet different ways, how to do it, and everyone chooses the most convenient and accessible ones for himself, but I will tell you about the more effective and proven ones in practice.
So, first of all, I would like to say, no matter how trite it sounds, the strength of the nails largely depends on nutrition... The lack of vitamins immediately affects the health of your nails. To begin with, you can take a course of vitamins with calcium such as "Calcid", "Calcium D3" or something like that. Not bad vitamins "Supradin", which contain a complex of all minerals and vitamins and plus help with increased fatigue, but, of course, the selection of drugs is a rather individual process, you need to look here so that there are no contraindications, you can even consult a doctor. Naturally, we all know that artificial vitamins cannot be consumed constantly, usually, you only need to drink a certain course, and then you will have to get vitamins from productsthat we eat. Try to drink more natural dairy products, there is m oreproducts, as well as strengthens nails eating nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, etc.).
We figured out the nutrition, now you can tell and about ways to strengthen nails directly.
I advise you to do baths with sea salt at least 3 times a week. There, you can add lemon juice, soda or various essential oils.
Daily before bed (you can also several times a day) rub the following into your nails (there are many options, you can choose what you like): castor oil, vitamins E or A in oil, essential oils also help very well - lemon, avocado, ylang-ylang, marjoram, rosemary.
Among those who want to strengthen their nails, there is an opinion that it is good to smear them with iodine. Personally, this method did not work for me, from iodine the nails seemed to have strengthened at first, but over time they became even more fragile. The iodine dried them out.
And yet, I would like to draw the attention of females - the use of all kinds decorative varnishes for nails significantly worsens the condition of the nails.
It is worth noting that all of the above procedures must be complex, if you once a month smear your nails with something or soak them in a bath with salt, then there will be no effect.
Here are some basic tips to give you strengthening guitarists' nails. You can choose any for yourself or find another individual way, just do not forget to always watch your nails and most importantly keep them clean and tidy.
(this article was written students Markina N.I. specially for the site http: // site)
Nail method of sound production on the guitar
As the main nail method of sound production, it is widely used by flamenco guitarists and performing classical concert repertoire. The advantage of this style of sound production is very obvious, since a guitar with nylon strings sounds louder and is saturated with greater timbre beauty when using the nail method. The performance becomes brighter by increasing the sonic range of the guitar and tonal coloration. The nail gives the impact a clarity that is so lacking when playing with the nailless method of sound production, this is especially noticeable when performing passages and arpeggios (brute force). The use of a fingernail to pluck a string follows the method indicated by the Madrid guitarist (1784 - 1849) in his Spanish school of guitar playing ( Nuevo método para guitarra). “First, pinch the string with the flesh of the finger, that part of it that faces the thumb; the finger is slightly more elongated and less bent than when playing without using a nail; then a fingernail slides onto the string. " Aguado recommended using the nail-playing technique (he is considered the first guitarist to propose this idea), achieving a brighter and stronger sound. The nail, being hard, can produce more noticeable string shades. Losing in softness, the sound wins in brilliance, strength and contrasts. In the flamenco style, there is no way to give all the character of this style without the participation of the nail, imparting the strength of the bass, the lightness of arpeggio and the piercing sharpness of the rasgeado. So, the reason why the nail method of sound production is considered more practical is that when performing works using the nail method, it is easier to control your sound production due to the wider sound range of the guitar created by the nails. The picture below shows where the strings are touched by the fingertips before the string begins to slide onto the nail.
What should be the nails to play the guitar
The nail method of sound production requires from the performer a certain care of the nails, which consists in constant control over their length, as well as in the absence of irregularities and rough edges. Too long nails give a nasal sound to the sound, because the pad of the finger is not used, only the nail is used. For nail care, you will need scissors and files, since the nails should not be too long and should not rise 1 to 2 millimeters above the fingertip, depending on the individual structure of the nail and finger. In this case, the nail should correspond to the contour of the fingertip (have a rounded shape). 
