Quick answer: Apply one drop of cuticle oil to each nail once or twice a day, ideally before bed, and massage it into the cuticle, the skin around the nail and the nail surface. Cuticle oil keeps the nail plate and surrounding skin flexible, which helps prevent hangnails, splitting and peeling, and helps gel and BIAB manicures last longer. The one time not to use it is just before applying gel or BIAB, as oil on the nail stops products bonding.
What does cuticle oil actually do?
Your nail plate and the skin around it lose moisture every time you wash your hands, use cleaning products or remove gel with acetone. Dry nails become brittle, so they split, peel and snap more easily, and dry cuticles crack and form hangnails. Cuticle oil replaces that moisture and helps hold it in.
- Fewer hangnails: supple skin around the nail is less likely to crack and tear.
- Less splitting and peeling: a flexible nail bends under pressure instead of breaking.
- Longer-lasting manicures: keeping the natural nail and gel flexible means a knock is less likely to chip or lift a gel or BIAB manicure.
- A healthier look: nourished cuticles look neat and smooth, and nails have a natural shine.
One thing cuticle oil won't do is make your nails grow faster, as nail growth happens at the root. What it does is reduce breakage, so your nails are more likely to keep the length they grow. Our guide to the biology of the nail plate explains why moisture matters.
What's in a good cuticle oil?
- Jojoba oil: a light oil similar to the skin's natural oils, so it absorbs well without feeling greasy.
- Sweet almond oil: a rich, softening oil that soothes dry skin.
- Vitamin E: an antioxidant that helps condition the skin around the nail.
Look for a blend that absorbs quickly, so you will actually use it every day, and a pen or brush applicator if you want to carry it with you. Our cuticle oil collection includes scented options and on-the-go formats.
How to apply cuticle oil
- Start with clean, dry hands. Oil absorbs best straight after washing, once your hands are dry.
- Apply one drop per nail, at the base of the nail where it meets the cuticle.
- Massage it in for 20 to 30 seconds, working in small circles over the cuticle, the side walls and the nail surface.
- Leave it to absorb. Avoid washing your hands straight away so the oil has time to work.
How often should you use cuticle oil?
Once or twice a day is ideal. Before bed is the best time if you only manage one, as the oil has hours to work without being washed away. Use it more often in cold, dry weather, after cleaning, and in the days after removing gel or BIAB, when acetone has dried your nails out. It is hard to overuse: the only downside of applying too much is slightly greasy fingers.
Cuticle oil with gel polish and BIAB
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After your manicure: apply cuticle oil once the final layer is cured and wiped. It won't damage cured gel.
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Every day while you wear it: daily oil is one of the best habits for making gel and BIAB last. Read more in how long gel polish should last and how long BIAB lasts.
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Never just before applying gel or BIAB: any oil on the nail plate stops products bonding and causes lifting. Wash your hands, then use a dehydrator before your base coat so the nail is completely oil-free. Our guide to nail prep covers this step.
- After removal: use oil generously for a few days to rehydrate after acetone.
Caring for your cuticles without damaging them
What most people call the "cuticle" is actually two things. The cuticle is a thin layer of dead skin that sticks to the nail plate as the nail grows. The eponychium is the living skin at the base of the nail. It forms a seal that protects the area where the nail grows from bacteria.
- Do soften the area with warm water or oil, then gently push back the skin with a cuticle pusher and lift away the dead cuticle from the nail plate.
- Do trim hangnails and loose dead skin with clean, sharp nippers.
- Don't cut the living skin at the base of the nail. It breaks the protective seal and can lead to infection.
- Don't pick or bite at your cuticles. Torn skin is an easy entry point for bacteria.
- Do clean and disinfect metal tools before and after use.
For technique, see our guides to cuticle pusher techniques and using a cuticle cutter safely. If the skin around a nail becomes red, swollen, hot or painful, or you see pus, speak to a pharmacist or doctor, as it may be infected.
Everyday habits for healthy nails and cuticles
- Wear gloves for washing up, cleaning and gardening.
- Moisturise your hands after washing them.
- File in one direction to prevent splitting.
- Keep acetone exposure to the removal itself, and rehydrate straight afterwards.
- Don't use your nails as tools.
For more on what makes nails stronger, read the science of strong nails.
For nail technicians
Finish every service with cuticle oil, and recommend daily use as part of your aftercare advice. Clients who oil daily see fewer chips and lifts, and their nails are in better condition at their next appointment. Just make sure the nail plate is fully cleaned and dehydrated before you apply product at that next appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Is cuticle oil good for your nails?
Yes. It keeps the nail plate and surrounding skin flexible and hydrated, which reduces hangnails, splitting and peeling.
How often should I use cuticle oil?
Once or twice a day, ideally including once before bed.
Does cuticle oil make nails grow faster?
No. Growth happens at the root of the nail. Cuticle oil helps by reducing breakage, so your nails keep the length they grow.
Can I use cuticle oil on gel nails or BIAB?
Yes, once the manicure is finished and cured. Daily oil helps gel and BIAB last longer. Just don't apply it right before a new manicure, as oil stops products bonding to the nail.
Should you cut your cuticles?
Only the dead cuticle on the nail plate and any hangnails. Don't cut the living skin at the base of the nail, as it protects the area from infection.
How much cuticle oil should I use?
About one drop per nail, massaged into the cuticle, side walls and nail surface.
