How to strengthen nails - folk and cosmetic procedures. Strengthening nails at home with folk remedies: recipes

the beauty

How to grow healthy and beautiful nails? Proper nutrition, eating healthy foods will help strengthen the nail plates. Regular nail, cuticle and hand care is also important. The very same means - masks, creams and baths - are easy to prepare at home from what can be found in the grocery closet, in extreme cases, in a nearby store.

  1. 1. Olive oil, 1 tbsp. l., heat in a water bath and squeeze a few drops of natural lemon juice into it. Apply the resulting composition to the nails and cuticles, massage well, put on cotton gloves and leave until morning. Recommended to repeat twice a week.
  2. 2. Dissolve two pinches of unflavored sea salt in ½ liter of warm water. Make a bath and dip your fingertips into it for 20 minutes. Wipe your hands well and grease with a fat cream, massaging the nail plates. Take baths 10 days in a row with a break of 1 month.
  3. 3. Mask based on red pepper strengthens nails and accelerates their growth. Combine half a teaspoon of red pepper, the same amount of boiled water and a little greasy hand cream. Melt the mixture in a water bath and let stand until it cools. Then apply the product to your nails and wash your hands after 15 minutes. Once a month quite enough.
  4. 4. Melt a small piece of beeswax in a water bath, mix it with crushed egg yolk and dilute peach oil to the consistency of a thick cream. Use daily at night.
  5. 5.1 tbsp. l. mix lemon juice with a pinch of table salt. Apply for 15 minutes, then rinse and lubricate nails with cream.
  6. 6. In a glass of heated water, dissolve st. l. without a slide of salt and 5 drops of iodine. Make a bath for 15 minutes.
  7. 7. Apply iodine to the nail plate with a brush before going to bed, by morning the yellowness will disappear. Strengthens peeling nails.
  8. 8. Various remedies from sour berry juice: currants, cranberries, honeysuckle, viburnum, etc. Mash berries and rub nails and cuticles.
  9. 9. Melt natural wax in a water bath. Dip your nails in warm wax, then in cold water. Put on gloves and leave overnight. Do weekly for a month.
  10. 10. A decoction of chamomile and burdock root (a tablespoon of the mixture in a glass of water) cool to room temperature and hold your nails in it. Repeat baths every week.
  11. 11. For 2 tbsp. l. Melt olive oil and honey in a water bath, cool and beat in 1 egg. Soak the mixture into a hand bath for 15 minutes, then wash your hands without soap.
  12. 12. Prepare jelly from 1 tbsp. l. dry gelatin, cool and hold your nails in it for 10 minutes. Baths can be repeated up to 3 times a week.

It is not necessary to use all the recipes listed, choose the most suitable for yourself and take care of your nails regularly.

Healthy nails are an adornment not only for women, but also for men. But people do not always know how to achieve this result. Most often, contacting salons and cosmetology clinics, although it brings the desired effect, is not cheap and takes a lot of time. However, there are many ways to strengthen your nails at home without the help of a manicurist.

Causes of brittle and flaking nails

Photo of brittle exfoliated nails

Before taking care of health and appearance your nails, you need to find out the reasons for their fragility and try to eliminate them as soon as possible. Here are some factors that negatively affect their condition:

  • frequent use of nail polish removers containing acetone,
  • the influence of external factors, for example, washing floors and dishes without gloves, minor injuries and exposure to cold,
  • temperature difference outside and at home,
  • improper care,
  • lack of vitamins and useful minerals, which include iodine, zinc, iron, silicon, selenium and calcium,
  • the influence of harmful substances in the water,
  • any problems in the work of organs and systems of the body, especially cardiovascular, endocrine and nervous.

