Transformative Proven Methods for Nail Care Prevention and Repair

Being surrounded by nail polish all day is part of the job I love, but let’s be real—it can take a toll on my nails. From dry cuticles to weakened nails and more breakage than I’d like to admit, it’s important to balance my creativity with a solid nail care routine. The truth is, nail polish itself doesn’t damage your nails; it’s things like using 100% acetone to remove it that can cause harm. Since I paint my nails almost daily to swatch prototypes and custom colors, taking care of my nails is essential.

So how do you prevent things like this from happening in the first place—or repair what’s already been done? That’s exactly what this blog is about. I wanted to share simple repair and prevention methods with you and show you how easy it is to make your own nail care routine. Let’s dive in!

Why Have a Routine?

Nails are finicky things. Just when you think they’re strong enough to hold a polish for a few weeks, you end up breaking the tip (seriously, the worst feeling). While that’s a frustrating experience, the good news is it can be prevented by keeping your nails healthy.

Nail polish, no matter how free of certain chemicals it is, can still cause long-term damage to your nails. But it's not the polish itself that’s the culprit—it’s the routine (or lack of it) and how you care for your nails that makes all the difference. Without proper care, you could face all sorts of issues.

Here are just a few things that can happen:

• Discoloration
• Cuticle damage
• White spotting (keratin granulation)

Some of these issues are connected, and they can escalate if left unchecked. For example, white spotting is a result of dry nails, and dry cuticles are commonly caused by the repeated use of harsh chemicals like acetone, nail dehydration drops (which help polish adhere and last longer), and cuticle removal creams.

A nail care routine—whether daily or weekly—helps prevent these issues. The key is consistency, and with the right steps, you can keep your nails strong, healthy, and polished!

Repair And Prevention

Lot’s of products exist to help repair your nails. Sometimes these products are needed because your nails are just too far gone past prevention methods. Using preventative measures will lessen the burden of needing repair. In the sections below I go over ways to repair your nails once they reach that point, and how to prevent nail damage from happening in the first place.

Repair

While this isn’t comprehensive, they are proven ways to repair your nails. Each of the four has it’s own strengths and purpose.

1. Cuticle Oil

This oil is full of nutrients that will help keep your nails hydrated and prevent the skin around the nail from getting hard. It’s one of the simplest and fastest ways to speed up repair on your nails, thanks to the properties the oil can offer.

Loud All Natural Cuticle Oil is made with vitamins and nutrients designed with nail repair and prevention in mind. It contains jojoba oil, vitamin E, tea tree oil, and a few other key ingredients-without any artificial added scents or dyes. Oh, and it smells great too!

2. Use a Protein-Rich Nail Treatment

Protein-based treatments, such as biotin or keratin nail strengtheners, can help reinforce and repair damaged nails. These treatments are absorbed into the nail and help restore strength, flexibility, and resilience, making them less prone to breakage. You can apply a protein treatment as a base coat under your nail polish or as a stand-alone treatment between polish changes.

3. Polish Removal

When you're already working on repairing your nails, the last thing you want is to hit them with more damage—looking at you, acetone! A much better option is an acetone-free remover, or even one that has moisturizing or hydrating properties.

But, hey, I know 100% acetone is super effective (we’ve all been there, right?), but when you’re trying to repair nail damage, it’s best to steer clear of it. Do as I say, not as I do, haha! If you absolutely must use acetone, make sure to hydrate those nails right after with cuticle oil and lotion. Your nails will thank you!

4. Take A Break

Constant exposure to acetone removers can weaken nails over time. Giving your nails a break between manicures can help them recover. During this time, focus on hydration, moisture, and strengthening treatments to help your nails heal and rejuvenate.

Prevention

Prevention is key. Nails can show how healthy you are and it’s important to keep them healthy. The list below are tips to help you do so and help inform you on making your own routine.

Moisturize Your Hands

You to want keep your nails from drying out. Use a moisturizing cream that you can use daily, as well as cuticle oil. Look for hand creams, balms, or lotions that include ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, or glycerin. These ingredients help repair dry, cracked nails, preventing further damage from daily wear.

Trim Your Nails

The longer your nails, the higher the risk of breaks and snags, which can lead to bigger issues down the line. Regular filing helps avoid these problems and keep your nails in shape. Using a high-quality tool like our authentic Czech-sourced crystal nail file makes all the difference—its precision and gentle filing will help maintain healthy nails. 

Use Quality Tools

Bad nail clippers, files, tweezers, and other specialty tools can do more harm than good. Using quality tools will help prevent breaking a nail. Make sure to clean them on a regular basis too.

The Loud Crystal Nail Care Duo is a set consisting of a glass file and cuticle pusher. Both are great tools that last. The file is etched into the glass, not just sprayed on.

Keep Nails Dry

There is a balance between keeping your hands moisturized and dry. While your doing water-intensive activities, like swimming, dry your hands and use a lotion. If your cleaning, wear gloves to ensure minimal water contact.

Avoid Nail Biting Or Picking

Biting your nails, and picking at them, can cause a bacterial infection in your nail beds. It’s best to try to prevent the habits in the first place.

Make Your Own Routine

The repair and preventative measures I talked about are by no means a full list you have to do everyday. But, you should have your own nail care routine.

Understand Your Habits

Before you create a routine, if you don’t already have one, you should know your own habits. If you pick your nails, leave polish on for too long, wash your hands constantly, etc.

When you know how your daily routine works, you’ll know what type of preventative measures you can take.

Pick What You Need

Use the measures that suit you the best. For example, if you cut your nails regularly, then you most likely have already invested in quality tools. Below is a list of three habits you should have regardless. Any additional measures you would like to add to your routine is up to you.

1. Cuticle Oil: Helps nourish your nails and prevent breakage, cracking, dryness, and more.
2. Keep Your Hands Dry: Do your best to dry your hands after they get wet. And after lots of water exposure, moisturize your hands, wiping off any remaining residue around the nails to prevent issues.
3. Trim And File Your Nails Weekly or Biweekly With Quality Tools: Doing so will help prevent breakage, or snags on material (hello sensory issues!).

Wrapping Up

Your nails show how healthy you are, meaning, taking care of them is important. While your nails might need to be repaired for a number of different reasons, there are sure-fire ways to get them repaired in no time. But at the heart of it, preventing the need for repair in the first place is a better goal. And by having a nail care routine that you can stick to, you can ensure that your nails will remain strong and healthy.

I hope you found these tips and insights helpful and you can apply them to your own routine.

Stay LOUD.