Many will agree that it is impossible to imagine a manicure without a neatly cut cuticle. There is a separate category of people who have no problems with this - nature has tried. However, this in no way means that the lucky ones do not need to take care of this zone. Perhaps a little less than the vast majority of women, for whom the ritual of caring for the area around the nail plate is a sacred duty.
Let's try to figure out what and how it helps them in the struggle for the perfect manicure.
What it is
The cuticle (or eponychium) is a kind of solid skin roller that surrounds the nail plate. Its main task is to protect against microorganisms and other foreign bodies that can appear in the germination zone.
The extreme part of eponychium is completely dead cells. In the process of drying, if you do not remove them in time, they exfoliate and provoke the appearance of burrs. In addition, if you regularly do the wrong manicure, you can easily bring an infection into this area, which will necessarily entail an inflammatory process.
Why and why do you need cuticle oil
Judging by the reviews, the use of this tool helps to achieve a comprehensive action. But what does the eponychie really need?
First of all, it is important to keep the skin roller healthy. Therefore, most of the oils intended for the care of this zone have antifungal and antiseptic properties.
Also, this area needs vitamins, because thanks to them, the plate will be healthy and will appreciate the brilliance. If you suffer from increased fragility and slow nail growth, you definitely need cuticle oil. For what? The fact is that in its composition there is vitamin E, which can easily cope with this problem.
Those who want to achieve softening of the dry and roughened skin roller will benefit from the moisturizing and nourishing properties of the product. For example, if your goal is to restore injured eponychia with the presence of small wounds and burrs, pay attention to those drugs that have regenerative properties.
So, we figured out what the cuticle oil is for. Choosing the best tool is the next item on the agenda.
Popular remedies
Is it worth reminding that hands are our business card? Of course not! And since cuticle oil has become the hero of our story, we offer you a brief overview of the most popular products from this series of nail and hand care products. We hope that the information below will help you understand the most difficult question: how to choose the right one?
1. The Kiss product not only nourishes, moisturizes and makes the skin supple, but also acts as an antiseptic with a healing property.
2. The One by Oriflame promotes rapid plate repair. It contains essential oils and a vitamin complex.
3. Any product from Sally is a true nail rescue service. The oil soothes the skin, restores existing damage, prevents the occurrence of burrs, reducing its rigidity.
4. If you want the nails to grow faster and the eponychium to grow slower, urgently arm yourself with a special remedy from the Christina Fitzgerald brand . Why do I need oil for cuticles and nails of this particular brand? You can answer this question yourself if you pay attention to the manufacturer's assurances: thanks to the components included in its composition, the product from Christina Fitzgerald moisturizes even the roughest skin, and along the way strengthens the plate and gives the nails a beautiful healthy length.
5. For owners of thin skin, we suggest paying attention to Cuticle Oil from the Mavala brand. Judging by the reviews, the product 100% fulfills the task: maximally moisturizes and prevents the appearance of burrs.
6. All lovers of deliciously-smelling nail products will like Solar Oil from the famous CND brand with almond notes. The product deeply nourishes the skin with moisture, nourishes it, and also has excellent therapeutic properties.
7. Arly Oil Cuticle Drops by Orly delights us with a convenient pipette dispenser. Now you do not need to think about the problems of flowing: the texture is evenly distributed along the edge of the nail, instantly restores the dry cuticle and just as quickly removes existing inflammation.
For those who like cheaper: we cook the butter ourselves
The secret of beautiful bottles with miraculous mixtures is very simple. The composition of any product is based on unchanged substances: nutritious oil, flavor, dye and vitamin E.
Judging by the reviews, there is nothing difficult to prepare, and, according to many women, the home option is often better than the production one. Here is the answer to the question of why and why cuticle oil needs to be prepared at home, and not bought. And also a good money saving comes out.
Convinced? So you can start ...
- First you need to make the right selection of the main components of plant origin. For example, grape seed oil (10 ml) and jojoba oil (15) work well together.
