This Clean Nail Strengthener Keeps Brittle Nails "Remarkably" Intact
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As a clean beauty lover, I've been delighted to see conscientiously formulated beauty products make inroads at the drugstore. Call me crazy, but I don't think you should have to pay $20 or more for products that don't contain hormone-disrupting chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and benzophenones.
The nail care space has been one of the last to see clean innovations; if you look at the ingredient list of many a nail hardening product, odds are you'll spot formaldehyde in the formula (if brands list the ingredients at all, which I do find suspect). Other times you'll see toluene, which comes with the Prop. 65 warning that it may cause birth defects or reproductive harm.
If you'd rather not risk that for strong nails, brands like Pacifica, Zoya, Londontown, and Ella + Mila have pioneered solutions that work just as well — and according to shoppers, the latter's First Aid Kiss is remarkable for helping nails grow long and strong. The vegan and cruelty-free formula wins rave reviews across the board, and reviewers say they love that the treatment doubles as a glossy polish as it helps strong nails develop "remarkably well."
"Wow. My nails have never felt stronger," writes one person of the fume-free base coat. "This polish serves as a great protective barrier while you wear your nails natural. They literally feel unbreakable when I'm wearing First Aid Kiss."
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Shop now: $11; ellamila.com
The clear formula doubles as a basecoat, and myriad people report that it puts an end to weak, bend-prone tips where other hardeners struggled to make a difference. "First Aid Kiss, along with No More Biting, has allowed my tiny, thin, brittle nails to flourish like never before in two, maybe three weeks," writes a reviewer. They're astonished by how quickly it works, writing that "such an improvement in this short time is nothing short of a miracle."
Frequently peeling, "terrible" nails disappear, as do constantly chipped tips. "This product is amazing, and makes my nails so strong," writes a gardener — no faint praise, considering the habit does a number on their hands. "I experience brittleness and breaking due to always using the tips of my fingers, but the First Aid Kiss protects my nails."
Gel and acrylic nail fans looking to break from the cycle say it provides an easy out without the months-long recovery period of bare, fragile nails. "Great for nail restoration. I used this product after years of using acrylic nails and dip powder — it helped strengthen my nails and stopped them from breaking and splitting at the tip of my nail bed," details one.
"Wonder nail product! I had dip nails on for months, and had to take them off for surgery," writes a final fan of the change they saw in three weeks. "My nails were a mess. My nails are [now] looking great, [and] growing so long I am cutting them with clippers before I shape. Now I'm going to order a color!"
Looking for thicker tips and an end to nail woes? Call it love at First Aid Kiss.