Natural nail care with pure oils

Manicures aren't the only thing you need to achieve great looking nails. The most important part of maintaining beautiful nails is taking care of your cuticle.

Cuticles are the most important part of any nail care routine. Dry and cracked cuticles can be both a painful experience, but also a sad affair as nails tend to become brittle, fragile and frayed.

Here we bring you the best care for your nails with recipes for homemade nail care to improve the health of your nails and cuticles.

What is nail oil?

Nail oil or cuticle oil is a moisturising product that usually consists of oils. The oil is applied to the cuticles with a brush, a piece of cotton wool or an orange stick (a wooden rose stick or cuticle pusher).

The oil both moisturises and conditions the cuticles while also providing beneficial vitamins and minerals, all of which help to improve the appearance and condition of the nails.

There are various commercial nail oils on the market. Some better than others. We recommend that you primarily go for those that consist only of natural vegetable oils - possibly with added natural vitamin E.

Your nails are probably already exposed to a lot of chemicals, so with this nail care regime, go for a natural treatment that allows your nails to relax and heal.

Why is nail oil good for your nails?

Most of us don't pay much attention to our cuticles. Mostly because we think they're not that important, but in fact, it's very important to take good care of your cuticles for healthy and strong nails.

Pure oils help you build strong and beautiful nails.

If you have worn cuticles, damaged nails, cracked or dry nails, oils are just the thing. They bring balance back to your nails after a typically harsh, chemical-fuelled round of nail polish, clipping, filing, nail polish remover and more.

Cuticle oil for damaged nails

Do you suffer from dry nails, nails that are brittle and frayed or nails that are brittle?

Then oils are the right place to start. If you're also cutting your cuticles, that's the first thing you need to stop doing. It only makes things worse.

Oil for nails and cuticles helps nails form healthier cuticles. Pure oils are used to moisturise the cuticles and skin around the nail area. The oil protects cuticles and nails from damage and improves the health and appearance of both cuticles and nails.

Avoid clipping and cutting your cuticles

Your cuticles are there to protect your nails and to be honest, cutting them doesn't really help. All you risk doing is creating small cuts and scratches where bacteria can thrive.

Your cuticles are basically dead skin cells that form a protective layer around your nail roots. Your nails need them to stay healthy.

If you cut your cuticles, you risk getting bad cuticles, tonnes of nail roots, cracked and peeling nails, and even fungus in the worst cases.

It's therefore far better to simply push your cuticles into place. Or at least push them closer to the root so they look a little nicer. Cuticles will grow back - even if you cut them. It just doesn't usually make them look better.

Therefore, it's better to push them up using an orange stick. This way, you'll make your nails look nicer while preserving healthy cuticles and protecting against wounds and bacteria.

Can I use nail oil with nail polish?

An oily surface is very difficult to apply nail polish on. Let's just agree. Oiling your nails before applying nail polish is not a good idea. The nail polish will simply not stick properly.

What you can do instead is apply your nail polish first. Let it dry completely and then add a protective layer of nail oil to your cuticles.

The absolute best thing you can do, however, is to apply your nail oil to your cuticles on days when you don't use nail polish at all. This way, the oil is much better able to penetrate and do all the good things it's supposed to do.

Test: Which oil is best for nails

Oil test of the best oils for nails

There are many different oils to nourish and moisturise your cuticles. Different manufacturers make different products, but what most of them have in common is that they consist of pure vegetable oils, possibly with a hint of essential oils and a little vitamin E added.

This gives you the opportunity to create your own nail oil exactly the way you want it, with exactly the scent and properties you're looking for.

So you can easily wade through the many different oils on the market and then pick your favourite. It's up to you. But you already know the answer. Just like homemade food tastes better, you can have it your way with your own recipe for a homemade nail oil.

Many oils are good for nails because they have beneficial properties, moisturising, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

You can't go wrong with your own version. To make it a little easier to get started, we've provided some suggestions below for a homemade nail oil.

Recipes for homemade nail care

Nourishing blend oil for nails

Here you'll find a nourishing oil for nails and cuticles. You will need the following:

• In 30ml bottle
• 9ml jojoba oil
• 9ml apricot kernel oil
• 9ml almond oil

You can make do with a good blend of these three oils, but we suggest you also add the following (there should be room for a few more drops):

• 10 drops vitamin e
• 5 drops citronella oil (essential oils)

How to mix it up

Measure the oils and add them to the bottle. Add the essential oils and vitamin E if desired. Shake the mixture together.

Apply a few drops to nails and cuticles as needed and massage the oil into the nail area to stimulate circulation.

Store in a dry, cool area.

How to use nail oil? - 5 easy steps to beautiful nails with the use of pure oils

Step 1

Remove any nail polish you have on your nails and around your cuticles. In particular, your cuticles should be completely free of nail polish and any other nail beauty products so that the oil has a much easier time penetrating your nails/ cuticles.

Step 2

Wash your hands, nails and cuticles thoroughly with gentle soapy water. Dry your hands with a clean towel. Then you're ready to move on.

Step 3

If you have a paintbrush or a very small brush, you can use this. If you don't have one, you can gently use the fingertips of your other hand to do the work. Now brush oil all over your nail and especially on the cuticle area. When the brush is dry, dip it back into the bottle and continue. Repeat this process on all nails and on both hands.

Step 4

Massage the oil into your cuticles and the skin around the nail bed. If any excess oil remains, wipe it off with a paper towel.

Step 5

Apply the oil to your cuticles every night before going to bed. You'll see great results much faster and you'll keep your nails healthy and beautiful on an ongoing basis.