- You can also add lemon to the mixture, which greatly strengthens the nail plate, giving it a healthy look. The consumption of essential oil in relation to vegetable oil is 1: 5.
- Do not forget about the vitamin E capsule, which can be purchased at any pharmacy.
- Pour freshly prepared composition into a glass bottle.
Now that your own remedy is ready and we know what the cuticle oil is for, it's time to figure out how to apply it.
Terms of use
The composition is recommended for use in the evening of every day, ideally before bedtime. And if there is a catastrophic lack of time, then, as necessary, in any free minute. But remember that only regular application of the product will help the skin around the nails get rid of dryness, and make the plate stronger.
So, using oil is very easy. All that is required of you is to apply a couple of drops and rub the composition for several minutes. It is advisable to continue the course for at least a month, always observing the interval of 3-4 weeks. It will be useful to apply oil to the skin of the legs. The rough cuticle will become softer over time and the risk of progression of the fungal disease will decrease.
The action of base oils
It’s up to you to buy the product or prepare it yourself. In any case, you need to know the composition of the component. Typically, a standard product includes a mixture of a pair of drops of essential and base oils of vegetable origin. But if you want to solve a specific problem, focus on the strengths of each component. That's what cuticle oil with different properties is for.
- Apricot Its main task is nutrition, but besides this, it moisturizes and enriches the skin with essential vitamins.
- Almond - has a similar effect + enriched with minerals.
- Wheat germ oil - has gained popularity due to its antioxidant qualities. It is able to restore the cuticle and relieve inflammation in the shortest possible time.
- Castor - like burdock, must be used for preventive purposes.
- Jojoba - purposefully affects even microtrauma and inflammation.
Before or after a manicure?
Strange, but the myth has long been rooted in the people that any remedy for eponychium destroys the structure of gel polish. So what is going on? Everyone knows that with UV drying, not only the coating dries, but also the nail plate and the skin around. As a result, after not receiving proper care, it first cracks and then completely grows in uneven pieces.
Therefore, there can only be one answer to the question of why cuticle oil is needed after gel polish: to prevent the solid roller from drying out and spoil a beautiful fresh manicure with its appearance.
Be sure to apply the product daily and do not be afraid, because now you know: nothing threatens the coating.
Good advice
Before buying, pay attention to the components. It is possible that one of them can cause an allergic reaction. Also, the expected effect plays an important role. A correctly selected drug is the key to beautiful nails and an excellent result.
Be sure to attach importance to convenience. Ideally, the cuticle product should be equipped with a pipette dispenser so that the composition does not spread, but is evenly distributed over the desired area.
Immediately from the list of potential purchases, exclude products that include non-natural ingredients. It is desirable that the active components are two types of oils - essential and vegetable origin.
And finally: the secrets of leaving
So, you already know what cuticle oil is, what you need and how to use this tool. Now we offer to remember five rules that will help to keep your hands attractive for a long time:
- Cleansing. Ask why? Well, you remove dirt and makeup from your skin? So the cuticle needs this procedure. Apply a lightening scrub mask to your skin 1-2 times a week. Massage for 20 minutes and rinse.
- Softening. At this stage, it is very convenient to use special tablets intended for a manicure bath. What is it for? It's simple: the softened cuticle is easier to process.
- Removal of dead particles. Apply a remover 1-2 times a week along the contour of the nail, and after two minutes, using an orange stick, remove the dead skin with twisting movements.
- Tidying up. Take the hobby stick, wet the rubber tip and create a shape in circular motions.
- Nutrition and hydration. Here at this stage we need a cream or cuticle oil. What is it for? Reviews say that the use of these products significantly improved the condition of the skin around the nail plate, making it more elastic. In addition, regular application of the product saved women from such a problem as eternally disturbing and annoying burrs.
It is enough to rub oil every day or as necessary in a circular motion - and you will be happy in the form of well-groomed hands and beautiful nails.