The 16 Best Nail Strengtheners to Treat Brittle, Damaged Nails

Best Overall

duri Rejuvacote 1 Original Maximum Strength Nail Growth System

4.2

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When it comes to nail strengtheners, this one can't be beaten. The tag line for this product reads "from dying nails to nails to die for," and we couldn't agree more. We reach for it time and time again, whether to use it as a rehab treatment post gels, as a base coat, or whenever our nails are bare and looking kind of blah. (To that point, it works as a solo treatment, as well as base and topcoat.)

What makes this product so magical? Two different proteins plus added calcium and keratin, which work together to stimulate growth. The formula also effectively seals in the moisture and fatty acids naturally produced by your nail plate to minimize dryness and peeling.

Price at time of publish: $14

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, keratin | Dosage: Once per day for a week | Size: 0.6 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Drugstore

Sally Hansen Mega Strength Hardener

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Sally Hansen pretty much owns the drugstore nail category, so it's no surprise that they offer a few different nail strengtheners. This one gets our vote, infused with a fortifying diamond powder to keep your tips extra strong. Bonus points for the extra-wide brush that makes application a breeze, as well as the wallet-friendly price.

Price at time of publish: $9

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, diamond powder | Dosage: Two coats | Size: 0.4 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Drugstore, Runner-Up

Orly Nail Defense Nail Strengthener

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Affordable and effective, this is a protein-packed treatment that happy reviewers say helps their nails grow and not peel or split. It works as a base coat, although the extra shiny finish of this means it looks like you're wearing a clear polish if you do want to sport it solo. It also has the brand's special grippy brush that makes precise swiping a breeze.

Price at time of publish: $13

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, horsetail extract | Size: 0.6 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Peeling Nails

Nails Inc. Nailkale Superfood Base Coat

4.5

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True to its name, it does contain kale extract. Coupled with other antioxidant-rich botanical extracts plus strengthening keratin, the formula delivers five different benefits: hardening, hydrating, and nourishing nails, while also stimulating growth and preventing breakage. While it has a minty tint in the bottle, the base coat goes on clear, imparting nails with a healthy, glass-like sheen.

Price at time of publish: $20

Active Ingredients: Butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, pomegranate extract | Dosage: Two coats three times per week | Size: 0.5 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Natural Nails

OPI Natural Nail Strengthener

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If you like to keep things simple, aren't sporting acrylics or lots of gels, and just want something to make your natural nails look that much better, try this formula. Along with protecting nails to ensure long, strong growth, it also pulls double duty as a great base coat, preventing staining and discoloration while helping color adhere better.

Price at time of publish: $12

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, camphor | Size: 0.5 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Kit

Zoya Naked Manicure Women's Starter Kit

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To create the look of truly healthy nails—no matter how beat up they might be—reach for this four-step system. Step one is a nutrient-packed base coat full of vitamins, proteins, and amino acids that keeps nails both strong and flexible to ward off peeling and breakage. Follow that with the pink perfector, applied all over to instantly brighten nails and the tip perfector along the free edge to enhance the white tip. A shine-enhancing top coat seals the deal for a result that makes it look like you're not wearing any polish at all—just that you have the most natural, gorgeous nails ever.

Price at time of publish: $30

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, sunflower oil | Size: 0.5 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Polish

Essie Treat Love & Color

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For some people, the idea of sporting bare nails is simply unfathomable. We get it, and that's why we love that Essie offers this nail treatment polish. It can decrease peeling by 60% and breakage by 35% in just one week; credit collagen and camellia extract. Not to mention that it comes in 32 different hues, all offering a sheer wash of gorgeous color along with these benefits. Plus, you don't even need a base or topcoat with it.

Price at time of publish: $14

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, collagen | Dosage: Daily for one week | Size: 0.5 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Base Coat

Butter London Horse Power Nail Rescue Base Coat

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If you like to have your nails polished at all times, then you're probably wearing a base coat at all times. And if you're doing that, you might as well make it a base coat with benefits, like this guy. There are four key ingredients in the formula: horsetail extract and biotin to promote healthy growth, plus vitamin B and calcium. If your nails are on the struggle bus, this will for sure help transform them, but if they're already in good shape, this will help keep them that way.

