Winter nail care with Mavala

I don’t know about the rest of you, but my nails always seems to look like I take no care of them at all. Despite expensive hand creams and oils every night. Why?

Anyway, I decided to make a *serious* effort in the nail front this winter, and have been religiously using these four Mavala products, and they have made a marked improvement in my nails.

I’ll start with the Mavala Scentifique K+ Nail Hardener, (R250) as this has made the most difference. It is an absorbable liquid that penetrates the nail and bond the layers together – exactly what my soft, peeling nails needed. You apply it to clean nails twice a week (you can apply polish over it) and only to the free edge of the nail. Once you reach the desired level of toughness, you can maintain by apply it a few times a month, or when necessary.

My nails went from soft and splitting to rock hard and strong in just over two weeks. Incredible. The formula is pretty strong, so if you are looking for a natural, organic way of strengthening your nails, look elsewhere.

Cuticles next, and there are two products in this category. The first delivers more instant results and the second is more of a long game type affair. The Mavala Cuticle Remover (R165) has been my one of choice for years. You apply it to ragged cuticles, leave a few minutes and then push them back with a hoof stick. It works wonders if you need to get rid of overgrown cuticles in a hurry.

The other is the Mavala Cuticle Cream (R165). I apply this at night, and with continued use, it softens your cuticles and keeps them healthy and tidy.

And finally, there is the Mavala Mavaderma Nutritive Massage Oil for Nails (R185). Enriched with a host of nourishing oils, this is applied daily, and massed into the nail bed. You can also just apply whenever your nails need a boost. Again, with prolonged use, I have noticed a difference in the strength and length of my nails (they don’t normally grow past a certain point before breaking.)

There are currently limited edition sets available at selected Dis-Chem stores. The Mavala ResQMe Kits come in ‘Post Gel’, ‘Anti-Biting’ and ‘Dry Cuticle’ versions, each containing the must have products to treat that particular concern. Prices for the kits range from R275 to R375.