Some guitarists give the nail a beveled shape from the starting point of touching the string to the point where the string vanishes, trying to increase the area of \u200b\u200bthe nail when the string comes off, but this shape of the nail is purely individual and depends on your desire to experiment with the sound. The following photo shows the thumbnail of the right hand. It should be noted that this is perhaps the maximum length of the nail used for playing the guitar with the thumb. 
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford the nail method of sound production due to the fact that nails can be too thin, brittle and exfoliate. For some, in order to eliminate this reason, it is enough to change their daily menu, including a sufficient amount of foods rich in vitamin B, calcium and protein (kefir, milk, cheese, lance). A product such as curd contains phosphorus, calcium and vitamin D to improve nail growth.
Many guitarists use their nails even when playing metal strings, finding in this more interesting brightness of the sound of their instrument.
Before starting this lesson, as an introduction, I would like to introduce you to one big misconception that is quite common among people who have never learned to play the classical guitar, or were self-taught in this matter, misunderstood something, or they just didn't know.
The fact is that on the Internet I often come across arguments about "which strings are better - nylon or metal". At the same time, most often the majority says that "of course metal", citing as arguments for this such as "nylon stretches a lot, it takes a long time to tune", or "it has a dull sound, but metal has a sonorous sound." Most often this is said by people who are either poorly versed in playing the guitar, or know only one side of it. Most often this side is the ability to play songs on an acoustic guitar on 3 thieves chords. Naturally, when playing this way, you need to use metal strings. More on that later.
The guitar is a versatile instrument. It can be used in any way - depending on the style of play. You can play with your fingers, a pick, electric guitar, bass guitar, classical guitar, flamenco guitar, etc. There are guitars suitable for blues, jazz, accompaniment, live performance and more. Each style of playing has its own techniques and subtleties, and each instrument uses its own "gadgets". It is unlikely that someone will play the electric guitar with their fingers (there are famous peoplebut there are very few of them), the Bluesman will most likely tell you that it prefers thin metal strings that are easy to stretch and easier to band with. Someone who plays the accompaniment will most likely tell you that they like thicker strings.
So, each style of play has its own "chips" and "gadgets".
Now, back to the nylon strings.
These strings are just a "gadget" (relatively speaking, to make it clearer), and they are used when playing the classical guitar. At the same time, if you play such a guitar and such strings, very important element such a game is correct sound production... The main element correct sound production on a classical guitar (and often not only on it) is playing with nails. In addition, in addition to nails, the construction of the guitar plays an important role, as well as the correct fit with the instrument. I will name one of the hallmarks of a classical guitar design - the neck should be glued into the body, and not attached to it with a screw.
So to correctly to play nylon strings, a number of rules must be followed:
The guitar should be suitable for nylon strings (not on a screw, not some kind of concert one, for example);
- the game should be played in a certain way - with nails, with the correct sound production, in the correct fit, in compliance with many rules;
- nails must be properly processed.
You must understand that it is impossible to compare nylon and metal strings - nylon and metal strings serve different purposes... If a man tells you that he doesn't like nylon strings, he just doesn't know how to play them correctly, that's all.
So, let's move on to practice and figure out how we can properly "set up" our working tool, that is, our nails.
Note: they used to play the guitar without nails, but then they decided that it was better to play with them. Playing with nails has become a kind of new stage in the life of this instrument. There are people who play without them, but their minority, more often they still teach to play with their nails. You can play this way not only on nylon, but also on metal.
"Customize" nails
Let's deal with the left hand first, because everything is very simple with it - remove your nails on it "to zero", sometimes guitarists leave small nails about 0.5 mm long on the left hand - to stiffen the fingers - this helps if the "legato" technique is often used when playing.
As an example, I propose to see a photo of my right hand, along the way I will explain:
Nails on right hand it is necessary to grow so that they protrude from the fingertip by about 3-4 millimeters. As you can see, the nail on the little finger is cut "to zero" - you can do the same. After you have grown them, they need to be sharpened properly. This is done like this: if you look at the hand from top to bottom from the side opposite the palm, they need to be sharpened on the left, in the place where it is shown by the arrows for me. The beveled surface to be sharpened must be perfectly smooth, free from chipping and no protrusions.
