Dry hair. Chapped lips. We always make sure to avoid these unfortunate winter mishaps, but did you know cold weather can affect your nails, too? Take a look at the tips below to keep them healthy all season long.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Nails tend to lose moisture during winter months. When this happens, they become dry and weak, which causes them to crack and split. The solution? Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. It’ll make your doctor happy, too.

Lotion Up
Switching from cold temperatures outside to toasty ones inside can be quite harsh on your nails (and skin). So, the next time you’re moisturizing your face and body, make sure to lotion up your cuticles as well. To help your tips really absorb the lotion, try leaving cotton gloves on overnight.

Avoid Acetone
Acetone nail-polish remover tends to dry out nails, especially in the winter when they’re already weak and brittle. Instead, opt for a non-acetone remover and make sure to moisturize nails after taking polish off to reduce drying.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

How do you keep your nails healthy in the winter? Tweet us at @ruelala, then check out our weekly Mani Monday column.

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