Folk remedies against brittle nails

For a long time, the question of the beauty of hands worried both women and men. Today there are many proven and effective folk remedies for strengthening nails that help in caring for them at home. Here are some of the most popular ones:

  1. Olive oil. Masks with it in combination with lemon juice or other oils, including essential oils, cope well with fragility and serve good remedy for its prevention. The mixture must be at a comfortable temperature. To do this, it is recommended to preheat it in a water bath.
  2. Pepper mask. Red hot pepper works great on nails and hair. At the same time, it is recommended to mix a small amount of it with any vegetable oil and apply to the nail plate. This must be done carefully, avoiding the mixture getting on the mucous membranes.
  3. Sea salt and iodine bath. You need to prepare the solution immediately before the procedure. To do this, you need warm water (about 1 glass), 1 large flat spoon of salt, 4-6 drops of iodine.
  4. Applying iodine before bed. To strengthen it, it is recommended to apply iodine to nails clean of varnish and cosmetics several times a week before going to bed. By morning, not a trace will remain of it, and the manicure will be beautiful and well-groomed even without varnish.
  5. Wax based masks. It is a strong nail hardener. Buy natural wax and melt it in a water bath. Apply it on your nails and then leave it on overnight, protecting it from falling off with gloves. In the morning, remove the remaining wax and wash your hands with water. There is another way to use this beekeeping product to strengthen nails. A piece of natural wax is rubbed onto the nail plate, after which you cannot use varnishes and others for some time cosmetics... You can do this procedure every day, preferably before bedtime.
  6. A bath with olive and citrus essential oil, iodine. In 1 spoonful of olive oil, add one or two drops of mandarin, grapefruit, lemon or orange oil, followed by a few drops of iodine. Lubricate the nails with the resulting mixture twice or three times a week and leave it on the nails for 10-20 minutes, after which you need to rinse off the residues with water.
  7. Masks made from natural honey and eggs, vegetable oil. Mix vegetable oil (1-2 tablespoons) with half a beaten egg and add 1 small spoonful of natural liquid honey there. Dip only your fingertips into the mixture and hold them for a short while, then wash off with soapy water.

Advice. All folk remedies designed to strengthen nails contain only natural ingredients practically have no contraindications. However, they can cause an allergic reaction, so do a sensitivity test before use.

Remember that all these products must be warmed up to a comfortable temperature before use. Their natural ingredients will restore the health and beauty of your nails, serve as a good prophylaxis to prevent delamination and brittleness.

Cosmetics for nail plates

In addition to folk remedies for strengthening nails, there are a lot of compounds made by the cosmetic industry. They are easier to apply, and when used systematically, they give the same results as natural ingredients. The most popular ones are:

  1. "Smart enamel". At first glance, this tool is no different from ordinary colorless varnish. But the nutrients included in its composition turn it into a powerful hardener that protects the nail from external factors. You need to apply "Smart Enamel" daily. The therapeutic effect is usually achieved by the end of the first week. Before reapplying this varnish, wipe off the old coat with an acetone-free stripper.
  2. Gel nail extension. You can do it yourself or invite a manicure master to your house. To do this, you need to buy a special ultraviolet lamp and all required types cover. After extension, your nails will look great. And the procedure should be repeated less often than when using ordinary varnish.
  3. Rubbing the nail plate with a mixture of vitamins A and E purchased from the pharmacy. Capsules with their oil-based solution will make your nails on hands and feet healthier and more beautiful, accelerate growth.
  4. Applying essential oils to nail plate... This should be done for 2 weeks or more once every 1-2 days. Essential oils of fir, spruce, chamomile, jasmine are suitable for the procedure. In addition, it is recommended to use citrus fruits: tangerine, orange, lemon, grapefruit. Remember, they must be applied in small quantities and, if necessary, as part of a mixture with olive or burdock oil.
  5. Strengthening nails with acrylic. This is one of the types of building. It is done in the salon or at home. In the second case, for the procedure, you will have to have with you not only manicure tools and a disinfectant, but also a special acrylic powder, monomer or liquid for acrylic, primer, high-quality brushes, tips and orange sticks. You can buy a completely ready-made and assembled set, in which you will find everything you need for building. The procedure is carried out in several stages:
  • Preparation of nail plates. Wash your hands and disinfect your nails. Pull back the cuticle and dry your nails. Remove dust from filing and sanding the nail.
  • Preparation and installation of tips. Select the tips of the required size, give them a shape that can be finalized after the end of the procedure. Glue them to your nail so that there are no voids underneath. Then finalize the shape of the nails and come up with their future design.
  • Application of acrylic powder. Apply primer to the natural part of the nail and let it dry. From above, using a special brush dipped in monomer and acrylic powder, in small strokes with pressure, form a smooth transition over the entire surface of the nail from the cuticle to the extended edge.
  • After the nail dries, finish the shape and transition with a nail file and then with a polisher.
  • The nail plates treated in this way need protection from ultraviolet radiation, so they need varnish.

