nails are separating

Nails are protein. Straight up (just like your hair). Make sure you're getting enough protein in your diet and add in a fish oil supplement (I take one capsule 3 times a day).

Protein and fat are necessary for proper hair, nail and skin growth.

Add in more protein, fats and Biotin!!

Has anyone else encountered this: ever since I started watching my caloric intake and staying below my goal, my nails have started splitting and separating in layers....strange. Maybe it's just a coincidence?

My nails have been like that most of my life. I started taking fish oil supplements 2-3 times/day about a year ago. I also started actively trying to eat more protein around the same time so that may have helped me too. My nails are now the strongest they've every been! Now have to cut them because they get too long and interfere with my typing when before they would crack and break and chip WELL before they got that long.

So I'd recommend the fish oil. Always take with food to avoid the gross burps. I've also heard refrigerating them helps, but I'm assuming that's for people who live in warmer climates that me.

It happened to me about a month after the two times that I had a manicure, don't know why, but I now avoid manicures.

Manicures keep your nails and cuticles cleaned up so that they can grow healthy. It's like keeping your hair or grass trimmed. Did you go to a discount place? Many of those places use products and techniques that are illegal by state board regulation because it's cheaper and faster. Do it at home or pay a little extra to have it done right. Going cheap is a bigger waste of money if the techs are going to ruin your nails.

Nope, not a discount place, it was a local In Spa. I only did it for my daughters' weddings.