To prevent these frays, you need to moisturize the nail beds, and that’s where a good cuticle oil comes in handy. According to Taylor, it’s important to take the time to massage in the oil until it completely absorbs. “Forgetting to massage the oil into the skin can leave an oily residue, and the nails will not reap all the health benefits,” she notes. If you’d like to soften your cuticles even further, Lin recommends slathering on a hand cream and wearing a set of gloves for at least 10 minutes. “The heat from your body can help them absorb,” she says. Better yet, wear the gloves while you do the dishes for a mini spa moment: The steamy, sudsy water can increase the skin’s permeability1, which can help these healthy oils penetrate deeper into the pores for baby-soft skin. This probably goes without saying, but avoid washing your hands right after applying cuticle oil. “Washing or sanitizing your hands after application will remove the oil and diminish the benefits,” says Taylor. It only takes a few minutes for the formula to fully sink into your skin, so make sure to set aside that time. Throughout the day, make sure to reapply immediately after washing or sanitizing your hands to lock in the moisture. According to board-certified dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D., you don’t want to wait longer than two minutes: “If you wait too long, you miss that narrow window of opportunity to really trap and seal those nourishing ingredients in the skin before all the water evaporates off the surface, further compromising your skin,” she told us about caring for your skin microbiome. Or if you’re looking for a portable, nourishing cuticle oil to set on your desk or toss into your bag, check out our favorite blends for brittle nails. For the ease of browsing, we’ve highlighted a few standouts below:
Tammy Taylor True Love Conditioning Cuticle Oil
sundays Cs.01 Healing Cuticle Serum
tenoverten The Rose Oil
Beekman 1802 Pure Goat Milk Cuticle Serum
ella + mila Oil Me Up Cuticle Oil