Note: different schools teach how to handle nails in different ways: either not sharpening at all, or making fingertips in the shape, or short or long. False nails are often used by professionals. I believe that controversy over the correct handling of nails is pointless, since every teacher teaches the way he was taught in his time. I suggest one way for you. At least, my teacher teaches me this way, and he graduated from the Music Conservatory, so I have no doubts about the correctness of my way of handling nails.
Let's deal with the thumb.
Here, in general, the same as with the other fingers. Sharpen it to the left. Sharpening is necessary so that when you play the bass string, especially with a kick, your fingernail does not cling to the string. Often the nail on thumb do not file, then when you hit the string, he plays it with his fingernail, this is also practiced, only I, for example, used to sharpen it.
It is best to sharpen your nails not with a metal file, but with a plastic file. It is sold freely in many stores, it is inexpensive. This is how it looks:
When viewed from the side of the palm, the nail should protrude about 2 mm behind the pad of the finger.
Everything in this tutorial. Get your nails ready for the game. Don't be afraid to do this, because this is actually how the guitar is played, both classical on nylon strings and acoustics on metal strings.
In the next lesson we will deal with a very important matter - we will look at the basics of correct sound production using nails when playing.
Guitarists make up one sixth of the total number of students in our school. We hope that they, as well as the guests of the site, will find the material on nail care, because the saying "nails are for a guitarist is like a bow for a violinist" is not a joke at all, but one of the current mottos of classical guitar musicians.
Taking into account a certain lack of information on this topic, we decided to offer readers excerpts from various sources: the article opens with a fragment from the fourth chapter of the world-famous guitar school Charles Duncan "The Art of Playing the Classical Guitar", which deals rather with the theoretical foundations of the problem, after which fascinating recipes from our teachers are waiting for you!
CHARLES DUNCAN. Chapter 4 (fragment)
The beauty of a guitar timbre is largely due to what we hear at the first moment of an attack, and depends, among other qualities, on a characteristic set of overtones (overtones). Touching the string with just the fingertip produces a soft sound that is quite expressive, but lacks sufficient purity and clarity.
This produces a sharp, angular sound with sharpened nails. Thick and thin nails, respectively, give rise to a weak or rich sound, nails with a rounded surface have a scratching sound. Consequently, the shape and polishing of nails largely determines the sound quality during an attack.
The old debate about whether to use nails or not, arose, probably because the harsh timbre of most performers who used nails was determined by the characteristics of natural (vein) strings. In any case, the modern international standard for sound quality, established by Segovia and his students who successfully applied nails, places this issue in the area of \u200b\u200bpurely speculative contradictions - the absolute majority of modern guitar performers of so-called "academic" music apply nail sounding.
Sharpening nails
Each stage of nail preparation for play (sharpening, sanding and polishing) requires its own materials.
So, for sharpening a top quality nail file is required. The most common files with a notch on metal, alas, literally shred and, therefore, weaken nails. An abrasive cloth is slightly better, but it also weakens the edges of the nails and makes it difficult to finish. You can, of course, cut your nails with scissors, but it is difficult to avoid breaking the edges of the nails, so they are all the more unsuitable for such delicate work.
The best file is a steel blade with a notch and diamond coating or coating from other precious stones... Such a file removes excess and gives a neat, tidy look and the desired shape, without shredding or weakening the edges of the nail. To control the movements during sharpening, you need support (you can rest your elbows on your knees or on a table). The nail should be sharpened at an angle of about 45 ° between the nail and the file. Movements should be short, in a straight line to both sides. The one way movements used in regular manicure are not entirely correct.
