Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Confession: I'm 26 years old and stopped biting my nails three weeks ago.

My nails are very bendable and chip/break/rip very easily. I have no idea how to take care of nails because I've always bitten them down to nubs. Now, I have some emery boards my mom gave me and nail clippers.

My sister told me to eat Jell-o (ew), my mom told me to drink milk (seriously?), and my co-workers recommended Sally Hanson's Hard As Nails (is this vegan?). Is there any vegan product (nail care or food) that can make my nails harder and less likely to chip/break/rip?

I don't have any specific advice, except what I do...which is rub oil into them from time to time. I have pretty strong nails, they grow for 3 weeks or more without breaking, and I think it's genetic for me. You should file them because once they get a crack, it's just going to tear more.

Also, congrats on not biting for 3 weeks!!

I tried a different brand of nail hardener pre-vegan but it smelt so chemically and strong and I didn't think it was working so I stopped.

I've started taking Deva Hair, Skin and Nail vitamins again, my hair feels thicker and I'm hoping my nails stop growing in those white layers that I can't help but peel off.

Thanks! It is a struggle to keep them away from my mouth. My nails are like mini-magnets for my mouth.

I use Deva's Vegan Multivitamin & Mineral vitamin. When I run out (I just bought two bottles), I'll try out their hair, skin, and nail vitamin. Thanks!

Biotin is good for strengthening nails and hair. I used to take it but stopped when I ran out, but I plan to start again because my nails are super weak, like yours. It's pretty easy to find with the rest of the vitamins at health food stores.

Well, I doubt this is a particularly practical suggestion, but... taking prenatal vitamins made my nails GREAT. Really hard and lustrous and wonderful. There are vegan ones. (Deva is a popular vegan brand.)

There's no reason not to take them when you're not pregnant, except that they taste awful and are typically huge.

I would probably just do things that will stop you biting them (painting mine with anything helps stop me) and allow them to grow stronger normally. Supplements etc probably aren't a bad idea, but while the hardening polishes and stuff do work from what I (vaguely) remember, making your nails harder that way also makes them more brittle. This isn't good because flexibility helps prevent them from breaking.

I take Biotin every day. My hair grows like a weed and my nails, too. It's cheap.

Also, congrats on your success with not biting your nails anymore!

I just stopped biting mine in about June, so I get what you're going through, haha. I've found that mine have gotten harder and stronger the longer its been, so maybe yours will also improve with time? I also keep mine painted now so that there is something hard keeping them from being too bendy.

I stopped biting a year ago! It's been a struggle. They are still really brittle, bendy, and prone to peeling.

I try to keep them out of water as much as possible (rubber gloves for all cleaning!) and keep a nail file in my bag and at my desk at work to take care of chips before they become huge tears (or worse, tempt my teeth).

Have you found that those vitamins help your skin at all? I've been having mega skin issues and am looking for something like this...//hijack thread//

It may also take a couple of weeks of growing your nails out for them to strengthen. The more I bite them or they tear, the weaker they grow back (at least for me, in my experience.) I also have really strong nails from prenatal vitamins.

I had fake nails put on to keep me from screwing with my nails. My nails were very brittle and would break or peel very easily so I would pick at them or bite them. The tips I had put on keep me from doing that, and as a bonus always look nice. I keep them super short so I don't look like I have painted fritos on my hands. Taking vitamins really didn't help; I took a prenatal vitamin for a long time but for some reason my nails just never really changed. My hair grew like a lawn on steroids though.

Take a vegan nail/hair formula - or biotin - I like Veg Life or Deva.

I do not recommend nail hardeners - most contain formaldehyde, ick! A clear top coat without icky chemicals is great if you want to use it as a protector!

Talk dirty to them.

Thanks! I'll pick up some biotin next time I'm going through the vitamin aisle at the store.

I just bought a kit thing from Target that has a nail file and clippers in it. I actually bought two because I'm a consumer hors d'oeuvre and because I wanted one for my purse and one for my desk at work.

Hmm, maybe I should get me some biotin.

ETA: I just saw that the Deva Pregnancy vitamins contain biotin but I've already ordered 3 x Deva Hair & Nails, d'oh!

ETA#2: I realised the Deva hair, nails & skin contains biotin too. Derrrr!



I've never had major skin issues but I do tend to get spots if I eat sugar or if hair products (like Moroccan oil or leave in conditioner) get on my skin. The Deva ones are cheap, you should take them and see how you go. I'd also suggest cutting out sugar and drinking HEAPS of water.

Nice! Are the rest of the ingredients pretty much the same? I'm hoping that I'll freak out my husband by taking these preggo vitamins (I'm super nice, huh?)




I've never had major skin issues but I do tend to get spots if I eat sugar or if hair products (like Moroccan oil or leave in conditioner) get on my skin. The Deva ones are cheap, you should take them and see how you go. I'd also suggest cutting out sugar and drinking HEAPS of water.[/quote]

Re: the HEAPS of water. I also recommend drinking a lot of water. Almost too much water. I'm not as hungry, I'm losing weight, I don't need as much caffeine to wake up in the morning, my skin is clearing up (I also started using the OCM for washing my face though), and I'm not super dehydrated after working out.

I guess you guys have me on board with the water. and I will start limiting my sugar. good advice.

Sorry for hijacking your thread...

I liked the hijack.

Bananas and almonds are good foods to eat to strengthen nails. The potassium and amino acids in the bananas and the magnesium in the almonds are a good combination to strengthen nails.

Hehe! I had a bit of a derrrrrrr moment when I realised the Deva Hair/Nails/Skin contains biotin already! And last week my hairdresser said my hair felt thicker = win!


Ditto, it pays to ask, PPKers are always offering good advice!

I can't wait for my vitamins to get here! I ripped off most of a nail the other night, so apparently my nails aren't as strong as I thought, either.