Although strengthening nails with acrylic requires experience and knowledge, if you wish, you can learn it at any time. Gentle care for such a manicure, timely correction and correct removal will allow it to last for a long time, while maintaining an attractive appearance.

The variety of nail strengthening methods that you can use at home allows you to choose the right one. Do not wait until the nail plates become brittle and give your hands a well-groomed look. It is better to take care of the prevention in advance in order to maintain the health and beauty of the nails.

Evgeniya Valerievna

The condition of the nails is a very important indicator of the normal functioning of the body; it, along with the skin and hair, can signal diseases or a lack of vitamins. Nails begin to flake, break, often even good master won't be able to help. To find a way out, consider the main causes of fragility and possible options for how to avoid problems.

Causes of brittle nails

  1. Constant contacts with chemicals- varnishes, products containing acetone, various household chemicals, solutions and acids. You should periodically give your nails a rest, do not use varnishes, wear gloves for working with chemistry. When choosing a varnish, do not be guided by the color and speed of drying, bright quick-drying varnishes are the most harmful.
  2. Lack of trace elements. Deficiency of potassium, iron, vitamins A, E, D causes brittle nails. Review your diet, consult a specialist who will help you choose the right vitamins.
  3. Heredity, the presence of diseases. Several human diseases are determined by the condition of the nails. The most common diagnoses are thyroid diseases. Nails become brittle during pregnancy and breastfeeding, because useful elements from the mother's body partially leave the child.
  4. Eating, depression.
  5. Dry air. Nails suffer from too dry air, especially in winter when temperatures are constantly changing. Make sure that the house is humid enough, wear gloves in the winter before going outside.
  6. Cuticle problems. The cuticle protects the nail from the external environment, microbes, bacteria and transfers useful elements from the body to the nail plate. Any damage, disease, fungus provoke brittle nails.
  7. Improper care. Few people know that you can not cut nails with nippers., you need to file them with a glass or ceramic nail file so as not to damage the skin.
Determine the problem by the condition of the nail

Folk remedies for strengthening nails

There are many simple recipes for strengthening your nails without leaving your home. Remember that they do not solve the problems that the body already has, but can make nails much stronger and healthier for a while.

Salt

Baths with sea salt are an excellent remedy for brittleness, will help to quickly strengthen the nails on the hands so that they do not exfoliate or break.

  1. In a liter of hot water at a comfortable temperature, dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt. You can add a few drops essential oil, lemon juice or iodine.
  2. Dip your nails into the solution for 15-20 minutes, wipe dry, lubricate with your favorite cream. Do salt baths every day for 2-3 weeks, then once every 1-2 weeks, depending on the condition of the nail plate.

Olive oil and lemon juice

Prepare a simple solution:

  1. A small amount of olive oil heat in a water bath and add lemon juice.
  2. Apply the resulting mixture to your nails, leave for 3-4 hours, and preferably overnight.

You can simply rub your nails with a slice of lemon. It strengthens and whitens the nail plate. This procedure must be done 2 times a week.

Wax ointment

A good tonic is beeswax ointment.

  1. Melt 5 g. wax, add the steep yolk and a few drops of peach oil.
  2. Transfer this ointment to a convenient jar and rub your nails with it.

Alternatively, melt the wax, dip your fingertips in it, then in cold water to solidify. The mask nourishes and moisturizes the nail plate and the skin around it.

Red pepper

To strengthen and speed up nail growth, you can make a red pepper mask.

  1. In half a teaspoon of pepper, add a few drops of water to make a gruel, add hand cream.
  2. Warm up the resulting product, apply to nails with a brush.
  3. Keep it for a maximum of 20 minutes, if it bakes strongly - less, but not less than 10. Perform the procedure no more than once a month!

Milk bath

  1. In 0.5 l of warmed milk add 2 tablespoons of apple and lemon juice.
  2. The solution is mixed with a teaspoon of honey and the same amount of table salt.
  3. The bath takes 15 minutes.

Iodine

Apply a thin, even layer of iodine to the nail plate every day. By the morning, yellow disappear. This procedure, taking into account the regularity, makes the nails less brittle.

