Summer: a high-risk season for nails
Synonymous with vacations and relaxation, summer is nonetheless full of hazards for your nails. High heat, UV exposure, salt, water, chlorine, sand... all the dehydrating factors come together at this time of year! The risk is real, as dehydration can weaken the keratin layers that make up your nails' structure. Here are the warning signs to watch out for:
- Dry, brittle nails that lose their flexibility.
- Dry cuticles that lift and can no longer fulfill their protective role.
- Ridged, dull nails, a sign of disrupted nail growth.
To avoid coming back from vacation with weak, dull, and fragile nails, plan a summer nail care routine designed to deeply protect and hydrate nails and cuticles.
What to pack in your suitcase to care for your nails on vacation?
To make sure you don't leave anything behind when packing, we've put together a checklist of nail care products and manicure accessories to tuck into your beauty case for a flawless manicure all summer long and beyond.
Essential sun protection
While sunscreen is a summer essential, here are a few handy tips to keep in mind:
- Tan safely: protect yourself from the damaging effects of UV rays by choosing a high SPF 50+. Also make sure your sunscreen protects against both UVA (UV rays responsible for sunburn and skin damage) and UVB (those that penetrate through clouds and contribute to premature skin aging).
- Protect hands and feet: we tend to protect the face and most exposed body parts first, forgetting hands and feet, which are constantly exposed in summer. Start with them—ideally using a sunscreen specially formulated for hands to shield your nails from UV rays!
- Organic tanning: opt for a biodegradable formula, free from chemicals harmful to marine ecosystems.
Hydrating care anytime
To fight off the risk of nail dehydration during the summer months, you can rely on Manucurist hydrating care products to keep your hands and nails looking their best and feeling strong. Whether as a daily routine or on-demand care, their efficacy is proven with visible results. We recommend following this simple 3-step care routine:
- In the morning, Complete Serum & Green Oil: massage a few drops of Complete Serum onto bare nails and cuticles. This serum with an ultra-fresh gel texture hydrates and softens the nail plate and surrounding skin. As it penetrates, it deeply regenerates the nail and stimulates regrowth. Combined with Green Oil, an ultra-nourishing complex of 6 botanical oils, this duo creates an intense hydration boost ideal for treating dry, weakened nails!
- During the day, Perfecting Concentrate: Looking for a manicure treatment to take everywhere, from the beach to a stroll? This nourishing and fortifying concentrate, packaged in a pen format with a brush tip, makes application precise and easy at any time of day. An on-the-go nail care essential that maintains optimal hydration and keeps nails healthy.
- In the evening, Pink Balm: After a day in the sun, nothing beats a refreshing shower followed by a nourishing beauty treatment. Apply this 100% natural, ultra-hydrating, and soothing balm to fingernails or toenails to repair areas sensitized by heat and sun rays.
A nail prep set
Just as important as hydration and protection, regular nail maintenance is essential, even (and especially!) on vacation. Files, cuticle pushers, and cuticle remover are your best allies to keep nails healthy and ensure the best wear time for regular or gel polish.
- The file for natural nails is the must-have tool to gently fix any snagged nails. And since nails tend to grow faster in the sun, this white file makes it easy to shorten them smoothly. Use the fine side (180 grit on the logo side) for fingernails and the coarser side (100 grit on the reverse side) for toenails. Check out all our filing tips in our dedicated article.
- Cuticles play a key role in protecting the nail matrix. It is therefore vital to take good care of them when nails are exposed to harsh elements. Don't forget to pack an emollient to soften cuticles and a cuticle pusher (or a wooden cuticle stick) to gently push them back.
- Before applying your polish, don't forget to buff your nails with a Prep File. Its fine grit opens up the nail scales to ensure better polish adhesion and optimal wear time.
Polishes for every mood
If there's one season to show off gorgeous manicured nails, it's summer! Go ahead and indulge all your favorite styling trends and bright colors with the various nail polish ranges from Manucurist.
Active™ treatment polishes treat and enhance your nails in a single step—the ideal vacation solution! No base coat or top coat needed: these makeup-and-care hybrid polishes apply directly to bare nails in 1 or 2 coats, layered to your desired finish. Enriched with fortifying active ingredients, they deeply nourish nails while delivering a beautifying glow. Active Glow™ for radiant nails, Active Smooth for CC Polish-style smoothed nails, Active Plump for a plumping effect, Active Shine or Bright for a highlighter finish—it's up to you to choose your summer Active™ match!
- Green™ polishes for a classic long-wear manicure (up to 7 days), easy to apply and air-drying without a lamp. Its vegan, up to 83% bio-sourced formula is free from controversial ingredients commonly found in traditional polishes. Feel free to play with the full palette of Green™ shades featuring over 90 different colors.
- Green Flash™ polishes for a gel manicure like no other. Green Flash™ is the 1st patented LED gel polish that strengthens and protects nails. Its innovative, vegan, up to 84% bio-sourced, and HEMA-free formula delivers an immaculate manicure for up to 12 days and removes in one minute with a gentle, acetone-free remover. Take the opportunity to rock the trending shades of summer 2025!
In the end, the hardest part this summer will be picking your next polish shade. By following our nail care tips and keeping up a healthy diet, you can fully enjoy your summer while keeping strong, beautiful nails and a radiant manicure right through to fall 😎🏖️👙