Once you've got the edge of the nail straight, start rounding off the corners that appeared during the initial sharpening. To round off the nail on the working side, one or two strokes are enough. The opposite corner may need more rounding. Now inspect the nail from below to see if you managed to get the shape characteristic of your nails. Check if there are deviations from the desired shape. They can be eliminated by lifting your finger up and trimming it with a slight stroke of the file from above.
The next stage is grinding... It will require the highest quality sandpaper, preferably numbers 500-600. A few strokes on all sides will eliminate rough sharpening marks and even out sharp edges.
The final stage is polishing... Its purpose is to bring the edge of the nail to a shiny, mirror-like surface. Jewelry paper, number 500 silicon carbide paper, iron oxide silicon carbide tape, or number 600 sandpaper with petroleum jelly are suitable for this purpose. Also high-grade grindstoneas the paper can bend or wrinkle under the influence of sharp polishing corners. (The paper should be used quite carefully when polishing nails in different directions).
Nail care
Taking good care of your nails is the duty of a professional guitarist, especially important for those with weak nails. With the right precautions, you won't have unnecessary worries.
First of all, nails should always be clean. The dirt absorbs moisture, which, along with abrasions, weakens the nails. Noteworthy are various nail baths - concentrated solutions for them are available for sale in perfumery stores. The solutions contain components that protect nails from delamination and brittleness, and also make them more flexible. The nail polishing procedure stimulates the base of the nails, and the resulting blood rush leads to the growth of the nail.
The serious guitarist will certainly avoid activities that are harmful to the nails (this does not include natural wear, improper sharpening, incorrect technique). But even the safest activities can damage your nails - no one is immune from careless movements when opening doors, driving a car, or sharpening a pencil. In daily activities, situations often arise that lead to unpredictable nail damage. The best way avoid risk - learn to use your left hand instead of your right as much as possible. If this becomes a habit with you, an additional effective element of preserving your guitar technique will appear!
Novice performers often assume that excellent sound and optimal right hand technique are the result of exceptionally correct hand position and nail shape. However, the task is more difficult. Of course, the main condition is the correct position of the hand and the shape of the nails, but the rest are equally important - the correct fit, the position of the left hand, optimal muscle conditions for the activity of the fingers, actions when changing positions.
RECIPES
B. I. Lazareva
To strengthen nails can be used saline solution with the following composition: for 1 glass of water at room temperature - 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of lemon (you can also add 2-3 drops of iodine). It is necessary to "soak" the nails in it many times, that is, in a course of 15-20 minutes (or more) for several days.
For getting rid of lamination of nails I advise you to do baths: immerse your fingers in unrefined vegetable oil heated to a temperature of 35-38 degrees - olive oil is better, but something else will do too ( editor's note: the best olive oil - Extra Virgine, it is squeezed from the freshest fruits that have not yet had time to oxidize, by cold pressing without the use of heat treatment, which is why this oil can be considered natural olive juice). The duration of the procedure is 5-10 minutes daily for two to three weeks; after the procedure, it is better to wipe your hands with a soft towel and do not wet them for a couple of hours. 
It is good to combine both methods with each other, and with the third - swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, alternating with eating olives, especially fresh ( editor's note: in its original form they use only table varieties olives, which are distinguished by juicy, tender pulp - they are harvested in Mediterranean countries in late September - early October; most common varieties are bitter and unfit for food without special processing).
It is also useful to follow the recommendations of cosmetologists - used by them masks(for example, from apple pulp with subsequent treatment of the nail with an emollient-moisturizing cream) and special procedures for nails in most cases are quite acceptable for guitarists.
INTERESTING OPINION
V.V. Gerasimova
The problem of nails for guitarists is perhaps the most important - as for vocalists, for example, healthy lungs, vocal cords, etc. One of the main criteria for evaluating a performer's performance on any instrument is sound quality. For guitarists, good nails are 90% likely to achieve high sound quality (after, of course, achieving certain landing skills and other indispensable conditions for professional development).