Green tea bath

  1. A tablespoon of tea is brewed with a glass of boiling water without any additives or flavors.
  2. When the tea has cooled down, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of lemon juice to it, after which the solution can be used for the procedure
  3. Before the bath, you should stretch your fingertips to increase blood flow to them. The bath should be taken for 10 minutes, after which the hands cannot be wet for several hours.

Vinegar and oil

Not the most pleasant smelling, but effective bath of apple cider vinegar and vegetable oil.

  1. Mix vinegar and oil in equal proportions, you can heat it up, soak your fingers in the solution for 10 minutes.
  2. The vinegar bath will well strengthen the nails on the hands, if done every day for 2-3 weeks, after 2 months, repeat the course if necessary.

Gelatin

With brittle nails, a gelatin bath saves.

  1. Dissolve gelatin in water or milk, reheat after 15 minutes.
  2. Dip your nails in warm gelatin for 20-30 minutes.
  3. Use the mask 2 times a week.

You can also add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil to gelatin to make the procedure more enjoyable.

Berries

One of the most simple ways strengthening nails - ordinary berries. Lubricate them with crushed: currants, lingonberries, cranberries, this saturates the nails with vitamins, makes the color healthier.

Mask with olive and almond oil

  1. The pulp is extracted from one medium-sized tomato.
  2. Place in a cup and add a spoonful of olive and almond oils.
  3. The mask is applied in a thick layer to each nail.
  4. After 15 minutes, remove the composition with a paper towel.

Herbal decoctions

To prevent the nails from exfoliating and breaking, make strengthening baths from decoctions of medicinal herbs - burdock root, chamomile, St. John's wort. The herbs are poured with hot water and infused for an hour, then, if the broth is cold, they are heated. Dip your fingers or toes into the bath and hold for about 30 minutes.

Wine

Regular baths based on white wine significantly improve the condition of nails. The recipes are simple: in 200 ml. white wine, add two tablespoons of sea salt, tsp. honey and a third tsp. butter. Heat the mixture, stir well, lower your fingertips for 25-30 minutes.

Decoction of potatoes

Place your fingers in a warm potato broth for 10-15 minutes, rinse your hands, dry and spread your hand with your favorite cream. This bath strengthens the nails and softens the skin.

Vitamin rub

In addition to the suggested methods, use vitamin E capsules. Open the capsule and rub the contents into the cuticle and nail. Repeat for 2 weeks, take a short break and repeat if necessary.

Massage

Hand massage, the area around the nail has a positive effect on its condition and growth. Massage using jojoba, ylang ylang, lemon, olive oil.

Nutrition to strengthen nails

Of course, advice won't help if you're on the wrong diet. Nails, hair will be beautiful and strong only when proper nutrition rich in protein foods, fruits and vegetables. To keep your nails strong and healthy for longer, you need to consume a sufficient amount of vitamins A, E, C, group B, calcium and iron every day.

  • Vitamin A is found in dairy products, eggs, carrots, tomatoes;
  • Vitamin E - in vegetable oils of various nuts, you can buy it at a pharmacy and rub it into your nail;
  • Vitamin C, rich in citrus fruits, rose hips, currants, sea buckthorn, sauerkraut.
  • Iron is abundant in liver, eggs, poultry, sesame, apples and nuts.

Make one healthy food supplement at home. Eggshells contain calcium, they need to be crushed into powder and a small amount added to food on a regular basis. This will help boost your calcium intake without pharmacy supplements.

Specialty: Physician-therapist
Education: First Moscow State Medical University named after Sechenov in 2010.

Almost every representative of the fair sex dreams of healthy, strong and long nails. However, achieving the cherished goal is sometimes very difficult: nail care requires regularity and a fair amount of patience. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to become a regular client in a nail salon: you can also surround your nails with proper care at home. Simple and effective folk remedies will help protect them from excessive softness and brittleness. The main thing is to approach the process responsibly!

The traditional causes of brittle nails are:

  • deficiency of essential vitamins;
  • unbalanced diet (long-term diets are especially detrimental);
  • frequent contact with various household chemicals;
  • abuse of manicure and mechanical treatment (experiments with acetone and changing varnishes, improper filing).

The first step in the fight for nail beauty is to eliminate all of these types of negative effects. Having dealt with the prerequisites, you can proceed to active rescue actions.

