If you have a nail-biting habit, you probably know it’s best if you quit it. I don’t think you need me to tell you that. The American Academy of Dermatology Association says repeated nail-biting can make the skin around your nails feel sore, and it can damage the tissue that makes your nails grow, causing “abnormal-looking nails.” Not to mention putting your hands near your mouth can also pass along some icky bacteria.
But if you have this habit, you also probably know that it’s a hard one to quit—especially if you’ve been doing it since childhood. It’s just so easy to revert to it. The AAD Association says some things you can do to stop biting your nails include keeping your nails trimmed short, getting regular manicures, replacing your habit with a good one (like using a stress ball or doing something else with your hands), identifying your triggers, and gradually weaning off the habit.
The association also recommends applying a bitter-tasting nail polish to your nails. These are over-the-counter formulas that are safe to use but taste so bad you won’t even want to bite your nails. That sounds genius to me, and a lot of these polishes cost less than $20. So I did some research on the best ones and made a list for my nail-biting friends out there. Take a look below.
You can apply this bitter-tasting nail polish on bare nails or over your manicured nails. One reviewer said, “It’s like putting a Switch cartridge in my mouth. Or licking rubbing alcohol.”
Not only will this formula stop you from biting your nails, but it’s also designed to stimulate nail growth.
All it takes is one to two coats of this polish to deter you from biting your nails. It’s also enriched with vitamins and botanicals to strengthen your nails and help them grow.
In addition to preventing nail-biting, this 17-free nail polish smoothes surface imperfections and acts as a base coat.
Both children and adults can use Mavala’s highly rated no-bite treatment. It helps strengthen the nails and leaves a shiny finish. One reviewer said, “It’s a miracle! I am 45 years old and have tried every product over the years… my mom used to put everything imaginable on my fingernails to keep them out of my mouth, and my grandma tried to pay me to grow my fingernails out, but still, here I was at 45 with horrible nails. This has been a miracle. I can’t describe the taste but will just say that it makes me not want my hands anywhere near my face.”
The great thing about this polish is that although it tastes super bitter, it’s odorless. The formula is non-glossy and will hydrate and nourish the nails.
Probelle’s anti-bite nail polish contains vitamin E, sunflower seed oil, marine algae, vitamin A, nettle extract, and horse chestnut. One reviewer said, “Worked so great! I’ve been biting my nails for the last few years and nothing was working to help me stop. This creates a flavor on the tongue that is unbearable, so after applying it the first time, it started working. Unconsciously every time I want to bite my nails I now have to stop because of the flavor. If you bite your nails and want to stop, this will probably help you solve it.”
You can use this pen on your nails, cuticles, and skin—it dries quickly and invisibly, so it doesn’t leave a glossy finish like many of the other polishes on this list. It also has skin-soothing ingredients like aloe leaf juice, eucalyptus leaf, ginger root, wintergreen leaf, and oat kernel.
This nail treatment can be used by both children and adults, and it can act as a standalone polish, topcoat, or base coat. One reviewer wrote, “It’s absolutely vile, which you would think was a good thing. The bad part is that when you touch any part of your finger to anything that touches your mouth and you will get its taste in your mouth. Even if it’s just you licking some ketchup off your lips… So yeah, it’ll definitely get you to stop chewing on your nails.”
This serum pretty much does it all—it’s a cuticle cream, oil, and butter in one. Ingredients include Japanese seaweed, aloe vera, rich bran oil, shea butter, and vitamin E.
Take this kit with you on the go to keep your nails in good shape. It includes a cuticle and hangnail snipper, a cuticle pusher and nail cleaner, and a nail file.
Give your cuticles some TLC with this set. It comes with hydrating cuticle oil, an exfoliating cuticle treatment (to help loosen any dead skin), cuticle repair cream, and a duel-ended pusher.
Nail-Aid’s growth treatment contains keratin, which works to harden and strengthen the nails. You’ll start to see some improvement in just three days.
The argan and pomegranate oil in this formula provides deep hydration, while rosemary and rose geranium essential oils stimulate nail growth, and hemp and tamanu oil provide anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
Jinsoon’s base coat is designed to restore damaged and weak nails. It’s formulated with three AHAs that revive the nail surface, plus patented hexanal (for strengthening) and vitamins C, E, and B5.
This cream both strengthens and conditions the nails. It prevents splits, chips, peels, and cracks, while also providing nourishing benefits from ingredients like calcium, vitamins, and hydrogenated jojoba oil.
OPI’s Nail Envy comes in four neutral shades so you can wear them alone and won’t miss your regular nail polish. The nail strengthener is enriched with hydrolyzed wheat protein and calcium.
This conditioning formula contains 0.11% oxyquinoline, which helps strengthen and thicken the cuticle fibers. It also features lanolin to smooth the nails.
Nails Inc.’s superfood base coat has so many benefits—it stimulates nail growth, hydrates, prevents breakage and splitting, and deeply nourishes the nails. It leaves a high-gloss finish, too.
