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 sorts of microtrauma. To prevent the appearance of such unpleasant phenomena, you should constantly take care of your skin, and one of the most effective means for this is a special oil for caring for the cuticle.

First, let's figure out what the cuticle is and how you can get rid of it.

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

• alive - that is, the one that is located in the growth area;
• inanimate - the upper stratum corneum, it is he who is subject to removal.

To do this, they resort to several methods:

• traditional circumcision - the effect of this method of processing is noticeable immediately, however, as a result, burrs often appear, and the skin around the nail coarsens;
• chemical method - in this case, special acidic compounds are applied to the cuticle, which "eat away" the dead cells.

Both of these options are effective, but, as folk wisdom says, it is better to prevent the problem than to cure it. So it is with nails. It is much more effective to carry out timely prevention and regularly use oil for nails and cuticles, which prevents 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, stop inflammation and strengthen the skin around the socket. In addition, it performs a number of other 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 an edged manicure;
• accelerates the growth of the nail plate.

Cuticle care oil is available in several basic versions.

Professional formulations are products sold among nail studios and beauty parlors, they are designed for salon procedures. The release form can be absolutely any: bottles with brushes, pipettes or applicators, sticks.

Natural oils are essential oil components that are sold in all pharmacies and are used for home care procedures. Of course, not every oil can be used to treat 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 categorized according to the area of ​​use. Some options contribute to the complete restoration of the cuticle, while others, on the contrary, are used to remove it. Removal formulations work quickly - they corrode the upper hardened 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, the abuse of which simply leads to damage to the nail bed, which, in turn, causes a change in the shape of the nails and an increase in the fragility of the plates.

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

• Solid oils - due to the special production conditions, they penetrate quite deeply into the nail plate, making it more radiant. Such products are optimal for hands in a very neglected state. They soften the cuticle much more effectively than many others, and the result lasts much longer.
• Liquid - very convenient to apply, because they have a special drip dispenser and a brush. Such formulations are distinguished by a high concentration of vitamins, due to which the skin around the nail is quickly regenerated.
• Creamy - these products 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 previous two.

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

The following oils are most commonly used:

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

• Castor oil - everyone is familiar with the properties of this oil for hair care, but few people know that this drug is indispensable for nails too, it nourishes and moisturizes, but is only suitable for dry skin;
• Coconut oil - this composition perfectly replaces wax when polishing nail plates and helps soften the cuticle, while only drugs released in Thailand have proven effectiveness;
• jojoba - has high concentrations of nutrients - vitamins and useful microelements, has a powerful moisturizing and nourishing effect, nourishes the skin around the hole and relieves all inflammation;
• sea ​​buckthorn - a good care product that stimulates cell regeneration, and the antimicrobial properties of this product have been well known since ancient times.

Today, the cosmetic market offers a fairly wide range of cuticle oils with varying efficacy, so choosing the best of them is not so easy. Based on the analysis of consumer reviews and the opinions of experts in the nail industry, experts have compiled a rating of the most effective tools.

This is a cuticle care oil from an American brand, which has been consistently included in 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, thanks to which the cuticles receive the required hydration and nutrient saturation. This allows not only processing the cuticle, but also significantly smoothing the surface of the nail plate.

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

This oil is created according to a high-tech formula based on oil vitamins 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 mechanical manicure procedure causes to the nails, and in addition, the oil evens out the entire nail plate and gives it a healthy shine.

This oil is from the same manufacturer, but comes 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. Such oil tends to be deeply absorbed and thereby ensures the saturation of the nail with all the necessary nutrients.

The base ingredient of this formulation 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 moisture and adequate nutrition in the area of ​​the nail bed.The oil is well absorbed, so after processing the nails acquire a beautiful shine, look healthy, strong and strong.

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

This preparation is optimal for women who often use long-lasting gel polish. Such oil penetrates quite deeply into the structure of the nail plate and adjacent skin areas, nourishes and at the same time prolongs the wearing time of the coating.

There are many recipes for making nail and cuticle oil with your own hands at home. The advantages of self-formulating a care product in this case are related to the ability to include the ingredients that you need.

Let's take a closer look at the most common recipes.

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

Mix 2 tablespoons of apricot and almond oils, add 3 drops of geranium and rose oil. This product should be rubbed in daily at night. In addition to treating the cuticles, this mixture helps to improve the overall appearance of the nails, making 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 pomace, mix everything and refrigerate. Warm up slightly before applying and apply to the affected area with light rotating movements.

To make an anti-burr product, mix 5-6 ml each of olive and grape oils, add 4 drops of lavender and tea tree oil each and squeeze out a vitamin E capsule. This product should be applied after a trim manicure.

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

The principle of using and applying oil directly depends on the tasks that you set for yourself. If you need oil as a prophylactic agent, then it should be applied immediately after the manicure as the final stage of treatment. In this case, one drop of the drug is applied to each well and rubbed for 30-40 seconds. This massage promotes deeper penetration of oil into the cuticle and, accordingly, increases the effectiveness of its main components.

If your cuticle is too thick and dry, then you can apply the composition multiple times with an interval of 4-5 hours. In addition, it will not be superfluous to steam your nails in a 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 wear cotton gloves. This procedure is best done at night. The oil can be applied before any household work in which hands come into contact with household chemicals or water.

Reviews on the use of cuticle oil are always the most positive.This oil is recommended to all women for whom the beauty and neatness of a manicure is of fundamental importance. Such a composition not only contributes to the rapid softening of 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 its strength. Cuticle products give your nails a healthy and radiant look, and they also strengthen and promote rapid nail growth.

Manicurists also point out that the application of oil makes it possible to significantly facilitate the processing of the nail, to achieve an impeccable appearance, which will remain so for quite a long time.

For cuticle moisturizers, see the next video.