I’m a Gel Manicure Loyalist—These Strengthening Treatments Bring My Bendy Nails Back From the Brink

If there's one thing I will never give up, it's my monthly manicure. I spent the first two decades of my life biting my nails as much as I physically could, and the only way to keep my anxious habit at bay is to ensure my BIAB is always fresh. However, regular visits to the salon do come at the cost of my nail health. That's why nail health treatments are my saving grace between appointments.

Although I'm often reluctant to give my nails a break, they always come back longer and stronger with some time to breathe. Back to back gels inevitably make my nail beds weaker and my lengths extremely bendy—and prone to peeling.

I've tried several nail strengtheners over the years, but lots of formulas chip extremely quickly, dry up at record speed, or just don't provide enough support for my needs. But Mylee's just launched nail treatment range, designed to tackle pretty much every nail woe out there, offers exactly what I need.

If you've ever experienced the perils of a bendy nail, you will know why I'm so serious about preventing them. Whilst ranges like Mylee's builder gel polish can keep your mani strong whilst it's on, I find that as soon as I'm back to bare, my problems come right back. And considering I've spent years trying to finally grow my nails, I'm not prepared to see a break appear.

It's also very tricky for me to stick to good nail habits if I don't have anything at all keeping them protected—I need a layer of something that I'm reluctant to ruin to ensure they stay in shape.

With a paint-on nail treatment, boosting serum, and a nail shield on offer, you've got a small but mighty kit of targeted solutions that can hydrate, smooth, repair, and even aid growth. Best of all, each product takes only seconds to apply, and dries down speedily so you can get on with your day without waiting for polish to dry. The serum in particular feels like a quenching moisturiser for your nails, delivering an essential hit of TLC whilst it smooths and strengthens. It's that kind of feeling that keeps me on top of my nail care, and makes it something that I look forward to doing.

As well as repairing damage from the inside out, I want my nail treatments of choice to look salon-worthy too. No dull, lumpy finishes or sticky textures, thank you. The Double Bond treatment leaves my nails glossy and plump, also working to mask any patches of dryness or texture that might be left behind by a poor gel removal. This helps me feel much more confident in my naked nails, especially when I've had a longer BIAB stint than usual.

The beauty of this range is that it's designed for all nails—it works just as well on those who only use regular polish (or no polish at all) as it does on the BIAB and acrylics crowd. Low maintenance, comfortable to apply, and hard-working, this range ticks pretty much every nail health box with minimal products.