The Beauty Product You Should Be Applying More Often Than Lip Balm This Winter

We’ve all been there: Just hours after you get a perfect, party-ready manicure, one nail snaps, ruining the whole hand. Do you run back to the salon for a fix, or file it yourself and risk an uneven nail and peeling polish? Well, what if you could skip the breakage altogether this winter? We turned to nail expert Deborah Lippmann for advice.

“When the weather dips, nails need extra hydration, just like your skin,” says Lippmann. “Strong nails begin at the cuticle; applying an oil to your cuticles daily will help grow healthy nails and prevent cracking.” In addition, Lippmann advises clients to use a softening cream and to push back the skin using a metal tool once a week.

At the office, keep a bottle of cuticle oil, like Essie’s Apricot Cuticle Oil, close by, and let the product soak in while you type away at your computer. Stow a pen, like Sally Hansen’s 18K Gold Cuticle Eraser, in your bag for on-the-go moisturizing. And before bed, try something a bit heavier, like Dior’s richly emollient, cult-classic Crème Abricot Nail Cream, for the ultimate in beauty sleep for your fingers.

Above, the best cuticle products to keep nails strong all winter long.

The post The Beauty Product You Should Be Applying More Often Than Lip Balm This Winter appeared first on Vogue.