Typically, my nails are as hard as, well, nails. But I regularly go through periods when the slightest impact causes a nail to break or even peel off in horizontal layers. In my case, plane flights or the onset of winter are the usual triggers. In both cases, we are talking dry air. Brittle nails can also be caused by trauma, such as repeated wetting and drying, repeated exposure to detergents and water, and excessive exposure to harsh solvents, such as those found in nail polish and remover.

If your nails are in need of a helping hand, we have rounded up some of our favorites. The first thing for nails is hydration. You'll be impressed by deeply moisturizing and soothing shea butter from Organic Essence (a boon for nails that are so dry they are prone to develop ridges) and the protective natural silica in Lather's bamboo cream. If you've been abusing acrylics, let Orly Bonder come to the rescue and dab on Hand Perfection's Nail & Cuticle Treatment. Looking for a toxin free nail polish? Welcome to Dazzle Dry.



Ingredients in Hand Perfection:

Cyclopentasiloxane, glycine soja (soybean) oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, isopropyl myristate, evening primrose (oenothera biennis) oil, linum usitatissimum (linseed) seed oil, cannabis sativa seed oil, retinyl palmitate, tocopheryl acetate, rosemarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) extract, carthamus tinctorious (safflower) seed oil.

Ingredients in Barielle:
Aqua, glyceral stearate, paraffunum liquidum, lanolin wax, stearic acid, glycerin, petrolatum, parafin cera alba, lanolin alcohol, polysorbate 20, sodium lauryl sulfate, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, tocopherol acetate, parfume oil, methlparaben, imidazolidinyl urea, propylparaben

Dazzle Dry Nail Polish Remover Ingredients:

Acetone, water, glycerin, lemongrass essential oil and clove essential oil.

Dazzle Dry Pedal to The Medal” Nail Polish Ingredients:

Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propyl Acetate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, SD Alcohol 40B, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Octocrylene, Fragrance, Tosylamide/Epoxy Resin, Polyisobutyl Methacrylate, Cyclomethicone, Blue 1, Ext. Violet 2.
Other Dazzle Dry products may contain:

Red 34 Lake, Red 7 Lake, Red 6 Lake, Black 2, Iron Oxides, Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide, Titanium Dioxide, Mica.