Normalization of the diet

Home strengthening of nails is unthinkable without a general healing of the body. Since it is necessary to fill the gaps of the most important substances, it is necessary to immediately begin a course intake of a multivitamin complex. This process should last at least two months. The most important vitamins for nail health are vitamins A, C and D. In addition to these, it is also important to consume enough calcium and iodine.

The daily diet should be enriched with a variety of fermented milk products... Milk, yogurt, kefir and cottage cheese are irreplaceable sources of valuable calcium. Iron is abundantly found in red meat, as well as in fish. Carrot juice is rich in vitamin A, and iodine can be found in spinach. Almost all fruits are carriers of vitamin C.

Do not forget about fats... Many women who want to maintain an ideal physical shape neglect their use. However, fat is essential, even if it is minimal.

In addition to revising the quality of nutrition, comprehensive nail improvement includes such caring procedures as baths and applying masks.

Firming nail baths

The most useful components for strengthening the nail plates are sea or iodized salt, lemon, olive oil and infusions of various herbs.

Salt bath

Heat 200 ml of red wine (preferably dry). Combine it with a tablespoon of sea salt (you can take food fortified with iodine). Soak your fingers in the warm composition for fifteen minutes, then blot with a dry cloth and treat with a nourishing hand cream. It must be repeated at least once a week.

Oil bath

Take 1/4 cup olive or sunflower oil. Add to it 5 drops of vitamin A (capsules can be found in any pharmacy) and 4 drops of iodine. The bath should be done daily for 2 weeks, preferably in the evening. The duration of each procedure is about twenty minutes. Equally useful is a similar bath in which vitamin A is replaced with lemon juice.

Vinegar bath

Connect Apple vinegar and any vegetable oil (for example, burdock) in equal proportions. The duration of the regular procedure is ten minutes.

Oak bark bath

Prepare an infusion of oak bark at the rate of 3 tablespoons per 0.5 liters of boiling water (keep on low heat for 20 minutes, then let stand for at least 3 hours). Strain, pour into a glass container (the remaining infusion can be stored in the refrigerator). Separately dissolve a couple of tablespoons of sea salt in 1/2 liter of warm water. Add a tablespoon of 70% vinegar essence and 50 grams of the resulting infusion. This bath should be repeated twice a day, the duration of the procedure is 10 minutes.

Mineral water bath

Combine 1/2 cup of mineral water with the same amount of cabbage juice. Submerge your fingers in the solution for fifteen minutes. If you wish, you can take one hundred grams of cabbage and potato juice. The procedure, repeated weekly, restores healthy shine, strength and strength to the nails.

Firming nail masks

Masks for strengthening should be gently rubbed into the nail plate and cuticle. Special efforts no need to apply: the components are independently absorbed in the amount that is necessary. Various oils and hot peppers are of the greatest nutritional value. Masks should be applied at least once a week. The minimum course is two months.

Pepper mask

Heat some vegetable oil. Mix it with 1/2 cup of beer (the variety doesn't matter) and a spoonful of ground red pepper. Stir well and apply to nails. Soak for half an hour, then remove the rest with a napkin.

Paraffin mask

Heat the paraffin wax (available at the pharmacy) in a water bath until a liquid consistency is obtained. Take a brush and gently coat your nails with the prepared compound. It is better to treat the skin around the nail plates with a fat cream. Once the paraffin has hardened, another layer should be applied on top of it.

This action must be repeated several times. After fifteen minutes, the paraffin can be removed with a wooden stick. Then the nails need to be polished with a special buff. The good thing about the mask is that it not only makes the nails stronger, but also surrounds them with a protective barrier. External influences such as cold, sunlight and chemicals simply cease to be relevant.

Mask with honey

Prepare a teaspoon of honey, two teaspoons of vegetable oil, and a beaten egg. Heat slightly by sending to a water bath. Leave the mixture on the nail plates for ten to fifteen minutes, after which it is removed with a paper towel. Then the nails must be covered with a layer of nourishing cream.

Baby cream mask

Combine one spoonful of cream, red pepper and water. Apply the product to the nail plates, after 20 minutes rinse well with warm water (without adding soap).

Mask with cottage cheese and herbs

You will need one tablespoon of nettle and dandelion herbs. Pour a glass of boiling water over them, leave for about half an hour. Then combine with one hundred grams of cottage cheese. The mask should be kept for thirty minutes, at the end of the hands are moistened with cream.

