Tis the season for great food, great company – and brittle, cracked nails.

As pretty as it is to watch the snow fall gently onto rooftops bordered in lights, winter is hard on our bodies, and paying a little extra attention to our nail care routines is important.

We’re sharing some tips today on things you should probably be doing for your nails year-round anyway, and others that are especially for cold weather nail care.

1. A naked nail is a sad nail.

Think of it as a coat of armour for your nails. When your nails aren’t protected by a base coat, a polish, or a top coat, they’re more likely to break and peel because they’re exposed to just about everything, including water – the number one enemy of a good manicure. When your nails absorb water, they get bloated, which can push out the natural, good oils for your nails. So if you’re likely to do things like shower or wash your dishes, you should be protecting your nails to seal out the water, and keep out any other harsh pollutants.

2. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.

You probably already know to moisturize your skin and condition your hair to make it through the winter months, but did you know it’s equally as important for your nails? Maintain moisture in both your nails and your cuticles to prevent splitting, peeling, and breaking nails. This can also help with painful hangnails. A good moisture strategy is to use hand lotion multiple times a day, particularly after you’ve finished washing your hands or getting them wet. Apply a cuticle oil in the evenings, because nail health is all about cuticle health! Cuticles actually work to shield and protect nails as they grow, blocking bacteria and other not so fun stuff from invading the nail bed. Leave it on overnight, and moisturize at night too, to seal in all of that moisture!

3. Replace the moisture in the air with a humidifier.

You’ve heard of the benefits humidifiers have to dry skin, but that warm, moist air will help breathe life back into your nails too! Some are even meant for adding stress relieving essential oils that diffuse into the air. Bonus!

4. Mittens are our friends.

A good pair of warm mittens will protect your nails from the cold, dry air and will help keep in all of that moisture you’re working so hard to retain! Plus, they’re cute.

5. File your nails regularly.

Ridges and cracks in your nails are what lead to tears, snags, or breaks. Gently filing your nails a couple of times a week makes sure those edges stay smooth and your nails stay perfect!

*** GIVEAWAY ALERT! ***

Lucky for you, we’ve got everything you need for beautiful, healthy nails this winter right in our  Natural Shine Nail Kit, and we’re giving THREE away!

Entering is easy! Head on over to our  Facebook or Instagram pages, LIKE the giveaway post, TAG a friend with your favourite tip from this article, and FILL out your entry using this link: http://woobox.com/jfc7yo

Contest closes November 26. Good luck!