It’s a thin, glossy formula that should be applied directly to the nail. You can apply polish on top, but given that it’s recommended to apply this every night for at least a week, we’d leave this as the only thing on your nails to allow it to work its magic.

One thing to note - only use this after you’ve applied your nail polish. It creates a slightly oily protective barrier that means lacquer will apply streakily. Finally, we cross-referenced all of the above information to find the best nail strengthener that had won the most accolades and recommendations across the board to bring you a selection of the best ones at various price points. We think there’s something here for everyone.

It works well as a base coat too, allowing polish to glide on smoothly on top. It has a wide tapered brush for easy application, for one last bonus point . Pros Dr PawPaw is one of those beauty products that has seemingly endless uses, from lip balm, to soothing dry elbows, to adhering glitter makeup to strengthening nails. If you’re a fan of gel manicures, you’ll likely know the sad feeling of removing your gel polish and finding your natural nails look rather sad and damaged - we’ve all been there.

CND is a professional nail brand and this is an essential in many nail tech’s kit, so you know it’s good. With continued use it prevents nails from peeling and splitting and it comes in both a nail polish style bottle and a pen applicator, for use on the go. It also comes in an extensive range of formulas. The original is a glossy transparent formula that looks like your nails but better, but it also comes in matte and even in a few of OPI’s iconic polish shades, so you can wear your favourite colour at the same time as strengthening your nails. Users love it for strengthening the tip of nails, which is often the first part of the nail to show damage, splitting and bending. This provides an impressive layer of protection that even hours of typing won’t be an issue for.Our Swears By edits are compiled by journalists with expertise in the areas they’re writing about. To help ensure we give the best, most accurate and trustworthy recommendations, they follow several steps when choosing products. Recommendations from real parents Very top of my list for most effective beauty product. Everyone I've recommended it to is in agreement!” Tried and tested by Sunflowers and Tulips Many nail strengthens are designed to be applied every other night, so those formulas aren’t a good choice if you want to apply a colour on top. You’ll notice in this edit that very few nail strengtheners are vegan or cruelty-free, which makes this formula immediately stand out. All Nail Berry products are vegan, cruelty-free, 12-free (meaning they don’t contain any harmful ingredients), plus they’re halal. It comes in various different formulas, including coloured versions, a matte one and formulas designed specifically for brittle nails, peeling nails and thin nails, depending on your nails needs.