I admit I used acrylic polish until it ruined my natural nail surface completely!

Is it easy to get great natural nails?

I am a model, and I always have my hands and nails in the camera. Natural nails need to be perfect and look healthy.

I never liked to pay too much attention to maintaining a good look, and one day, I just decided to get acrylic nails because it was so popular and they looked effortless to get.

And yes, indeed, it is elementary to see the manicurist two times a month and let her fix my nails for another two weeks.

And these are my nails now, take a look.

The shorter version and what I am actually able to grow.

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You don’t need to bother about fixing your nails on your own, and they always look great, especially on camera.

Little did I know! Once I was hired for a shoot, I needed to get my nails short and no polish. So I went to get those off.

There, I cried. I got ripped off of my nail surface almost completely.

My nails became so thin that I couldn’t even touch anything or put my hands inside the pocket because it was so painful!

Is it possible to have strong natural nails?

I decided that it was the last time I let someone ruin my healthy natural nails for my own money. I paid cash for ruining my nails (p.s. they were perfectly healthy before).

No longer did I want to get acrylics or anything disturbing to my nails.

So I decided that it was high time to take care of my natural nails because my nails were pretty healthy long before I knew how to take care of them.

Little did I know that this process would take me the next three months to recuperate.

This is why I have long and strong natural nails.

Take care of your cuticle daily before you sleep.

You do not necessarily need to buy additional products to take care of your cuticle. Right, on the contrary, I used a pea-size drop of olive or almond oil just around the nail.

Whenever I had nothing near, I would always use just my lip balm, which works wonders.

All about cuticle care; scroll down the page.

Here, you can also learn how to make your own DIY cuticle oil at home.

2. File the nail up until the fingertip

To avoid further damage, I filled the nails up until the fingertip. It will be very uncomfortable and painful to touch anything with your nails.

So, I decided to start from the very beginning.

3. Vitamins for nails and hair for healthy growth

Usually, vitamins for nails and hair contain biotin in the ingredients.

Biotin provokes the growth of new cells; hence, it will boost the growth of nails and hair.

I would also stress on Selenium, which contributes a lot to hair growth.

For the last 3 years I’ve been testing different vitamins to see the potential best result with my nails.

And I think I found my best and it’s not a biotin supplement.

I was looking to get collagen as my main supplement while I was in Greece, and that was something that I did not expect.

A local pharmacist in Athens recommended Collagen and Hyaluronic acid with Selenium and Zinc. At first, I wanted to take it to improve my 35-year-old skin.

I also tried these.

After an intensive exposure to the sun, I felt like I needed some booster.

But in 2 weeks after I started taking these pills – I saw a tremendous nail growth. It literally took me 14 days within which I filed my nails 4 times and still saw this result.

Look at this. Mind that I grew my nails from 0 (they were cut to the “root”).

how to grow natural nails

That’s how my nails looked in 4 weeks.

I took vitamin complex for no longer than 30 days.

Take into consideration that biotin is a toxic vitamin and should be taken in a moderate amount, so do not overdo it because you might get side effects like a rash.

It is better to consume it with the vitamin complex to be on the safe side.

One of the most effective vitamins I have tried myself was Perfectil (but that one is a full vitamin complex with biotin).

That was during the time when I had a very stressful life and university exams on top of all of that.

I had problems with my nails and even hair fallout. I was recommended these vitamins by a friend of mine.

Those, as you see, are not the most affordable on the list, but they did help me. I could see the effect after the course of 30 days.

It wasn’t within a few days process…It was also accompanied by meditation, a good night’s sleep, yoga, gym, etc.

I have also noticed that eating a few cashews and walnuts improved the health of my nails ridiculously well. Around five nuts every morning made a big difference!

As of today, I am trying out a new vitamin mix which is called Ecophante powder – very good for those who dislike pills, as this powder can be added to your morning Greek yogurt.

And I’d say it tastes a little savory, like a natural yogurt with a bit of a lemon taste. But they also have pills – which you may find easier to deal with 😉

I’ve been taking it for a month now, and I started seeing results after three weeks of taking it.

See which vitamin complex fits your regimen better.

4. Oils for nail beds and cuticles

You will notice a huge difference if you start using oils for your nails.

I apply Almond oil around the cuticles every single time, not only before applying the nail polish but also before I go to get it and in the morning (especially if it’s winter).

At night, I also stamp it up with hand cream as if locking the nutrients in.

I use Almond oil (otherwise, if Almond is not accessible, I use O.P.I or Nuxe dry oil, which smells so good).

5. Nail polish for growth and strength

After 30 days, I started using one coat of transparent nail polish made for additional strength.

It is crucial to preserve and keep your nails in a good position for further growth.

To avoid this, you need to add an extra surface. My top choice is EVELINE, and the second one is from Sally Hansen.

Sally Hansen, in particular, on a daily basis after recovering the nails.

I love the Sally Hansen Treatment Nail Rehab with 3 thin layers.

It’s the most perfect “clean girl” look, and it lasts 7 days for me. So, I refresh the manicure every 7 days.

Check out Sally Hansen Rehab polish here.

It took me three months to grow back my nails, as you see them now, from 0 to the length captured in the pictures.

Now, I can have my nails natural, and I no longer need any additional coat on unless I want to.

Pay attention to your cuticle

Your nail polish may look expensive and very elegant, but without proper cuticle care, you will not be able to look expensive and just, in general, well-treated woman.

Please pay attention to this part, and this is what you can do to maintain a good, healthy look of natural nails:

Moisturize your cuticle with oil ( I use almond oil or a natural body butter made of shea butter (karité) works best at night time (just before going to bed). If I don’t have any natural oil, I use Nuxe or O.P.I cuticle oils.
Moisturize with hand cream in the morning (preferably with vitamin E) with no grease and excessive oil, like at night.
Remove the outgrown cuticle with a remover at least once a week.