The best oil for cuticles and nails 2022: rating according to FAN

To keep your nails looking healthy and attractive, just applying polish is not enough; you need to take care of them. A special cosmetic product will help with this - cuticle oil, or oil for nails and cuticles. Regular application of this product will help cope with dry skin, hangnails, brittleness, splitting and dull appearance of nails, excessive cuticle growth, white spots and other troubles associated with a lack of vitamins and a violation of the water-salt balance of the nail surface.

When choosing the perfect nail and cuticle oil, you can spend a lot of time at the shelves with cosmetic products. To make your choice easier, FAN offers a selection of ten options for the best nail and cuticle oil. Almost every product in our rating has a wide spectrum of action, can be used both at home and by professionals, and is highly rated by consumers.

Benefits of using cuticle and nail oils

Special products, in particular oils, are necessary for nails as well as for the skin of the hands. After all, nail plates undergo changes as a result of a lack of microelements, oxygen, vitamins and other useful substances. The above-mentioned deficiency is indicated, in particular, by thinning of the nail and its heterogeneous surface. In addition, as a result of improper or insufficient care or fungal infections, inflammation appears on the hands. And infections introduced during a manicure cause inflammation of the cuticle and the appearance of hangnails. But you need to understand that the effectiveness of cuticle oil is largely determined by how it is used: with regular use, specialized oil concentrates really help treat the cuticle more safely, and also painlessly and quickly restore the natural beauty and appearance of the nails.

How to choose the right oil for nails and cuticles

When choosing a cosmetic product for nail and cuticle care, several parameters should be taken into account.

Type of nails . If you want, for example, to solve the problem of peeling and brittle nails, you should purchase a product that contains almond oil, vitamins A and E and mastic tree resin. In turn, lemon extracts, olive oil and jojoba will help speed up the growth of the plates. And if your nails are affected by fungus, products with panthenol and besalol are perfect.

Product release form . There are three main forms of nail and cuticle oil in the cosmetics market. The first of them is hard. Such oils provide active nutrition to the nail, penetrate perfectly into the deep layers of the plate, and are excellent as an oil for removing cuticles. A special case of this form can be called dry cuticle oil. The second form - liquid - is characterized by a higher content of vitamins, due to which it ensures the fastest restoration of the skin and plate. The third - cream - primarily serves for enhanced nutrition and hydration, contains petroleum jelly and natural esters.

Applicator type . Those who are just starting to take care of their nails are advised to take a closer look at bottles equipped with a roller - for example, choose cuticle oil in a pencil or give preference to nail and cuticle oil with a brush, this will make it more convenient to apply the composition to the plate. For the most economical use, a product with a sprayer is suitable. And to ensure the best targeted application of oil, opt for a product with a pipette or a thin spout.

The effect produced . Oils are usually divided into softening, nourishing and restorative. The first of them make the cuticle more resistant to injury, the second accelerates the growth of the nail and fights its delamination, and the third actively moisturizes the nail. Separately, it is worth highlighting cuticle oil with shimmer - shimmering particles that, in addition to everything else, give the nail a healthy glow.

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What to look for when purchasing

Smell

. Most manufacturers use cloying fragrances that quickly become boring, making you reluctant to use the product. They usually smell like flowers or fruits. For pleasant use, you need to choose a neutral scent.

Best before date

. Every product has an expiration date. In order for the oil to act to its full potential, you need to study it thoroughly. Expired oil will not give a good effect, its properties will deteriorate, and sometimes it leads to skin and nail diseases. It must be remembered that natural oils have a long shelf life, so the fewer additives it contains, the better.

Compound

. Look for small amounts of dyes, fragrances and preservatives. They don't do any good for your nails. They are added to hide the quality of the real substance and increase the volume of the product. The purer the composition, the better.

Price

. Not everyone can afford expensive skin care products. Nowadays there are many companies that make high-quality budget funds

Packaging form

. There are a large number of types of oils. Available in a stick, in a bottle, etc. The criteria for packaging are subjective; you need to choose a form that is convenient for you.

Everyone's nails are different, but there are universal products that suit everyone.

Which oil for nails and cuticles is better: let’s analyze the composition of the product

By correctly assessing the oil formulation, you can determine how effective a particular product will be in solving your individual problem. We will touch only on a small part of the common ingredients.

Grape seed oil . This is a classic oil base, widely used both for nail and cuticle care, as well as for massage and aromatherapy. Quickly softens the skin, moisturizes the cuticle, improves energy exchange in tissues, and helps nails acquire a healthy pink tint.

Peach oil . The main advantage of this oil is its ability to easily eliminate dryness of the nail plate. At the same time, this ingredient has a light texture, is perfectly absorbed and at the same time improves the skin of the hands.

Castor oil . Promotes active growth of nails, has pronounced nutritional properties that extend both to the skin around the nail and to the plate. The oil moisturizes the skin well, and with regular use improves the overall health of the nails and cuticles.

Burr oil . This ingredient provides the nail with essential microelements and vitamins in abundance. The oil is perfect for the most advanced cases and is a real “first aid” for the cuticle, intensively nourishing and moisturizing it. However, it is not recommended to use burdock too often, so as not to “overfeed” the nail with nutrients.

Coconut oil . This product is useful not only for the skin around the nail, but also for the plate itself. It is hypoallergenic, perfectly absorbed, promotes the appearance of a light, healthy shine to the nails, penetrates deep into the skin, helps heal microcracks, and cleanses the nails of fungus and bacteria.

Olive oil . This is a real storehouse of vitamins that are beneficial for the skin - A, E, K and D. The oil also contains oleic and linoleic acids in very generous quantities: both of them help accelerate the regeneration of the skin around the plate and are responsible for the rapid appearance of a healthy glow of the nail.

Almond oil . This is a real record holder when it comes to strengthening the plate and cuticle. In addition, this oil helps fight unhealthy nails, moisturizes the cuticle, nourishes the surface of the plate with oxygen and provides an excellent anti-aging effect.

Wheat germ oil . If you want to achieve high skin elasticity, this ingredient is for you, because it contains a considerable amount of vitamin E, which is responsible for this effect. In addition, wheat germ oil is endowed with a balanced set of antioxidants that help improve the appearance of the nail plate and the skin epithelium around it. However, it is not recommended to use this oil in its pure form for cuticle care.

Jojoba oil . By purchasing a product with this oil in its composition, you will get a speedy elimination of inflammatory processes on the skin around the nail, relieve redness and irritation. In addition, jojoba is famous for its restorative properties. However, experts advise using it in combination with other ingredients.

Contrary to popular belief, essential oils included in nail and cuticle oils play not only a decorative role in the formulation, forming the individual aroma of the product. They can also act as an antiseptic, eliminate flaking and irritation, soothe, protect and restore. The main thing is to maintain a reasonable concentration: in their pure form, such oils can damage the cuticle even more. In addition, you should make sure that there is no allergic reaction to one or another essential component.

The best essential oils

Essential oils in their pure form are not used to treat cuticles, but they are added to the base oil to enhance its individual properties and add a favorite aroma (no more than a couple of drops of ether are required per teaspoon of base). Thus, rosemary oil perfectly helps restore skin after damage, and tea tree oil significantly accelerates tissue regeneration processes and relieves inflammation. In order to enhance the antibacterial properties of the product, it is advisable to add a eucalyptus or lavender composition, but cedar and sandalwood oils will most contribute to strengthening the plate.