Cuticle oil: which one to choose and how to use it correctly?

Cuticle care is one of the main stages of any manicure. The skin near the nail is very thin and delicate, it is prone to overdrying and all kinds of microtraumas. To prevent the occurrence of such unpleasant phenomena, you should constantly take care of the skin, and one of the most effective means for this is a special cuticle care oil.

To begin with, we will understand what the cuticle is and how to get rid of it.

A cuticle is a skin located near a nail. It performs a protective function, prevents the accumulation of pathogenic microorganisms and their reproduction. The cuticle consists of 2 layers:

• alive - that is, one that is located in the growth site;
• inanimate - The upper stratum corneum, it is he who needs to be removed.

To do this, resort to several methods:

• traditional circumcision - the effect of this treatment method is noticeable immediately, however, as a result, burrs often appear, and the skin around the nail becomes rough;
• chemical method - in this case, special acid compounds are applied to the cuticle, which "corrode" the dead cells.

Both of these options are effective, but, as popular wisdom says, it is better to prevent a problem than to treat it. So it is with nails. It is much more effective to carry out timely prophylaxis and regularly use oil for nails and cuticles, which helps prevent the formation of various growths and leads to a general improvement of the nail plate.

Cuticle oil is an oil-based preparation designed to nourish, soften, moisturize, and stop inflammation and strengthen the skin around the hole. In addition, it performs a number of functions:

• nourishes the nail due to the fact that it is applied quite close to the main matrix;
• prevents the formation of painful burrs;
• disinfects and has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect;
• softens dry skin;
• relieves inflammation, which often occurs after a trimmed manicure;
• accelerates the growth of the nail plate.

Cuticle care oil is available in several basic versions.

Professional compositions are means sold among nail studios and beauty parlors, they are intended for salon procedures. The release form in this case can be absolutely any: bottles with brushes, pipettes or applicators, sticks.

Natural oils are essential oil components that are sold in all pharmacies, they are used for home care procedures. Of course, not every oil can be used to process nails - here you need to give preference to saturated compounds, such as peach, apricot, shea, as well as tea tree and many others.

Cuticle products are divided into categories depending on the scope of use. Some options contribute to the complete restoration of the cuticle, while others, on the contrary, are used to remove it. Compositions for removal act quickly - they corrode the upper coarsened layer of the skin and completely dissolve all excess epidermis. However, it should be noted that this is by no means always harmless - there are drugs whose abuse simply leads to damage to the nail bed, which, in turn, causes a change in the shape of the nails and increased fragility of the plates.

Depending on the form of release, several types of products are distinguished.

• Solid oils - thanks to the special conditions of production, they penetrate rather deeply into the nail plate, making it more radiant. Such funds are optimal for hands in a very neglected state. They soften the cuticle much more efficiently than many others, and the result lasts much longer.
• Liquid - They are very convenient to apply, because they have a special drip dispenser and brush. Such formulations are distinguished by a high concentration of vitamins, so that the skin around the nail quickly regenerates.
• Creamy - these agents usually include paraffin, petroleum jelly and essential oils. They quickly penetrate into the very depths of the nail, nourish and moisturize it. However, this form is considered less effective than the two previous ones.

The greatest effectiveness in the care of nails and cuticles can be achieved only if the composition contains a complex of useful components.

The most commonly used oils are:

• grapefruit - contributes to the removal of inflammatory manifestations;
• rosemary - an effective antimicrobial agent;
• thyme - helps soften the skin around the nail;
• lavender - causes increased nail growth;
• cedar - strengthens the nail plate;
• tea tree - characterized by pronounced antimicrobial properties;
• almonds - It has long been used in home nail care, but it works more as a prophylactic than a therapeutic one, for example, it is not able to get rid of cracks in the cuticle;

• Castor oil - everyone knows the properties of this oil for hair care, but few people know that this drug is indispensable for nails, it nourishes and moisturizes, but only suits dry skin;
• Coconut oil - this composition perfectly replaces wax when polishing nail plates and helps to soften the cuticle, while only drugs manufactured in Thailand have proven effectiveness;
• jojoba - It has high concentrations of nutrients - vitamins and minerals, has a powerful moisturizing and nourishing effect, nourishes the skin near the hole and removes all inflammations;
• sea ​​buckthorn - A good care product that stimulates cell regeneration, and the antimicrobial properties of this product are well known since ancient times.

To date, the market for cosmetic products presents a fairly wide range of oils for processing cuticles with different efficiencies, so choosing the best of them is not so simple. Based on an analysis of customer reviews and the opinions of experts in the nail industry, experts made a rating of the most effective means.

This is a cuticle care oil from an American brand that has been consistently on the list of the strongest drugs for several years. The use of the drug has a softening and effective moisturizing effect, allows you to completely get rid of the keratinized part of the cuticle within 20 minutes after rubbing the composition.

