7 Hacks For Waking Up With Prettier Nails

Multitasking nail lovers rejoice! Now you can use all those pesky wasted sleep hours to do more than dream and drool. Instead, you can employ some of these hacks for waking up with prettier nails, so when you clasp your morning cup of coffee, you can also stare longingly at your glistening fingertips. In my opinion, the perfect nails would give me much more of a day-starting happiness jolt than the coffee. But, you know, that's just me.

Anyway, some nail care practices just take time, you know? And time is not exactly plentiful these days, hence the multitasking. And the nighttime hours are perfect for locking in moisture, making your nails not only look better, but grow faster, and break less. And moisture isn't the only thing you can do during REM sleep to get tour manicure on lock. You can add strength, fight fungus, improve color, and even make your hands look younger. It's kind of remarkable all that you can accomplish while actually doing nothing at all.

And if you have perfect nails that don't need improvement, you can always use that time to moisturize. Because, as you probably know since you have perfect nails, moisture is the key to flawless claws.

Here are some night time nail treatment ideas to help you accomplish more with less time. Well, when it comes to your nails, at least.

1. Apply Cuticle Oil

Eve Snow London Elderflower Cuticle Oil, $18, Sephora

Cuticle oil is the holy grail of nail care. No matter what hand genetics has dealt you, or how well you've cared for your skin and hands, you need moisture to maintain them. We all do. After a harsh mani, too much hand washing, or even cold weather, our hands get dry. Next think you know, we have hangnails, chipped nail beds, and short, stubbly nails that break before they have a chance to grow. Applying cuticle oil every night before bed will help prevent these problems.

2. Apply A Moisturizing Mask

Ciaté Knight in Shining Armor, $17; Ciate

Cuticle oils and lotions can wipe away and wear off in your sleep, especially if you aren't wearing gloves, and if you toss and turn a lot. If this is a problem for you, a paint-on hydrating treatment keeps the moisture in constant contact with your nail plate all night, then washes away in the morning. It's a really efficient way to add strength to your nails.

3. Apply A Thick Hand Cream

Helping Hands Lotion, $22, Lush

If you apply a cuticle oil, then apply a thick hand lotion on top of it, you'll seal in moisture while you're adding more moisture. It's a double win for your hands. And if you do this before you go to bed, you can apply the lotion more thickly. You know, since you won't need to do anything with your hands. Applying a great thick night cream over cuticle oil will improve your nails and cuticles so much you'll be surprised. It's the answer to "If I could do one thing to improve my nails..."

4. Put On Moisture Retaining Gloves

Aquasentials Moisturizing Gloves, $5, Amazon

Lotions, no matter how good or thick they are, will wear off eventually. At best, you get a few (very good, important) hours of hydration. If you wear gloves, they lock in that moisture. But you can't wear those gloves all day. Well, you could, but it's not practical. Wearing them to bed turns a few hours of moisture into an entire night's worth.

5. Apply An Anti-Aging Treatment

Overnight Hand and Nail Treatment, $69, Net-A-Porter

If the skin on your hands and fingers is starting to look thin, papery, and crinkly, you can use the night time hours to plump and smooth that skin. A night time anti-aging hand treatment can also add moisture to your skin and nails. You don't have to feel vain or shallow if you don't want your hands to look old. Old skin is beautiful skin, but the best kind of skin is the kind that you're most comfortable with.

6. Apply A Keratin Treatment

CND RESCUERXX, $10, Amazon

If you have severely damaged nails with white spots and weak points, you can repair them in your sleep with a keratin treatment. Be careful, though. Some people swear by these treatments to give them perfect, strong nails. Some people find that the treatment made their nails strong to the point that they were more prone to breakage. You have to try it for yourself to know if it's a miracle or not.

7. Cure A Fungal Infection

Probelle Natural Fungal Nail Treatment, $14, Amazon

Antifungal treatments can be uncomfortable. They can tingle, itch, and be a little difficult to keep on if you have a busy or hands-on job. That's why the night time is the perfect time to clear up an infection. You can wear it with gloves to keep in in place, or underneath a bandage. Then when you wake up, you can was your hands (or feet) and get on with your day.

Now, if only there was a beauty treatment that answered all your emails while you were in dreamland. Come on, science!

Images: Siriporn Kaenseeya / EyeEm/EyeEm/Getty Images; Giphy (7)