Make your own natural nail-biting treatment at home
Looking for a way to help you stop biting your nails? It’s a common problem in both children and adults and quite a hard one to put a stop to, so it’s understandable if you’re seeking a little help.
A popular remedy is applying foul-tasting anti-nail-biting polish to your fingernails to give you a shock when you go to nibble on those nails. Although the chemical-ly tastes of most anti nail-biting polish do the trick for most people, some of you might want something a little more natural. Get inspired with some natural nail-biting treatment ideas below.
Bring out the vinegar
This bitter-tasting ingredient is probably ready and waiting in your kitchen cupboard to help put an end to your nail-biting woes! Whether it’s malt, apple cider or wine vinegar, dilute a few drops into water and dip your fingernails into it (maybe not if you have broken skin). Let it dry naturally on your nails and serve as a pongy reminder to stop biting your nails.
Feeling hot, hot, hot
Hate spicy food? Hot sauce could be the nail-biting solution for you! Just rub a little on your fingernails (avoiding any broken skin) and let it dry. You might think twice about biting those nails if you know how much spice your taste buds will have to endure!
Not got any hot sauce? A little black pepper or chilli powder should do the trick. Try mixing it with a little olive oil to help it stay. Just remember not to touch your eyes or other sensitive areas.
Garlic breath for your nails
It’s no fun getting close to somebody who has just eaten what seems like a bulb’s worth of garlic in one sitting. Apply the same garlic overload to your nails and you may just steer clear of them too!
All you need to do is chop up some garlic (a few cloves will do) and add it to some olive oil, leaving it to infuse for at least a day. Once it’s nice and pungent, apply the mixture to your fingernails and let it dry. The olive oil will nourish them and the bad garlic smell will remind you not to bite your nails.
Nip nail biting in the bud with neem oil
Neem oil is made by pressing the seeds and fruit of the neem plant. It is naturally extremely bitter and serves as a great reminder to stop biting your nails. It’s an antiseptic too, so it can help keep your nails free from infections. Simply apply some to your nails and let it dry.
Try a bit of bitter gourd
Bitter gourd is a vegetable commonly used in Asian cuisine hailed for its naturally bitter taste. Also known as bitter squash or bitter melon, this vegetable is very potent when used on its own. Its bitter taste is sure to put you off biting your nails, leaving a gag-worthy taste in your mouth if you choose to get nibbling.
You can either crush bitter gourd, apply the juices on your nails and leave to dry, or find a pre-prepared bitter gourd nail-biting treatment in the shops.
Give aloe vera a go
Although aloe vera gel isn’t the most offensive smelling thing on the planet, it still doesn’t taste too good. Try dipping your fingertips into some aloe gel and leaving it to try and see if it puts you off biting your nails.
There is no guarantee that any of these natural nail-biting treatment ideas will work for you, but hopefully you feel inspired to try some of these at home. If they work then you have yourself a low-cost way to keep your nail biting at bay – winning! Read more about how to stop biting nails here.
Last updated: 29 April 2020
