Do your nails grow out curvy and/or downward? So do mine! Here's how I fix it!

My natural nails on a good day actually, they're usually much worse

When I was a kid I had awesome nails that my young age wouldn't allow me to fully appreciate.  They grew like weeds and never broke.  Unfortunately, good things never last and by the time I was in middle school, while they still grew fast, they began to grow out weird.  When the tips get to a certain point they start to bend down towards my fingertips instead of growing straight out.  My mom says they're doing the wave lol.  To this day I still don't know what causes this but it's so frustrating, and I have tried EVERYTHING to fix it to no avail.  Although I can't get to the root of the problem, I have found a way to straighten and maintain them short term!  So if you're struggling with the same problem, hopefully this will help :)

So this is gonna be a 2-phase project.  Phase 1 will be the actual straightening of the nails and Phase 2 is how to maintain the shape.  I find that as long as I continue with Phase 2 faithfully and regularly the results remain intact.

Phase 1:  Straighten Up!

The first thing you want to do is to trim off the bit of you nail that is already bending down, there's no hope for them.  After that I apply artificial nails.

I prefer to use Kiss Everlasting glue on full cover nails, but you can use another brand if you wish.  You can also apply some glue-on tips and fill in the rest of your nail with acrylic or gel.  For me the full cover glue-ons are quicker and easier to apply and remove.  They're also cheaper and less damaging.  And that's it for Phase 1!.  The false nails or tips you glue on your nails will sort of mold your nails into a proper shape :)  

Nail on the left & right have false nail glued on, middle finger
has had false nail removed.  See how it looks straightened
compared to the first picture?

I always keep my false nails on for as long as they stay looking nice, which is about a weeks, but if you're only trying to keep them on long enough to straighten your nails, I'd say give them about 2 or 3 days of wear before removal.

Phase 2:  Maintenance

After removing your nails as per the packaging instructions you're probably gonna be left with something ugly like this:

My nails post false nail removal.

Don't panic!  Your nails are already straightened at least and the surface is easily fixed in 10 minutes :)  Now proceed to give yourself a standard manicure.  At the very least you need a buffer, file, cuticle oil, and a nail strengthening base coat but this is what I use:

Lol I know this is a lot, but I only do it about once a week so it's not a big deal for me. This is my personal manicure procedure.  Highlighted steps in red are the ones that are necessary to keep the new correct shape to your nails:

1. File nails to shape closely mirroring you natural smile line.  (For me this is square since my smile line is pretty much straight)
2. Use a nail buffer to even out nail beds and give the nail a smooth surface.
3. Push back cuticles.
4. Apply cuticle oil to cuticles. (I use Sally Hansen Green Tea & Soy Cuticle Oil)
5. Apply Sally Hansen Vita Surge Strength Gel.  (completely optional)
6. Apply Nail Hardening Base Coat (I use Revlon Calcium Gel Nail Hardener)
7. Apply nail color of your choice.  (once again, completely optional)
8. Apply top coat.

Finished mani :)

Buffing your nail and applying the cuticle oil will take care of any surface damage caused by the false nail removal.  The nail hardening (or nail strengthening if you prefer) base coat will keep your nail from reverting to its unsightly growth pattern.  I repeat Phase 2 about once a week to keep my manicure and base coat fresh.  I haven't had to repeat Phase 1 for over 3 months now because I've been vigilant in keeping my base coat fresh and reapplied regularly.  When you decide to remove you base coat and nail polish (if you used nail polish at all), be it a week or a few days, make sure to replace at least the base coat as soon as possible (i.e. don't wait for more than a half day I'd say) or your nail will go back to the way it was and you'll have to do this whole process all over again.

This isn't a cure all solution, in fact it is not a cure at all.  I've read some articles that our nails do this due to certain vitamin deficiencies and other health issues, but I have not yet found a definitive answer nor a way to cause them to grow correctly on their own long-term.  You can be sure I'll let you know when I do!  But for now, I hope this helps :)