Based personal experience, I can say that I do not know a single truly reliable and effective way to strengthen nails. More precisely, I did not know until recently, when one of my students - Alexander Davydenko - discovered me a recipe that really helps! I was convinced of this not only with my own eyes, but, most importantly, I heard the result with my ears - in the lesson!
The recipe is as follows: stir a teaspoon of baking soda, a few drops of lemon juice, a few drops of iodine in warm water, dissolve a small piece of toilet soap until foam is obtained. Keep your hand in the solution for 15 minutes, then rub almond or olive oil (sold in a pharmacy!) Into the base of the nail (the place from which it grows). The procedure is done 2 times a week for six weeks, then take a break for 2-3 months, and then repeat regularly as needed.
If nature has already endowed you with good, strong nails (or you have achieved this thanks to our advice) - do not forget, nails require care. In my opinion, it is most convenient to use polishing four-level files, which can be bought at almost any haberdashery stall. However, attention, do not confuse: you do not need to polish the upper surface of the nail, but edge of this! (Although for musicians of the "weaker" sex, I think the issue of aesthetics is also important - they will not be hurt by polishing the upper part of the nail). This should be done not occasionally (once a week or once a day), but as much as needed - any small burr on the nail will not only immediately affect the purity of the sound, but can also cause nail breakage.
In urgent cases (say, if a nail breaks before the concert), can be used and artificial nails - they are also commercially available. However, they are unsuitable for permanent use, since chemical compositionsused to apply artificial nails destroy the natural structure of the base. If you still have to resort to this method - under no circumstances use the glue that comes with the kit! Safer and more reliable - the so-called "super-glue", sold in small tubes. Its short-term use will hardly hurt a real nail. (pictured - artificial transparent nail for playing flamenco).
And finally, a little humor, in which (I know from experience) there is some truth. Personally, for reasons unknown to me, a certain evolution of nails took place, regardless of my efforts (or lack of such): the nails became not that harder, but more elastic. And they began to grind off from long studies much less. Perhaps this is simply related to Darwin's theory: it is possible that guitarists also tend to evolve - from homo sapiens to homo gitarus. The last formation is distinguished by a burning gaze, pure heart, the desire to do everything with the left hand (although they are not left-handed) and good nails!
As my Teacher, Evgeny Fedorovich Larionov, once said, “a guitarist should have at least two valuable qualities - a gentle soul and strong nails”.
Go ahead, future Segovia and Paco de Lucia!
RECIPES
S. B. Privalova
Perhaps it is worth recalling that layered or crumbling nails can be not only a constitutional feature of the body, but also a signal about diseases of both the nails themselves and various internal organs (digestive system, lungs, etc.). It is known that even ancient Chinese healers used nails to diagnose various ailments (not to be confused with "onychomancy" - fortune telling by nails, from the Greek onix - "nail"). Therefore, before experimenting with what is most valuable to you - nails - it is not out of place to consult a doctor.
Fairy won't work!
For those who are not yet in the know, we also recall that the outer part of the nail is a plate bounded on three sides by nail rollers. Its structure includes beta-keratin - a very strong protein, insoluble in water and quite resistant to acids, alkalis, as well as high and low temperatures... Due to the lamellar structure, nails are able to absorb water well and absorb large amounts of fat (many times more intense than the skin!). Therefore, it is not so difficult to achieve positive changes in nail care.
First, you should protect them from drugs that dissolve fats, which at the same time dissolve the intercellular compounds of the horny particles, as a result of which the nails become brittle. Wash the dishes with rubber gloves! If they are absent, do not abuse soap and soda solutions (and even more so, dishwashing liquids), bad nails are a disease of too clean hands! And if you were poking around in the ground before fishing, wash your hands with cream soap, glycerin or a special lotion.
Am I late already? Have you washed your hands? Soap "Economic No. 2"? Then here's to you one of the recipes, mined in the boundless spaces of the network.
Add a few drops to jojoba, avocado or almond oil essential oils lemon, pine and chamomile, then massage the nail rollers and plates with the mixture, or dip your fingertips into the slightly warmed mixture. As a result, a quick and visible improvement was promised (I did not experience a panacea for myself).
