DIY Cuticle Oil Recipe for Dry, Cracked Cuticles
Image: Shutterstock
Due to the rapid climatic changes that are taking place in the present time, there’s no specific time for winter to knock on our doors. It can even visit us in the middle of the year as well. It’s during winter that our skin begins to fall apart. There are a lot of winter skin issues — dry skin, cracked heels, chapped lips, dandruff problems, etc. that bother us. While we put in our heart and soul to treat these winter problems, there’s another problem that we fail to treat or even take notice of — the problem of cracked, dry cuticles! Cracked skin can be painful, and cracked cuticles are like a bummer for those of us who spend lots of money on pedicures and manicures. Also, these nailcare treatments are very expensive!
What Causes Cuticles To Dry Out?
Cuticle, also known as cuticula is a tough but flexible covering on our fingertips. They are non-mineral in nature. The causes for drying up of the cuticles can stem from various factors. During the wintertime, the prevailing cold weather outside when combined with artificially induced indoor heat and many such factors can contribute to the less-than-stellar nail beds of us. While most of us get disheartened and feel like the problem of cracked cuticles can never be fixed, turns out that we can fix them! Yay!
But even before we start off with that, we want to tell you that the basic step towards solving any type of skincare issue is to always make sure that your body is kept well-hydrated all the time. Because, if the body lacks water or moisture, it can don the hat of a troublesome demon and cause skin problems (like cracked cuticles).
So, to treat the issue the best way, firstly make sure that your body is well hydrated. Secondly, you can start addressing other factors from here, for example, if you’re using hand cream and see that it’s not working for you, does ditch it! Why worsen the problem, right? And just lotions aren’t enough, they might be enough for your hands, but cuticles need something more — cuticle oils!
What Are Cuticle Oils?
Although a cuticle oil is used to moisturize the skin, cuticle, and nail area, it can also be used on any part of the body where you have dry skin problems. The cuticle oils are used to protect the nail and cuticle against damage. It also helps improve the appearance and health of the cuticle and nails. It can also help keep your feet soft. The cuticle oil can be blended with some sugar to make a body scrub as well. Applying cuticle oil boosts the circulation around your nails, promoting nail growth. It also saves our cuticle and nail against trauma. Oh, and it also protects our nail polish from wearing off and makes it shinier (star eyes).
With all this being said, let’s look at a DIY cuticle recipe.
DIY Cuticle Oil Recipe
You’ll require these ingredients:
- Four tablespoons of Jojoba oil
- Four tablespoons of Vitamin E oil
- Three tablespoons of Avocado oil
- Three tablespoons of Grapeseed oil
Preparation:
#Step1:
Measure the above-mentioned ingredients and pour them all into a bowl.
#Step2:
Mix the oils well by stirring. And then pour it into a container. For the container, you can pick a dropper or roller bottle or any bottle type you prefer.
#Step3:
You can apply this cuticle oil to your cuticles and its surroundings two-three times a day. You can make use of your fingertips to apply and rub the oil.
The Benefits Of Ingredients Used
Jojoba Oil: It’s carrier oil and is also used for making wax (plant-based). It’s known to soothe the dry skin and also does the work of an emollient (1). What we mean here is, basically, it absorbs all the moisture from the air and transfers it to the skin, thereby hydrating the skin.
Vitamin E: Applying vitamin E to nails and nail beds can improve the health of cuticles and nails over time. Vitamin E also contains antioxidants that protect nails from aging and also help prevent yellow nail syndrome (2).
Avocado Oil: This oil is rich in vitamin A, D, and E; it’s also rich in omega-3 fatty acids (3). Even though this oil is thick, it easily penetrates through the skin and forms a protective layer on top of the skin by sealing the skin’s moisture.
Grapeseed Oil: It is one of the best natural toning and nourishing oil. Applying it to the cuticles will moisturize the cuticles and also strengthen the nails from cracking up.
With every layer of your favorite nail paint that you apply on your nail, you’re also draining away the cuticle’s natural moisture. Therefore, make this DIY cuticle oil at home and start applying it on your cuticles. Make it a part of your skincare regime and start showing off your beautiful nails.
