African American Nail Know-How

Here are 8 tips from the pros that should help keep yours in ship shape.

• Prevent chipped polish by applying top coat over the nail and under the tip – the top coat will serve as a "wrapper" and help to keep polish in place longer.

• Keep dry, cracked (often painful) heels at bay by using an exfoliating cream containing glycolic acid. You can also try wiping your heels with anti-acne pads before bed – Stri-Dex work well. Then apply a heavy emollient like Aquaphor, put on a pair of socks and let the heel healing begin.

• Polishes and removers can be overly drying and take their toll on your nails. Try buffing every once in a while instead – you'll get a great neutral shine and give your nails a chance to breathe and recover.

• Hands are one of the first places we show signs of aging. Keep yours smooth and supple by simply applying a coat of Vaseline before bed. Throw on a pair of disposable gloves (or, old cotton socks) and they'll look and feel younger in no time.

• Avoid painful, unsightly hangnails by preventing them from drying out. Vitamin E oil, petroleum jelly and rich moisturizing creams work well when massaged into the cuticle on a regular basis.

• Keep the risk of infection to a minimum by opting to push back – rather than clip – your cuticles. Use an orange stick and a dab of cuticle cream a few times a week to keep unruly cuticles in check.

• Be wary of products claiming to "grow" nails. A topical treatment that's applied to the surface of the nail plate can do little to affect growth because the growth happens at the matrix of the nail deep inside the finger. Your money would be better spent buying a cuticle cream that you massage into the base of the nail on a daily basis – this can help to stimulate circulation and promote growth.

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• You can't speed the growth, but you can strengthen nails using one of the many professional products on the market. We like L'Oreal Paris Pro Manicure and Orly Calcium Shield Nail Builder.