Holistic nail polish
My wife likes to grow and paint her nails but appears to be allergic to most commercial polishes which bring her face out in red blotches. Do you know of a polish that would be safe for her skin and is there anything that will help keep her nails strong?
I use the holistic nail polishes that Farmacia gets specifically made for their range in France. They are not organic - there are no organic polishes - but the range of 35 gorgeous colours does not contain the solvents formaldehyde or toluene which are likely to be the substances causing your wife’s allergic reaction.
Farmacia in London’s Drury Lane is the UK’s first traditional pharmacy with on-site complementary therapies - a pioneering concept established by brother-and-sister team, Sanjay and Meenu Bhandari, which has now been taken up by High Street companies like Boots. The buyers scour the world for holistic and unusual products and it is a great place to do your Christmas shopping if you are buying for people who care about natural health.
For longer, stronger nails it would be hard to beat an organic sulphur supplement called Methylsulphonylmethane, sold as MSM, that was originally developed to treat joint problems. It is a naturally-occurring form of sulphur that is found in many raw foods and rainwater, but we rarely get enough of it in our diets because it is destroyed by cooking and food processing techniques. Levels also drop off as we age. It is also present in keratin - the tough substance that makes up nails - and is crucial for collagen, which is the main component of the body’s connective tissues.
The B vitamins are known to strengthen animal hooves and although nobody knows why or how this happens, Swiss researchers decided to see if the same held true for humans. They gave 2.5mg of biotin (one of the B vitamins) every day to women complaining of brittle nails. After six months, their nail thickness had increased by 25%.
*Farmacia’s holistic nail polishes cost £6 per bottle. The nail care range, made of essential oils, includes pastel protectors and nail nourishers which cost £7. Mail order on 020-7831 0830. Higher Nature’s MSM costs £9.90 for 90 tablets (1000mg). For details call 01435-882880.