The 6 best nail strengtheners for nourishing, repairing and preventing breakages
Wave goodbye to weak and peeling nails, as our beauty team share their favourite tried and tested repairative treatments
Michelle Rostamian
If your nails are feeling the effects of back-to-back manicure appointments or keep bending and breaking despite your efforts to grow them, the best nail strengtheners are the answer, having been specifically formulated to fortify damaged and brittle talons.
While the 2026 nail trends are promising an array of stylish looks, from iced vanilla nails to modern striped designs, prioritising the health and natural look of our nails is also set to be a key focus. Healthy nail polishes and strengtheners are therefore in high demand, and for good reason, as they're designed to tackle several manicure issues, whether it's preventing breakages by forming a harder, protective layer over your nail plate or hydrating them to ward off peeling and dryness. Luckily, with so many hypernatural and milky manicures informing the trends, many of these strengthening formulas also feature a chic tint or can be worn as a base coat, to prep and repair your nails ready for your choice of colour. Essentially, they're a very versatile and hardworking polish to have in your kit.
The best nail strengtheners, tried and tested by our beauty team
Designed to tackle a number of manicure issues, whether that be preventing breakage or lengthening short nails, these nourishing formulas work to ensure a smooth and long-lasting nail polish application. And we can attest to their strengthening powers, having applied them all to our own struggling talons...
RRP: £8.99 | Key ingredients: Biotin
Boasting an affordable price tag, this Essie nail treatment uses biotin as its hero ingredient to prevent breakage and chipping, while hardening and restoring brittle nails. Our Beauty and Shopping Writer, Michelle Rostamian found it effortless to incorporate into her routine as it can be used as a base coat, a growth-booster top coat over nail designs for short nails, or as a standalone treatment. Simply swipe on two coats if you're using it alone, or one coat paired with two coats of your favourite polish if you choose to use it with colour. Et voilà - beautifully healthy nails.
Buy if: You want to restore brittle nails that are prone to breakage
RRP: £16 | Key ingredients: AHAs, blueberry extract and sweet almond oil
Equipped with a nourishing blend of ingredients, this hybrid polish not only encourages stronger, healthier nails but also leaves them with an enviable sheer pink glow. Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson relies on this radiant polish whenever she's in between nail appointments and wanting to give her talons some TLC: "Not only does it form a protective and nourishing layer over my nails, but also imparts this gorgeous, sheer rosy tint. It's easy to apply and quick-drying, not to mention ideal for those seeking to achieve a glossy, your-nails-but-better look."
Buy if: You're looking for a strengthener with a subtle yet glossy tint
RRP: £21.90 | Key ingredients: Hydrolysed wheat protein, calcium
If you're looking to strengthen your nails but don't want to take a break from polish, this cult classic from OPI is a serious winner. This strengthener is available in nine shades so that you can treat your nails and jump on the natural nails trend at the same time. Upon testing, we loved the fast-drying formula which is enriched with hydrolysed wheat protein and calcium to promote harder, healthier nails. While it can be used as a base coat or worn alone, we noticed that the colour lasted really well when applied to our natural nails. Working to treat and strengthen, this formula will offer you a future of enviable nails.
Buy if: You're looking for healthy, salon-worthy nails at home
RRP: £7.99 | Key ingredients: Nylon, retinol, soy and Omega 3
If you're looking to cut straight to the point and invest in an extra-strength nail strengthener for your fragile nails, Sally Hansen's transparent treatment does just the trick. Its nylon formula, infused with retinol, soy and Omega 3, works to shield and hydrate the nails, while helping to prevent chipping, splitting and peeling - all of which we can attest to. With frequent and continuous use, we saw a noticeable difference in our nails, not only did they look smooth, even and ultra-glossy but our nails were evidently harder, which resulted in less peeling and breakage.
Buy if: You're looking for a no fuss nail strengthener for weak nails
RRP: £29 | Key ingredients: Keratin, patented Ulti-Plex Technology™
Those with damaged nail beds who are in need of nourishment and replenishment, look no further than OPI's bond-repairing nail serum. Its innovative technology penetrates the nail surface to build new bonds from within, resulting in stronger and smoother nails. Beauty Editor, Rhiannon Derbyshire hails this serum's ability to rescue her paper-thin nails in her OPI Repair Mode editor recommendation.After consistently using the serum daily, Rhiannon noted how her nails both felt and looked healthier: "A few weeks in, they were totally reformed and robust."
Buy if: If you have damaged nails, particularly due to back-to-back salon manicures
RRP: £4.99 | Key ingredients: Amethyst, celery extract and biotin
This 2-in-1 product not only acts as a stellar strengthener, encouraging healthier and harder nails, but also as a base coat to ensure a smooth, even and professional application of your nail polish. Rimmel's Nail Nurse has been a go-to of Naomi's for years: "It's a real saviour when my nails are feeling (and looking) weak and damaged. It works to strengthen and protect your nails, whilst doubling as a chic, sheer pink nail polish - meaning your nails still look great even as the formula gets to work."
Buy if: You're on the hunt for an affordable nail strengthener that preps talons for nail polish application
How we tested the nail strengtheners
Every nail strengthener featured within this piece has been thoroughly tried and tested by the woman&home beauty team, with many of them having earned a place within our personal nail care arsenals. In order to make the edit, we measured the longevity of wear time, how the strengtheners make our nails look and feel, plus the overall healthiness of our talons - both while wearing the formula and after removing.
We also tested the nail strengtheners as a base coat underneath our favourite nail polishes, as well as wearing them on their own, to see how they fared on our nails. Additionally, we analysed the ingredients within each formula, considering how they would benefit the health of our nails.
How to pick the best nail strengthener for you
When it comes to picking a nail strengthener to add to your nail care collection, there are two main things you should consider before making your purchase - the nail strengthener ingredients and your personal nail issues.
- Consider the ingredients: Using the right ingredients is key to yielding optimal results. Founder of SpaRitual, Shel Pink advises the most effective ingredients to look for in the best nail strengthener include bamboo extract, hemp oil, and algae to strengthen the integrity of the nail plate, protect damaged nails, and improve the condition of the nail. While Hair, Skin, and Nail Expert, Marie Burke recommends: "Biotin, also known as B-complex vitamin, promotes growth and actively aids the metabolism in the production of those protein-building amino acids, which are essential for healthy nail growth and strengthening," she says.
- Consider your nail issue: Different nail issues require different protocols, so it's a good idea to take a look at your overall nail-care routine. "Healthy nails begin with healthy cuticles, and incorporating a cuticle oil or cuticle serum into your nail ritual is a good place to begin to improve the health of the nails to resolve splitting, peeling, and overall weakness of nails," says Pink. "Effective ingredients like jojoba oil, sunflower oil, ashwaganda, jojoba esters, and jojoba protein will help to resolve nail issues and help to prevent them," she advises.
How to use nail strengthener?
Nail strengtheners are incredibly easy to use within your manicure routine. Whether you're wanting to boost the strength of their natural nails or repair damage from previous salon manicures, you may want to solely apply a strengthening formula to your nails. Alternatively, for those who want to increase the healthiness of their talons, whilst also sporting a colourful hue, you can also use it as a base coat underneath regular nail polishes.
It is typically recommended that you apply 2-3 coats of the product onto your nails, in order for it to work its strengthening magic. However, for those planning to repair damaged nails that are splitting, dry, or peeling, Pink recommends a 14-day regimen "to stimulate healthy nail growth and add resilience and integrity to the nail plate."