Price at time of publish: $19

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, biotin | Dosage: One coat | Size: 0.5 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Base Coat, Runner-Up

Dr.'s Remedy Enrich Nail Polish Hydration Nail Moisture Treatment

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This effective formula, a favorite of celebrity nail artist Elle Gerstein, relies on biotin, wheat protein, and pentavitin to help keep nails long and strong. "I use this as a base coat, especially during the cold winter months, to help seal moisture into my nails," she says.

Price at time of publish: $25

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, biotin | Size: 0.5 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Nail Biters

Barielle No Bite Pro Growth

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For those who tend to nibble on their nails, this treatment is choice. While it goes on invisible and odorless, it has a nasty, bitter taste that will definitely discourage biting. It's also infused with ingredients to boost growth and strength, helping to transform your nails from bitten down and brittle to long and strong, all in one step.

Price at time of publish: $10

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, silica | Size: 0.5 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Tinted

Pear Nova Enhance Nail Strengthener

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The aloe vera in this formula makes this a nice option for combating dryness. But it's the (super subtle) pink hue that gets us excited about this pick. It's not color—to that point, this can easily be layered under polish in place of a base coat—but it's just enough to make your nails look healthy and almost glowy. Think of it as the nail equivalent of a tinted moisturizer.

Price at time of publish: $14

Active Ingredients: Aloe | Size: 0.34 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best for All Nail Issues

Olive & June Nail Strengthener

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If your nails have breakage, peeling, white spots, or ridges, reach for this guy. Credit a variety of plant-based extracts, including celery seed extract, that help strengthen nails—up to a 77% increase in nail strength, according to the brand.

Price at time of publish: $14

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, celery seed extract | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best 17-Free

Ella + Mila First Aid Kiss Nail Strengthener

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You've likely heard of 5-free and 7-free and even 8-free polishes. Buckle up because this formula is, wait for it, 17-free. It contains good-for-your-tips vitamin E and is great for weak, thin, and splitting nails. FYI, it's best when used for four weeks, which can feel a bit tedious, though the results are worth it.

Price at time of publish: $11

Active Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for the Entire Nail Area

CND RescueRXx Daily Keratin Treatment

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Think of this as a cuticle oil-nail strengthener hybrid. The base is jojoba and sweet almond oils, both of which impart tons of moisture not only to the nail but to the surrounding skin, too. But unlike a cuticle oil, there's protein-rich keratin in the mix to help bolster the strength of the nail. All you have to do is swipe it on (truly, as haphazardly as you want since you can't mess this up) and rub it into the nail and entire nail area. Do so daily and prepare to be amazed by how much better your nails look.

Price at time of publish: $21

Active Ingredients: Sweet almond oil, keratin | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best Nontoxic

Lisa Lacquer Nail Strengthener

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All colors in this line are 10-free and contain no toxic ingredients. We love this strengthener, which can double as a base coat, for containing vitamin A, which has been found to be effective in treating splitting nails, making them grow healthier and stronger.

Price at time of publish: $10

Active Ingredients: Vitamin A | Size: 0.43 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best for Cuticles

Peacci The GelBottle Oil

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This formula softens cuticles and locks in moisture with a rich blend of natural oils. We especially love this treatment for those who have acrylics to use on cuticles, and on nails in between appointments. Reviewers note the non-greasy texture is fast-absorbing into nails and skin.

Price at time of publish: $13

Active Ingredients: Coconut oil, freesia, peach oil, tea tree Oil, | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Onyx Professional Hard as Hoof Nail Strengthening Cream

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Price at time of publish: $8

ISDIN SI-NAILS Nail Strengthener

4.8

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Price at time of publish: $32

Essie Strong Start Nail Treatment Base Coat

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Price at time of publish: $11

Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails

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Price at time of publish: $3

OPI Nail Envy, Nail Strengthener, Nail Treatment

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Price at time of publish: $19