Cosmetic company Avon produces a product based on lavender and eucalyptus oils, so that the cuticle receives the required hydration and saturation with nutrients. This allows not only to process the cuticle, but also significantly smooth the surface of the nail plate.

A care product from this brand contains jojoba oil, as well as squeezed apricot seeds and vitamins A and E. This combination of useful components causes a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect and protects the nail plate from keratinization and excessive drying. Regularly using the “Smart Enamel” after the cut manicure, you will protect the skin around the nails from cracks, growths and peeling.

This oil is created according to a high-tech formula based on oily vitamin F and E with the addition of plant components. The composition moisturizes and protects the keratinized cuticle from aging. The use of this composition allows you to reduce the damage that the nails cause to the manicure procedure, and in addition, the oil smoothes the entire nail plate and gives it a healthy shine.

This is the oil of the same manufacturer, but produced in the form of a pencil. It has a more enriched composition, which, in addition to vitamins, includes calcium, panthenol, keratin, as well as additives of other natural oils, which makes it possible to achieve effective nutrition, hydration and softening of the cuticle. This oil has the ability to be deeply absorbed and thereby ensures the saturation of the nail with all the necessary useful substances.

The base ingredient of this composition is peach seed oil extract, which makes nails perfect. In addition, the oil contains a lot of vitamin E, as well as linoleic acids, due to which it becomes possible to achieve maximum hydration and proper nutrition in the area of ​​the nail bed.The oil is well absorbed, so the nails after treatment acquire a beautiful shine, look healthy, strong and strong.

As the brand name implies, the main component of the care complex is argan oil, which is known for its ability to quickly restore fragile and brittle nails, as well as soften the cuticle. This product contains exclusively natural components, which provides complete protection against adverse external influences.

This drug is optimal for women who often use a coating of persistent gel polish. Such oil penetrates rather deeply into the structure of the nail plate and adjacent skin areas, nourishes and at the same time extends the time of wear of the coating.

There are a large number of recipes for making nail oil and cuticles with your own hands at home. The advantages of self-preparation of a care product in this case is related to the ability to include those ingredients that you need.

Let us dwell in more detail on the most common recipes.

Take 2 tablespoons of apricot kernel oil, add a couple of drops and oil of wheat germ and myrrh, as well as lavender. Mix everything thoroughly and rub it into the holes and nail plates once every 7 days.

Mix 2 tablespoons of apricot and almond oils, add 3 drops of geranium and rose oil. This tool should be rubbed daily at night. In addition to processing the cuticle, this mixture improves the overall appearance of the nails, makes them much smoother and healthier.

If the cuticle is inflamed, then you need to take 2 tablespoons of almond oil and 10 drops of tea tree squeeze, mix everything and refrigerate. Before applying, lightly warm up and apply to the affected area with light rotating movements.

To make a tool for preventing the appearance of agnails, mix 5-6 ml of olive and grape oils, add 4 drops of lavender and tea tree oil and squeeze out a capsule of vitamin E. This tool should be applied after a cut manicure.

If you plan to prepare the composition for repeated use, then you need to mix olive oil, lemon juice and any essential oil as desired and pour into a jar of varnish. In this case, you can easily and easily apply the drug to the nails with a brush every day at night, only before use, the contents of the bottle should be shaken well.

The principle of use and application of oil directly depends on the tasks that you set for yourself. If you need oil as a prophylactic, then it should be applied immediately after the manicure as the final stage of processing. At the same time, one drop of the drug is applied to each well and rubbed for 30-40 seconds. Such a massage promotes a deeper penetration of oil into the cuticle and, accordingly, increases the effectiveness of its main components.

If you have a too thick and dry cuticle, then you can apply the composition repeatedly with an interval of 4-5 hours. In addition, it will be quite useful to steam out the nails in the bath before applying the care product - this will contribute to deeper hydration and nutrition of the nail plate. For the same purpose, after processing, you can put on cotton gloves. This procedure is best done at night. Oil can be applied before any household chores, during which the hands come in contact with household chemicals or water.

Reviews on the use of cuticle oil are always the most positive.Such oil is recommended to all women for whom the beauty and neatness of manicure is fundamental. Such a composition not only helps to quickly soften the cuticle, but also protects against cracking and painful burrs. In addition, oils have the most beneficial effect on the nail plate, nourish it, strengthen it, and increase strength. Cuticle products give the nails a healthy and radiant appearance, and also strengthen and promote the rapid growth of nails.

Manicure specialists also note that applying oil can significantly facilitate the processing of the nail, to achieve a flawless appearance, which will remain so for a long time.

For cuticle moisturizer, see the next video.