I Can Finally Grow Out My Natural Nails With This Nail Strengthener (2024)

Nail experts recommend Dr. Dana’s hydrating nail strengthener for its noticeable results and super-speedy application. “Since I’m constantly testing products, my nails can take a beating, even when I’m very careful,” says Mazz Hanna, celebrity nail artist and CEO of Nailing Hollywood Agency. Hanna loves the compact packaging and built-in brush applicator, which make it easy to carry in her bag wherever she goes. “It makes my nails look and feel better with only a few applications,” she says.

Celebrity nail artist Stephanie Stone also keeps a tube at her desk “for when I’m doing office work and my nails need some instant love.” She prefers the brush-on applicator and creamy formula because it means she doesn’t have to “worry about getting oil on my papers or computer,” she says. “It hydrates and strengthens not only my nail plate but the skin around my nails as well!”

How to use: Brush it on as a stand-alone hydrator or before your manicure, allowing the strengthener one hour to fully absorb before applying polish. Hanna and Stone both like to keep a tube nearby at all times so they can use it as often as needed.

Nail expert Juli Russell is obsessed with this treatment for her “chronic brittle nails,” which acts as a base coat, brush-on strengthener, and sheer illuminator in one. “It’s essentially a base coat that is formulated with extra resilience so it dries really hard, mimicking the strength of acrylic,” she says. “I always have a coat of this on when I’m not wearing a full manicure to protect my natural nails from everyday wear and tear.” While you can’t combine this formula with gel manicures, you can wear it under any regular nail polish, which Russell often does. “It also has a slight rosy color, which gives my natural nails a healthy, youthful glow—making it perfect to wear alone,” she adds.

How to use: Apply as a strengthening base coat, with or without polish layered on top. Russell always has a coat of this on when she’s wearing regular nail polish or giving her natural nails a break—the brand says it can be applied as often as once a day.

If you follow Stone on Instagram, you’ll know that she never seems to run out of ideas for fun designs on her own nails, from butterfly wings to tiny Sanrio characters. “I change my nails so often sometimes I can really see the wear and tear when I use too much acetone on my nails,” she says. Her favorite one-step fix for peeling nails is Essie’s Hard to Resist, which she paints on between manicures. “It helps strengthen my nails between color changes,” she explains. Whenever her nails start peeling or breaking, she immediately reaches for her bottle of Essie: “I chop my nails short and use this to help grow them strong and healthy again.” This is also my favorite drugstore nail treatment, which I’ve used for years as a single-step strengthener whenever they start snapping off between at-home manicures.

How to use: Apply two coats to bare nails and let dry. The brand recommends wearing it for three days in between manicures for optimal results and says it’s meant to be worn alone, not under polish.

Celebrity nail artists Sonya Meesh and Elle Gerstein both swear by Dr. Dana’s Nail Renew System, which includes the brand’s pro-loved Deep Hydrating Formula along with a Glycolic Prep pen. “The glycolic ‘opens’ up the pores of my nails to deliver hydration and protein peptides, which is what makes this strengthener so unique,” says Gerstein. “It’s like using a serum before a moisturizer—it makes it work better. I see a significant difference in just one application.” After prepping her nails with the glycolic-boosted pen, Gerstein applies Dr. Dana’s nail hydrator, which fills in damage from gels and acrylics while nourishing her cuticles. “This is a staple,” she says. “In all my years using nail strengtheners, this one is a game changer.”

Meesh says this is a great option for anyone who wears peel-off gel nails like they do. “I hate soaking my own nails for removal, and sometimes I have some damage because I’m impatient,” they say. “The glycolic acid treatment is great for my dry cuticles and flaking nails. You’re never truly hydrating if you’re not removing the dry, dead skin.”

How to use: Apply a thin coat of Glycolic Prep once weekly to clean, bare nails. Sweep the included Priming Wand over your nails, then brush on the Deep Hydrating Formula, reapplying as needed. Meesh prefers to apply both products at night before bed “so my skin can really soak it in.”

Celebrity nail artist Tina Le loves the comprehensive approach of this four-step kit, which she says has become a fast favorite in her kit for healthy nails. “Anthony Vincé and I believe in giving nails the same level of care as our skin,” she says. Inside, you’ll find a nail strengthener, base coat, top coat, and cuticle oil, designed to encourage nail growth. “They all work together to transform and protect my nails,” she says of the lineup. “I noticed a significant enhancement in nail strength and appearance after just one use, distinguishing this product in my experience with other treatments.” Le recommends applying a thin layer of the strengthener every few days, which “is particularly effective in repairing damage caused by frequent gel or acrylic manicures.”

