Good news! The bitter nail biting solution has finally worn off and my food now tastes like food again! The downside of that is I'm now working off willpower alone. That and the knowledge that if I fail in my quest to stop biting I have to confess to all of you that I'm a loser. I'm doing ok so far. Almost a week in and there is a little bit of white on each nail, and instead of dwelling on the whole 'not biting' thing I'm concentrating on getting my cuticles into shape. This is the problem with nail biting. All that time shoving your fingers in your mouth makes the skin around the nails dry and disgusting. Roll up, Dr Lewinn's Renunail Nourishing Oil (£10)...
In the past (oh yes, I've done this before, friends) I relied on Creative Nail Design Solar Oil, which smells like amaretto (or marzipan, if you're not obsessed with booze like moi) and does the job really well. But I felt it was time for a change and an upgrade. This new oil uses similar ingredients (sweet almond oil, olive oil etc) which you paint onto the cuticles and nails and massage in. My nails are gasping for moisture so much I barely have to rub it in, and I can easily apply it two or three times a day if I'm feeling that way inclined. Thank heavens I work in an office where my boss asks what I'm doing so she can borrow the product, not so she can berate me for not doing my work. After all, this is work.
I've been putting this on for a couple of days now and it does seems to be making a difference. My thumbs are still a bit of a mess, but the rest of the fingers are beginning to show signs of normality. I'm trying my hardest not to mess, and also keeping up the hand cream routine as an added extra.
Tomorrow I'm starting on the strengthening treatments, and next week I'm contemplating my first manicure, paraffin wax and all.