Determining your nail type

With all the different products on the market for your nails it can be very confusing to choose the right one for you.  Short of visiting your local nail technician and going through a thorough consultation and nail analysis, how will you know what nail type you have?

Well, it isn't always as simple as saying you are one type and you remain that type forever, of course not.  Nails are like skin & hair and are made up of the same protein; Keratin.  External and internal factors can affect the way they look and feel, they can also change slowly over time with age.  So, you need different products to counteract the negative effects to create healthy, strong and supple/flexible skin, hair and nails.

Most nails fall in to one of the following categories:

Healthy Nails
Recognised by good flexibility, healthy pinkish colour and a light sheen to the nail surface. 

Soft, thin nails
Recognised by peeling layers which are thin to the touch.  It can be caused by a lack of protection against everyday environmental elements such as detergents, gardening and general daily chores which cause stress to the nail. 

Excessively soft and peeling nails
Recognised by extensive peeling across the full length of the nail.  These nails are thin to the touch with a paper-like quality.  This type of nail splits very easily and breaks off as soon as any free edge appears. 

Hard, dehydrated nails
Strong, dehydrated and usually ridged, hard nails snap easily due to a lack of moisture.  These nails tend to break lower down the free edge and often the side wall of the nail.  Many people can suffer with this type of nail when taking medication or going through hormonal changes.  Hard nails need to be treated with conditioners to give flexibility and moisture.  Toe nails usually fall into this type.

Damaged/Sensitive nails (after enhancement use)
These nails will be very dehydrated due to the chemicals that have been used and could be damaged if the nails were not removed properly by a professional.  Sensitivity could occur if the nail has become dry and thin.  These type of nails will initially lack moisture, but will also need protein to strengthen them.

Note - There can be instances where you have some variation in the condition of your nails, so multiple products may be required to treat them effectively.

For the right treatments for your nail type see my post about the Nailtiques range.