Nail polish is a great way of adding a pop of colour to your hands and toes. It is also an effective way of giving your nails a healthy and shiny look through the use of colourless or nude colours. Women have different reasons for choosing to wear nail polish, but the main reason is that ‘’it looks nice’’.

As desirable as beautifully coloured nails are, can wearing nail polish everyday damage your nails? The point blank answer to this is “YES, it can”. Wearing nail polish can weaken your nails and using nail polish remover can add on to this damage. And while damaged nails will not harm your overall health, they can be unsightly. This is why, if you are ‘’addicted’’ to nail polish, to take steps towards caring for your nails before and after you apply your favourite nail polish and, thus, limit the amount of damage you are causing your nails.
Just as any other part of your body, your natural nails also need some time to breath and get some sunshine. So, ideally, going for a few days polish would be a good idea.

But, if you insist on ALWAYS having some colour on your nails, always ensure that:

• You apply good nail cream to nourish and moisturise the nails and the skin around your nails.
• You apply cuticle oil which will also add to the health of your nails and nail bed.
• You wear a base coat which is very important, especially if you like to wear dark colours. It will prevent unsightly discolouration of your natural nails.

Another important aspect of wearing nail polish is the nail polish remover. These removers can contain harmful ingredients that can weaken and damage your nails. The Acetone-free removers are the best for your nails. Acetone dries out nails and weakens them.
We are also lucky that we live in a time when beauty products are gentler on our bodies and nail polish is no exception. Some brands even claim that their nail polish allows your nails to breath, while others have nourishing effects.
So, if you love your nails with a glossy lacquered finish every day of the week, just make sure that you apply cuticle oil and use a good base coat to keep your nails looking healthy with or without nail polish.

Browse nail polish product reviews here. 

Article by Sharon Kariwo