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The Strange Treatment for Strengthening Your Nails

Hint: Horses use it

Whether you have gnawed-down nubs for nails or gel-ravaged ones that chip at the slightest touch, here’s an easy (albeit slightly odd) fix to get your tips back into fighting condition. 

What it is: A small tub of Gena Healthy Hoof Cream (which you can find online and at most drugstores). Yes, you read that right. A hoof cream—as in, for horses. 

What you do: Rub a tiny (and we do mean tiny) dab of cream onto your nail beds and cuticles before bed every night. Within a few weeks of use, you’ll start to notice that your nails don’t peel or break as easily. Note: You’ll want to do this on unpolished nails, so give the manis a rest for now. 

Why it works: The proteins and essential oils in the cream help strengthen and condition your nails so they’re able to grow without breaking along the way. It also keeps the skin around your nails (aka your cuticles) smooth so you’re less prone to getting hangnails.


Jenny Jin Headshot Vertical 2023

Beauty Director

Jenny Jin is PureWow’s Beauty Director and is currently based in Los Angeles. Since beginning her journalism career at Real Simple magazine, she has become a human encyclopedia of...