My Nails Are Always Breaking, But This Nail Serum Took Them From Brittle to Strong

I tried Manucurist's Kératine Booster Nail Strengthening Serum, and it transformed my nails in just a month.

A collage with before and after nail pics after using the manucurist nail serum
(Image credit: @eleanorvousden)

For most of my life, I've had weak, brittle nails. Every attempt at growing my nails longer ultimately ends in them snapping, breaking or bending, and even some of the best nail strengtheners have let me down in the past. You see, I'm pretty low-maintenance when it comes to my nail care routine, and I know you're meant to religiously apply cuticle oil and nail serums every day, but I just find them to be a bit of a faff. Plus, I can't stand my hands feeling greasy.

And as someone who can't have gel manicures, strengthening treatments such as BIAB aren't an option. So, when Manucurist's Kératine Booster Nail Strengthening Serum landed on my desk, I took it as my much-needed sign to finally give my nails some love and attention.

Manucurist Kératine Booster Nail Strengthening Serum

The Formula

The manucurist keratine booster nail serum on a marble surface

(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)

The milky nail serum is designed to be applied 1-3 times per day for up to a week, and much to my delight, the lightweight texture sinks in immediately, so there's no waiting around with greasy hands with this. It contains a whole roster of nail-boosting ingredients to help strengthen the nails, including plant-based keratin, alpha-hydroxy acids and gluconolactone, which help to gently exfoliate the nail plate. Additionally, you'll find silicon in the formula, which works to strengthen fragile nails, alongside vitamins B8 and C, which help to shield the nails from environmental damage.

Before

A photo of Eleanor's bare nails before using the manucurist nail serum

(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)

Here are my nails from a month ago. As you can see, they're all at different lengths as they kept breaking and splitting. I find that they're particularly prone to brittleness at this time of year when the cold weather hits (anyone else have nails that miraculously grow come summer?). They were also peeling, and as a result, I was struggling to grow them longer.

After 1 Month

Eleanor's nails after using manucurist keratine nail serum

(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)

And here are my hands after around a month. My nails don't just look longer, but my nails feel so much stronger to the touch. They're no longer bendy, and they're not as prone to breaking now. I used the serum 1-2 times per day for a week, then I used it occasionally (when I remembered!) and before painting my nails with nail polish in the following weeks. My nails also feel smoother and just look so much healthier than they did a few weeks ago.

My Verdict

If you want a nail serum to help repair your nails or help them grow, then this is a great choice to go for. As someone who likes an unfussy nail care routine, I appreciated that this serum is easy to apply and sinks in quickly. You do have to apply it on bare nails, so you'll need to avoid manicures or polish for a short time, but it's a great way to reset your nails in between gels or other types of manicures if you feel your nails need a little boost. Of course, it also takes time to see results, but having seen how well it's strengthened my nails, it's definitely becoming a part of my permanent nail care routine going forward.

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Eleanor Vousden
Beauty Editor, Who What Wear UK

Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman & Home and junior beauty editor at Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections.

With a degree in fashion journalism from the London College of Fashion, she has 10 years of industry experience and has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.

Eleanor’s journalistic focus is providing readers with honest and helpful beauty content. She has interviewed celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson.