Fall ushers in new drool-worthy nail polish colors, but those lovely mossy greens and fan-fave moody blues won’t enhance your fingertips if you don’t stop biting your nails. Nail biting is a hard habit to break, but here’s hoping the trending polish shades of fall 2020 offer some major incentive. Here are some strategies to help you stop biting your nails for good. Start collecting those earthy beige taupes and deep, deep wines.
Identify why you chew.
You may not even realize when you’re biting your nails until your cuticle bleeds. Try to become aware of what you’re doing and feeling when you chew. Are you anxious or bored? Do you bite your nails when you’re working or watching TV or browsing the Internet? Identifying your triggers can help you make a plan to stop the behavior.
Leave a bad taste in your mouth.
If you don’t like the taste of your nails, then you will stop putting them in your mouth. Seek out special bitter-tasting nail polishes to stop you from chowing down. These lacquers dry to the appearance of clear, shiny enamels and also serve as base coats for your manicure.
Check out Mavala Stop Deterrent Nail Polish Treatment, ($11.97, click here) for a bitter yet harmless taste.
Or try ORLY No Bite Nail Bite Deterrant, ($8.99, click here) for a terrible taste that will definitely make you think twice before nibbling.
Splurge on a manicure.
Another trick that will make you reconsider the urge to chew is spending money on a professional manicure. Nobody wants to throw away a splurge by nibbling away at a nice salon manicure.
Keep ’em short.
Trimming your nails is one strategy that will help break the biting habit. It’s not nearly as much fun to sink your teeth into short nails. It’s easier to keep a low-maintenance, short-nail style looking good.
Keep a nail file handy.
Right in the middle of biting you remember that you don’t want to destroy that nail. Temptation is strong to keep on gnawing until you’ve torn off the ragged nail. Fight the urge by arming yourself with nail file so that you can instantly smooth down bitten edges. You’ll not only save one nail but stop yourself from foraging on to the next one.
Busy your hands.
Use your hands in a distracting activity such as fiddling with stress balls, a fidget spinner, or worry beads. You are looking for a sensory stimulation when you bite your nails, so find something else to play with. Use the moment to give yourself a mini-manicure by rubbing in cuticle oil or filing snags.
Chew something else.
Try chewing sugar-free gum or mints. Investigate healthy alternatives such as pineapple sage leaves or parsley if you’re into herbs. Sunflower seeds, chopped up vegetables, and more can also do the trick.