Gelatin mask

Dissolve a couple of tablespoons of gelatin in hot water. You need to immerse your nails in the mixture, cooled to room state, for at least fifteen minutes.

Blackcurrant mask

Take an equal amount of currant berries, cream, and oatmeal. Mix well and cover the resulting composition of the nails in several layers. At the end of the procedure (lasting one hour), rinse and apply a moisturizer.

Eucalyptus, lemon, peach, almond, jojoba and patchouli oils are often used as a basis for masks. The positive effect of castor oil, burdock oil and oil solutions of vitamins A, E, C has been noticed.

Since some masks are quite liquid and even runny, thick rubber gloves can be worn over them. Cotton gloves are ideal for "oil" masks.

Nails, like skin and hair, also need special care - give them at least half an hour a day, alternating our recipes, and very soon you will be able to boast of a perfect manicure without delamination and brittleness.

Milk bath

While Sharon Stone is taking Cleopatra's recipe for milk and honey, we offer you a more modest way to become a little prettier - a milk bath for nails. Milk is a source of calcium, and it is this that is often lacking in our nails. If you have brittle and dry nails, then buy whole milk (but not skim milk), heat it to a comfortable warm temperature and dip your fingers into it for 20-30 minutes. Perform the procedure daily for a week, and very soon you will notice a positive result.

Paraffin mask

Paraffin or wax are excellent stimulants of nail growth, in addition, they make the nail plate smooth and moisturized. Buy cosmetic paraffin wax, melt it in a water bath, add a few drops of olive oil and apply generously to your fingers. Ideally, put on gloves over the mask and spend at least 2-3 hours in this state. You will have to not use your smartphone for such an unbearably long time!

Jojoba oil mask

We have already talked about healing properties cosmetic oils, but it is the jojoba oil mask that works wonders for nails. Nails damaged after gel polish and washing dishes can be brought to life by rubbing slightly warmed jojoba oil directly into the plate and the cuticle area. It is best to apply the product at night and not wash your hands afterwards.

Popular

Vitamin cocktail

Nails, like the whole body, need vitamins, so set up a “vitamin bomb” for them - buy vitamin A and vitamin E capsules from the pharmacy, mix their contents and cover your nails. This remedy is suitable for every day - give up varnishing for 1-2 weeks during the treatment, and then repeat the course once every 1-2 months.

Gelatin bath

Gelatin is able to restore nails weakened after varnish, it gives shine and nourishes. Gelatin suitable for the procedure can be purchased at the grocery store, but make sure it is colorless and free from dyes. Dissolve one tablespoon of gelatin in a glass of hot (but not boiling water!) Water, when the water cools down a little, dip your fingers into it for 12-20 minutes.

Iodine coating

In order not to frighten others with your yellow nails, conduct a treatment session before bed - cotton swab cover your nails with a layer of iodine and let dry. Don't try to wash it off - just go to bed. During the night, the solution is absorbed depending on how much the nail plate is damaged - usually the driest nails already absorb all the iodine by morning. We recommend that you carry out this therapy session at least once a week.

Olive and castor oil bath

An emergency remedy will help to restore the former shine to the nails, as well as to strengthen them - pour olive and castor oils in equal proportions into a deep bowl, mix and dip your fingertips. Olive oil nourishes the nail plates with vitamins and moisturizes, while castor oil will restore elasticity and accelerate growth.

Chamomile and oatmeal mask

Therapeutic composition for nails can also be prepared with dried chamomile flowers and oatmeal. Mix them in equal proportions, boil with boiling water and let cool. Then grind in a blender and give your nails a gift - this mask will definitely bring them back to life even after removing the gel polish.

Cottage cheese and vegetable oil mask

This mask is ideal for nails that lack calcium. Mix any natural fatty cottage cheese in a blender with olive or any other vegetable oil - the consistency should resemble sour cream. Apply the mask to your nails for half an hour and repeat the procedure 2-3 times a week.

Fortifying varnishes

And finally - after any of the procedures described above, it is better not to do a traditional manicure, but to limit yourself only to a strengthening coating. It will protect the nail plate from the negative effects of the environment, and also make it denser - it is much more difficult to break such a nail!