# Nail strengthener for brittle nails

Source: HiveTried, https://hivetried.com/beauty/nail-strengthener/for-brittle-nails/
Category: Beauty > Nail strengthener. Updated 2026-10-08. Based on 312 counted first-hand reports from Target shopper reviews, Oct 2020 to Oct 2026.

**Question:** Which nail strengthener works for brittle nails?

**Short answer:** Sally Hansen Repair + Rescue Nail Treatment has the best record for brittle nails: 30 of 35 reviewers said their nails got stronger or stopped breaking. Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Nail Treatment has the highest share at 17 of 19 from a smaller group, and Nailtiques Formula 2 Plus Nail Protein follows at 21 of 24. OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener has the weakest record here at 16 of 33, with 35% of its reviews saying it made nails more brittle.

**What stands out:** Two complaints pull the lower records down: the coat chipping or peeling off, and nails getting more brittle. 35% of Hard as Nails reviews and 21% of essie reviews mention chipping.

## Ranking (buyers who said whether it worked)

| Rank | Product | Stronger nails | Share | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sally Hansen Repair + Rescue Nail Treatment | 30 of 35 | 86% | yes |
| 2 | Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Nail Treatment | 17 of 19 | 89% | yes |
| 3 | Nailtiques Formula 2 Plus Nail Protein | 21 of 24 | 88% | no |
| 4 | Olive & June Nail Strengthener | 24 of 28 | 86% | yes |
| 5 | essie Hard To Resist Nail Strengthener | 34 of 51 | 67% | yes |
| 6 | Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails | 11 of 17 | 65% | no |
| 7 | OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener | 16 of 33 | 48% | no |

Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% Wilson confidence interval, so a product needs a high share and enough reports to rank high. An Amazon link is shown only when at least 60% say it works.

## Product notes

### 1. Sally Hansen Repair + Rescue Nail Treatment

30 of 35 reviewers said their nails got stronger or stopped breaking, and 20% say their nails grew longer. 15% saw no change.

- Praised for: Nails grew longer (20%), Less peeling or splitting (13%), Nice shine (10%)
- Complaints: Chips or peels off (8%), Made nails brittle (8%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 2. Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Nail Treatment

Growth is the big theme, with 56% of reviews saying nails grew longer, and 17 of 19 said their nails got stronger. Fewer reviewers weighed in on strength here than on Repair + Rescue.

- Praised for: Nails grew longer (56%), Nice shine (15%), Good value (5%)
- Complaints: Chips or peels off (5%)
- Reports counted: 39

### 3. Nailtiques Formula 2 Plus Nail Protein

Strength is the main praise, at 58% of reviews, and 21 of 24 reviewers with brittle nails said they got stronger. 18% say peeling or splitting eased. We found no official Amazon listing for it.

- Praised for: Nails grew longer (33%), Less peeling or splitting (18%), Nice shine (8%)
- Complaints: Made nails brittle (8%), Chips or peels off (8%), Too expensive (5%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 4. Olive & June Nail Strengthener

74% of reviews say nails got stronger, and 24 of 28 reviewers with brittle nails agreed. 13% like it as a base coat, while 10% say it made nails more brittle.

- Praised for: Less peeling or splitting (15%), Nails grew longer (15%), Works as a base coat (13%)
- Complaints: Made nails brittle (10%), Strong smell (5%), Too expensive (5%)
- Reports counted: 39

### 5. essie Hard To Resist Nail Strengthener

More reviewers weighed in on this one than on any other strengthener here, and the results are mixed: 34 of 51 said their nails got stronger. Chipping is the main complaint at 21%, and 17% say it made nails more brittle.

- Praised for: Nice shine (11%), Nails grew longer (11%), Works as a base coat (6%)
- Complaints: Chips or peels off (21%), Made nails brittle (17%), Too expensive (7%)
- Reports counted: 71

### 6. Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails

The coat itself is the problem: 35% of reviews say it chipped or peeled off. Strength still gets praise in 48% of reviews, and 11 of 17 reviewers with brittle nails said their nails got stronger.

- Praised for: Nails grew longer (20%), Nice shine (13%), Good value (10%)
- Complaints: Chips or peels off (35%), Made nails brittle (10%), Strong smell (5%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 7. OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener

Reviewers split almost evenly at 16 of 33, and 35% of reviews say it made their nails more brittle. OPI's own site is far kinder at 11 of 13, which we show but don't count.

- Praised for: Nails grew longer (19%), Less peeling or splitting (7%), Nice shine (5%)
- Complaints: Made nails brittle (35%), Chips or peels off (19%), Too expensive (12%)
- Reports counted: 43

## Questions

**Which nail strengthener works for brittle nails?**

Sally Hansen Repair + Rescue Nail Treatment has the best record (30 of 35), followed by Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Nail Treatment (17 of 19) and Nailtiques Formula 2 Plus Nail Protein (21 of 24).

**Does OPI Nail Envy work for brittle nails?**

Reviewers are split. It has the weakest record here at 16 of 33, and 35% of its reviews say it made nails more brittle. People tend to write when something goes wrong, so this may lean negative, but the gap with the other strengtheners is large.

**Is essie Hard To Resist good for brittle nails?**

Often, but not always. 34 of 51 reviewers said their nails got stronger, and more reviewers weighed in on it than on any other strengthener here. Chipping comes up in 21% of its reviews.

**When are brittle nails worth showing a doctor?**

Nails that suddenly change color, shape or thickness are worth showing a doctor. Don't count on a strengthener to sort that out.

## Method

HiveTried counts first-hand reports only, drops reviews written for free products, shows brand-site reviews without counting them, and never accepts payment for placement. Full method: https://hivetried.com/how-we-count/