Blog Post

How To Grow Strong Nails at Home

lemaster • Jun 15, 2020

Tips to Promote Nail Growth During the Pandemic


The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a lot of changes in most people’s daily routines - everything from working from home (or, unfortunately for some, not working at all) and taking on childcare 24/7 to missing out on happy hours, nights at the movies, and important life events. One thing that many people are missing is the ritual of the nail salon - everything from chatting with the nail technician to getting the care needed to keep nails strong and healthy.

At Texas College of Cosmetology, we have your back. We understand that you might not be able to or feel comfortable going back to your regular nail technician just yet. That’s why we put together this list of tips to help you grow strong, long, and healthy nails at home!


Grow those nails with these tips!



  • Make sure your nails are properly hydrated! Strong nail growth starts with proper nail hydration. Besides drinking plenty of water (which you should be doing anyway), start treating your nails with cuticle oil every day.
  • Change up your diet. Nails grow from the inside out, so a healthy diet - lots of leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, fish, and lean meats - is a great place to start. If you want to add extra oomph to that diet, look into biotin supplements and vitamin B9 (also known as folic acid).
  • Change your nail polish remover and nail varnish. Acetone, a key ingredient in many nail polish removers, can dry out nails almost immediately - and remember, hydrated nails are healthy nails. Choose an acetone-free nail polish remover for the best results. And when you pick out nail varnish, choose a varnish that is all-natural or even a “free-from” varnish that leaves out some of the harsh chemicals many other varnishes pack in.
  • Invest in better equipment. A soft nail file is gentler on your nails than a glass nail file. You might also want to look into a daily keratin treatment. Keratin is the natural material that makes your nails flexible, and a treatment can give your nails the strength they need to stand up to everyday wear and tear.


Fascinated by this topic? Consider nail technician school!

If you’re finding that quarantine life has only increased your interest in beauty and nails, and if you’ve been considering a career change, it might be time to take the plunge and sign up for classes at Texas College of Cosmetology! At our beauty and vocational school, we give all of our students a strong grounding in nail care as well as industry-specific communication and business skills. And needless to say, we also offer lots of real-world, hands-on training. Our graduates are excellently positioned to begin long, rewarding careers in the nail industry.


We invite you to learn more about our nail technician school and begin an applicationtoday. This crisis will end eventually, and when it does, you’ll want to be set up for success in the brave new world that’s coming. Take a positive step toward the future and get in touch with us today. And in the meantime, take care of those nails!


