How to get lovely nails?

Do you have money to to spare? As I would 100% recommend a professional manicure, they should cut/trim the hangnails/cuticles. I know some people say cutting the cuticle is bad, but I've never had an issue and I've found it helps stop me getting hangnails/flappy bits.

If you can afford it/think you'd like it, I'd recommend acrylics. I had them for the wedding and love them so much it's a perm fixture. Get them done a few days before so you get used to them, and if you do a lot with your hands they aren't great - however, you don't have to have them super long. The place I go to does a special 'structural' set of acrylics, which essentially are short, strong nails with a nice shape. They can put a gross tasting polish on to sttop you biting if that's an issue for you.

Also make sure you have a good hand cream!! I like the Kiehls one, or plain old e45!!

Boots do a nail oil for about £8 a tube, it comes int a little rollerball that you just run over your nails and cuticles. I got some of this after frequent nail varnish left my nails splitting and peeling and my cuticles were horribly overgrown. It's made aaaaall the difference, now they're super smooth and shiney and really strong. I'm one of these people that used to catch my nails on things and bend them back all the time but haven't done that for ages. I keep it on my desk at work and just rub it over my nails whenever I wash my hands or if i'm stuck on hold for ages hehe

I have been getting a gel polish on my nails it lasts me about 2 1/2 maybe 3 weeks and i am on my second one at the minute, another one then time for wedding nails!

I bite my nails and fingers quite a bit and with out the gel on they are usually pretty horrible but the gel stops me biting then and really helps them grow.