After after five months, what are the long-term effects? I’ll update you and give the final verdict. More in the Isdin Nail Strengthener update!
Isdin Nail Strengthener update: What is it
Isdin’s clicky pen is a nail strengthener that relies on cationic hyaluronic acid. It’s generally used in haircare. It’s designed to adhere to a surface to protect and strengthen. We also have polymers, silicium and mastic gum that are usual ingredients in nail strengtheners: they promote not only nail growth (mastic gum), but also coat the nail and make it stronger.
“ISDIN Si-Nails is an innovative nail growth formula that has been clinically proven to strengthen brittle nails by increasing thickness, density, and durability of the nail and cuticle. Visible results in just 14 days.”
Isdin
OG review and my conclusion
It worked. And I hated it for various reasons:
- It’s overly finicky use (click, click, click, click…).
- You have to apply it every day on bare nails and can’t use nail polish.
- Isdin’s vague instructions and intentional vagueness when it comes to results: “Visible results may be seen in 14 days, with best results achieved from ongoing application.” What the heck is “ongoing application” supposed to mean?! One month? Two months? One year?!
What happened?
Even when I wrote that initial review (after three weeks of continuous use) I wasn’t really sure what was going on. I was pampering my nails like mad on top of the Isdin Si-Nail applications, and SOMETHING was clearly working. I started to forget to apply anything to my nails. Still, I had the strongest nails in years. I even got over my hatred of bare nails and continued to leave them sans polish until late February, when a couple of cute ones caught my eye, I bought and used them for about four weeks – and comparatively, all nail hell broke loose.
Edges of my nails suddenly started to break off. The same annoying split in my pointer finger’s nail appeared again (that’s the one that initially made my splurge on the Si-Nails). You’ve no idea about the level of my annoyance. I was livid. But then… I started to test my hypothesis. I actually DIDN’T use the Isdin Si-Nails, but just pampered them a bit with lotions and balms. And, again, after about three weeks… they started to recover.
Isdin Nail Strengthener update – and now?
So here we are. First, I do think there’s a correlation for my brittle and breaking nails and using nail polish. Cue sad trombone.
Second, I’m not sure there’s a correlation between my nails recovering and Isdin’s Si-Nails. They seem to recover well on their own, with an additional boost from Isdin. This might be not the same for you, or if you have other nail issues. Mine seem to stem from polishing my nails (sob), and when I stop doing that, they seem fine. WHY that is now, after years and years of using nail polish without any issues, I have no idea.
I’ll nevertheless try around with that and maybe use polish once a week and then pamper my nails for two or so and see what happens. Fingers crossed!
Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