Eat to your health! Do not eat under any circumstances!
One of the common reasons for the deterioration of the condition of the nails is improper diet. Dreaming of strong and beautiful nails must eat fully and at the same time rationally (then in about six months you will “feel the difference”). Summing up a thousand and one advice from nutritionists around the world, I recommend that you eat more cheese, eggs, beef liver, carrots, nuts, citrus fruits, apples, currants, parsley, dairy products, fatty fish, seafood, figs, almonds, apricots, dried fruits, bananas, wholemeal products, potatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, onions, poultry (including liver), jelly and anything that contains gelatin. I.e eat little, often, varied and almost EVERYTHING... Do you remember?
What you don't need to eat is even easier to remember: nutritionists are friendly do not recommend long-term use of low-fat foods. Choose - either liver and figure, or nails!
If you have already managed to eat a piece of lean beef and drink low-fat kefir, try another recipe for the prevention of brittle nails, proposed by the weekly AiF "Health" (then tell me whether it helped or not):
buy dill, parsley, celery, tarragon (another name is tarragon) at the market, chop them finely, fill a glass jar with them and fill vegetable oil to the top layer, leave for at least two days and then take one tablespoon every morning on an empty stomach. They say this is a real nail balm!
The condition of the skin and nails is also improved contrasting baths - alternate immersion of brushes in hot or cold water acidified with acetic or citric acid... At the end of such a procedure, it is useful massage with a special nourishing cream, as well as rubbing in cranberry and currant juices (black or red). Has a beneficial effect on nails and their periodic rubbing onion slices drizzled with lemon juice.
If you want to strengthen your nails, pamper your body often by absorbing foods containing calcium (and vitamin D, without which calcium cannot be absorbed). Can be swallowed by pharmacy calcium-containing preparations (at the same time strengthen bones) - almost all of them include the aforementioned vitamin in the composition. If you have low acidity - drink these tablets with grapefruit, lemon or orange juice - in no case tea, coffee, or, even more, not energy tonics! And don't eat chocolate after such a pill either!
Finally, so be it another extremely simple recipe... After a modest student dinner, consisting of boiled potatoes and a sandwich with black caviar, throw out the can of caviar, but no broth from under the potatoes! When it cools down, keep your poor nails in it (if you still have them after the previous procedures). A couple of months of such dinners "with consequences" - and the nails will stop crumbling. If you have an oligarch dad, then everything is quite simple: buy Sally Hansen nail cosmetics in perfumery stores. For example, a tool with the unambiguous name "Diamond strength" promises that nails will become "as strong as diamonds."
A little manicure won't hurt
And finally, the advice of those who are engaged in manicure, because this word itself comes from two Latin components - "manus" (hand) and "cure" (care).
- use not coarse metal files, but cardboard files for nails;
- do not cut nails immediately after baths, lotions and other water procedures;
- the beautiful half of the guitar mankind - to apply varnish not directly to the nails, but only to a protective base;
- do not expose your nails to strong ultraviolet radiation, before going to the beach, cover your nails with a protective cream or American "smart enamel" sold in pharmacies to protect nails (and it is better to just sunbathe with gloves - S.P.);
- apply nutritious fruit (apples, lemon) masks, aloe-based creams;
- do not use vegetable masks, since almost all of them contain starch that dries nails;
- do not wear false nails for more than one or two days, give natural nails at least 12 hours of rest to recover between uses of false nails;
- sleep more - calcium supplied from food is best absorbed in sleep!
Instead of a conclusion
We hope that from all the variety of tips presented in the article, each of the readers learned something new for themselves.
In conclusion, we would like to remind you that the hobbit's formula “do not rely on your head, this is not your strongest” is far from universal! Before you get upset about the bad luck in your specialty, think: maybe it's not the nails after all? Did you forget to pick up your guitar during the exam?
© Sergey Privalov
© Boris Lazarev
© Valery Gerasimov
