If you get manicures every week for years, your nails may become weak and brittle. But learning how to use cuticle oil correctly can make a big difference. This multitasking product won’t just benefit the base of your nails. If you add it to your nail care routine, you’ll soon have stronger, healthier nails from the bed to the tip.
Jessica White, an award-winning nail artist and beauty creator, says that cuticle oil is a must-have for healthy nails. She tells Glamour, “It’s the one step that makes the biggest visible and structural difference.” “Even if you don’t do anything else, regularly oiling your nails will make them stronger, shinier, and healthier over time.
What is oil for cuticles?
It’s helpful to know what cuticle oil is and how it works before we talk about how to use it. White says, “Cuticle oil is a concentrated mix of nourishing oils that are meant to hydrate the cuticle area and the nail plate.” Think of it as a serum for your nails because it gets deep into the nail matrix to soften dry cuticles, make them more flexible, and keep them healthy. When the cuticle area is moist, nails look shinier, smoother, and more polished, even without color.
What makes cuticle oil good for your nails?
Biting, picking, and using harsh chemicals can also make nails brittle, thin, peel, and split, in addition to the damage that can happen from gel and acrylic nails. White says, “Cuticle oil is one of the easiest but most important things you can do for your nails.” “Regular oiling replaces lost lipids, makes nails more flexible, and helps keep them from peeling and splitting.” It also helps keep the skin around the nail healthy, which helps the nail grow and keeps hangnails and irritation to a minimum.
Shop Suzie’s Cuticle Oil at nailcareer.com. The main reason we use cuticle oil, especially after getting our nails done, is to replace the skin’s natural oils. It’s important to keep the area dry while we put on the product to build acrylic or gel nails. But it’s also important to bring that moisture back later. 👌🏼 You can watch full in-depth nail tutorials on YouTube at nailcareereducation.
How does cuticle oil work?
White says, “Nails are made of layers of keratin. When those layers get dry, they separate and become weaker, which causes them to peel and break.” “Cuticle oil works by getting into those layers and strengthening the nail’s natural lipid barrier, which helps it keep moisture and stay flexible. A nail that bends instead of breaking is a strong nail. She says to look for cuticle oils that have a lot of jojoba, vitamin E, and almond oil in them. These are the best because they are similar to the oils that are already on your nails.
How to use cuticle oil the right way
White says to use cuticle oil when your nails are the driest, like after you wash your hands or take off nail polish. “Put a small drop on each cuticle and gently rub it into the nail and the skin around it,” she says. “The massage is important because it improves blood flow and helps nails grow strong.” She also says that you should let the oil soak in completely before putting on hand cream or nail polish. This is to make sure that the products don’t get watered down or that your polish doesn’t stick.
How often should you put cuticle oil on?
White says that cuticle oil should be used every day, especially if you wear gels, use hand sanitizer a lot, or are in cold weather. “For nails that are very dry, twice a day can help.” The good news is? You can’t really overdo it because your nails will only take in as much oil as they need. White says that consistency is more important: “A little bit every day is better than a lot once a week.”
What are some natural ways to make my nails stronger?
White suggests using cuticle oil to strengthen and fix nails. She also says to protect them from stressors in the environment by “wearing gloves when cleaning and not using nails as tools to open cans or peel stickers.” She also says that using a nail file wrong is another mistake, and she suggests “gentle filing in one direction, rather than sawing back and forth to keep them from splitting.” Above all, keep in mind that staying hydrated is very important, so it’s important to use cuticle oil and hand cream on a regular basis.