How to use: Apply as a four-step system or individually as needed. Le recommends applying a thin layer of the nail strengthener step every few days if you have weak or damaged nails.

For truly strong nails, you need to take care of your cuticles too. Stone swears by Essie’s cuticle oil, which is formulated with apricot kernel oil, an ingredient proven to help moisturize dry skin. “I use this on a daily basis for my own personal care and keep a few extra on hand to share with my clients who need to start giving their cuticles some love,” she says. Stone stresses the importance of always keeping her cuticles hydrated to “prevent the cracking and hangnails that lead to breakage.” If you need to apply your cuticle oil throughout the day and not just at bedtime, this is a great pick. “I love that it has a rollerball applicator so I can keep it in my purse without fear of spillage and mess,” she says.

How to use: Squeeze tube to release oil, then roll it over your cuticles and nail beds while massaging it in until it absorbs. Stone recommends applying it every day to maintain stronger nails.

This two-in-one strengthener and filter is a “holy grail” for Breeonne Reed, nail artist and founder of The Salon 2 You. While Reed also shouts out OPI and Sally Hansen’s strengtheners, she says nothing beats Blue Cross’s “multitasking wonder.” Designed to leave a super-sheer pink on your nails, it contains light-reflecting particles that make your nails look better while they heal and grow. “I love how this is like a soft focus filter for my nails, creating a flawless finish while protecting and strengthening them in tandem,” she says. “I use this product on my clients, it’s a staple in my kit, and I recommended it to everyone I can!”

How to use: Apply to bare nails. The brand recommends one coat for sheer coverage and a second coat if you want a more opaque, milky glow.

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This hand cream takes so little time to apply, you have no excuse to skip it. I’ve run through a few tubes and love how quickly it sinks in, keeping my hands hydrated without feeling greasy. Stone recommends the moisturizing formula as an easy preventative step to keep your nails from getting too dry and brittle in the first place. “Sometimes when we think of nail strengtheners, we think about them after we’ve neglected our hands for too long,” she says. To keep her nail beds out of “crisis mode,” she always keeps a tube of Caudalie Vinotherapist on hand. “I love it because it keeps my hands and nail beds strong even through the dry months,” she says. “It’s a desk staple in my personal life, and I also keep a larger bottle in my kit.”

How to use: Apply onto hands, fully coating your nail beds. Stone always keeps it within reach so she can apply as needed.

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This is a classic and reliable option for a reason: Not only does it dry down to a glossy finish that looks great on its own, it’s also the most affordable option on this list. “This is the original Sally Hansen strengthener that everyone knows and loves,” says Hannah Lee, a manicurist and content creator. “This helps my nails grow while also strengthening them using film-formers that provide a barrier to prevent chipping and breaking.” Brie Schwartz, Glamour’s commerce director, also counts this drugstore strengthener among her favorites. “I have super-soft, brittle nails—chalk it up to years of nail polish use, cleaning too much without gloves, you name it, but this strengthener acts really fast. After just one use, I feel a difference.”

How to use: Apply to bare nails, making sure to coat the area under your nail tips as well. Unlike some nail strengtheners on this list designed to be worn alone, you can also use this as a strengthening base coat under polish.

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“I’m pretty loyal to my biweekly gel manicure, so my nails are often in need of some extra TLC whenever I take a break,” says Kayla Greaves, a beauty editor. “OPI’s Nail Envy is one of the few strengthening products I swear by to do the trick.” She points out that the 9-free formula is a blend of all the good stuff—including biotin, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and E—and she typically notices a difference in just a week or two. Another plus? “While the OG product will still give you a beautiful milky, nude finish, Nail Envy also comes in a variety of colors, so you won’t have to feel like you’re sacrificing the benefits of a normal manicure while nursing your nails back to health,” says Greaves.

How to use: Apply two coats to bare nails, followed by an additional coat daily, removing after one week of wear. Greaves likes to apply this whenever her nails are taking a break between manicures.

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You can apply this nail oil nightly before bed or whenever your cuticles look dry. It helps prevent breakage and splitting, nourishing your nails with a combination of keratin and jojoba seed oil, which moisturizes the cuticle and the skin surrounding the nail. “I've tested a bunch of products that claim to make my nails stronger, longer, prettier, and healthier,” says Saskia S., a Glamour reviewer. “My nails were always a mess, splitting and peeling no matter what I did. I dab a bit on each nail in the morning and at night, and my nails are finally tough, split-free, and growing like crazy. I have to trim and file them regularly now!”

How to use: Apply to nails twice daily, coating your nail beds and cuticles. The brand recommends using it for four weeks to see best results.