08 Sep, 2023
When You Are Looking for a Fulfilling Career, It's Time to Explore Esthetician Training
haircut by stylist
12 Jan, 2023
At Texas College of Cosmetology, we proudly offer regular haircuts to those in Abilene, Lubbock, San Angelo, TX, and the surrounding areas. Visit our cosmetology school today!
spa with gold chairs and foot baths for pedicures
By localedge 27 May, 2021
Learn some of the many benefits of regular pedicures in our latest blog post. If you are interested in nail technology classes, call the Texas College of Cosmetology today! We serve Abilene, Lubbock & San Angelo, TX.
By proadAccountId-312305 24 Feb, 2021
Safely remove your gel polish at home with tips from the Texas College Of Cosmetology. Have more questions? Contact us today!
By 30 Nov, 2020
The holidays are coming. Follow these tips for on-trend, eye-catching makeup looks to enhance your holiday cheer, no matter how you're celebrating!
By proadAccountId-312305 13 Feb, 2020
Unsure how much to tip your hair stylist? There are a couple of things to keep in mind to make the whole process easier.
By proadAccountId-312305 08 Feb, 2019
2019 is all about going for it, and ringing in the New Year calls for a fresh start of all kinds - making it the ideal time for a new hairstyle! Read on for 2019 haircut trends.
By proadAccountId-312305 26 Jun, 2018
Achieving the perfect winged eyeliner is a fine-tuned skill that has lasted throughout every beauty trend. Cat eye liner has become so popular, in fact, that manufacturers have begun making winged eyeliner stamps. So, why do so many of us obsess over this eyeliner style? The answer is simple: a cat eye simply makes you stand out. It’s like the frosting on the top of a cake – the cake alone is delicious, but add frosting and you’ve got a delicious treat!
By 23 Apr, 2018
Be Proactive – When you’re working with your own clients, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you can’t answer a client’s question. Take the initiative to stay on top of your reading, but also go beyond that by staying on top of the latest and most up to date skin trends and techniques. There’s no such thing as having too much knowledge or vocabulary in the esthetician field. It can help to be well versed on various skin care topics even before beginning an esthetician program. Make Sure You Do What You Love – Although this is true of any career choice, it’s especially true when you’re deciding on such a specialized career. Despite there being so many areas of skincare that fall under the Esthetics umbrella, having your certification in Esthetics will be useless if you hate what you’re doing. Build Your Network Early – You probably hear this all the time; network, network, network, but it really pays off! While in Esthetician school, you can work on building your clientele from the beginning. Get to know your clients, follow up with them, and once you establish loyalty, they are more likely to follow you to your salon after graduation. Already graduated? Get started on a portfolio with before and after photos of your clients. You can also branch out to Instagram to build your audience, create and distribute business cards, or even have a website designed for your practice. Be Product Savvy and Honest – Your clients are just like you – they want to be confident in their Esthetician’s recommendations and knowledge, which means you need to be on your A game. Take the time to research any product that you’re recommending or trying to sell. Be prepared to ask any question about the products that you’re recommending. Know Your Worth, And Your Market – Industry standards say that new Estheticians should charge their clients a minimum of $1/minute. A 60-minute service, would then be $60. Another factor to consider is what other Estheticians are charging locally. Depending on your city, you may be able to get away with charging more (or less) for your services. Make sure you keep things fairly priced though, or else you may find it hard to get and retain clients if they feel like they can’t afford your services. You should also consider implementing your own personal terms, hours, and cancelation policy. Time is money, after all. Never Stop Learning – If you’re going to commit to a career in the beauty industry, then you must be comfortable with never really ending the “student” aspect of your career. You should consider learning about related topics such as nutrition for example, since so many skin ailments can be attributed to the food we are putting in our bodies. If you’re going into the medical esthetics field, you may want to consider learning about Botox or laser hair removal. Put Yourself First – Don’t be too busy in your career that you disregard taking care of yourself. Appearance is everything, and your first impression on your clients. You are after all, the face of your brand. You wouldn’t like it if you hired a lawyer and they showed up in a sweat suit, right? You’d think that they were sloppy and unprofessional. Same rule applies here. Strive to put your best foot forward each and every day that you work with your clients. Don’t forget to take time for yourself at the end of the day. Go for a walk, read that book you’ve been meaning to read, exercise, get your water in, etc. If you’re actively taking care of yourself, keeping a professional appearance will be no problem at all. People are coming to you for a relaxing treatment as a special treat to themselves. You don’t want to let personal issues interfere with your money. Interested in a career in Esthetics? Call the professionals at Texas College of Cosmetology today to get started!
By Texas College of Cosmetology 20 Mar, 2018
To get the most out of your time at beauty school it is imperative that you take a few steps to prepare yourself for your new career. These steps include setting tuition payment, choosing your field of study, and future career plans. This article will outline some of the key concerns you should have before entering cosmetology school. Okay, you've made the big decision to go to beauty school for a career in cosmetology. You've got passion, an eye for beauty, and a pair of scissors, so it should be time to make the world gorgeous right? You may want to slow down before plowing headlong into cosmetology school so that you can make the right decisions in preparation for your new career. The following are a few things that you may want to consider before enrolling in cosmetology school. Prerequisites - Aside from a good eye for aesthetics, most cosmetology schools require at least a high school diploma or the equivalent (GED) to attend. This is not always the case and goes on a state to state basis, but the safest choice no matter the future, is to at least have the equivalency of a high school diploma if cosmetology school is what you really want. Tuition - Depending on your course of study (manicurist, hair stylist, skin care services, etc.), tuition will usually run between $5,000 to $20,000 for lessons, books, equipment, and fees. This is pretty standard no matter the school that you enroll in, and it is best to have tuition and payment figured out long before your first day of classes. Financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available at many beauty schools, though financial aid without the FAFSA is also available at many unaccredited schools. Career Placement - As with any other institute of higher learning, sometimes it can be less so what you learned at beauty school and more so what beauty school you went to. Make sure that the cosmetology school that you attend is established, and has good relationships with hair stylists that will be providing jobs or career guidance after graduation. Connections are everything and your time at cosmetology school is a networking opportunity just as much as it is a vocational school. Specialization - Aside from the comprehensive curriculum of beauty school, there are many different fields within cosmetology that you may want to become your central course of study. You could become a cosmetologist, an esthetician, or a manicurist to name a few. The fields of cosmetology are varied and specialized, so do your homework to see what fields you may be most interested in before you are forced to choose. Take a minute before going to cosmetology school to explore your options and decide what your best course of action would be. If a career through beauty school is what you want, you will find it to be a rewarding career and lifestyle. However, you must first choose the right school and adequately prepare yourself for your new vocation to truly get the most out of your time at beauty school. If you live in the Texas area & you are looking for a vocational school in Abilene, TX or San Angelo, TX, contact Texas College of Cosmetology today.
Show More
Share by: