Essential Oils for Nail and Cuticle Health 

I neglect my nails. It’s too easy to just forget about them. My cuticles are the worst. They rip and peal and get red and inflamed. Perhaps you have this issue too, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. So, to get right to it, I’ll be sharing with you two nail and cuticle ointments that will benefit your nails, cuticles, and skin.  Using essential oils for nail and cuticle health couldn’t be more easier!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

This information is intended to educate and inform. Please do not replace this information with the advice and guidance from a doctor. This information is not intended to treat, cure, diagnose or cure any disease. Please consult your health care professional if you have any questions.

Damaged Nails and Cuticles

Our hands are exposed to so much. Water, heat, wind, sun, soap and whatever else they encounter.

This can cause havoc and chaos to the nails, nail bed and the skin around the nails. Nails can dry out, peel, split and become pitted. The cuticles get red and inflamed and start to peel. You can get hangnails that hurt and catch on clothing.

It’s not very pleasant experience, considering your hands are the basic function of everyday life. 

Fortunately, we can do something about all these symptoms of damaged nails. I’ve developed two nail and cuticle ointments to help treat your nails. They include some powerhouse ingredients that are sure to bring you smooth and healthy nails.

First lets go over the ingredients we will be using in these ointments.

The Essential Oils for Nail and Cuticle Health

Choose high quality pure essential oils. You are using these oils on your skin to make them look and feel better. Don’t mistakenly use synthetic, chemical filled “fragrance” oils on your skin. To find out more about choosing high quality pure essential oils please read the Ultimate Guide to Choosing Quality Essential Oils.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oils is something that gets used in just about every one of my recipes because it is so useful. It’s full of anti-bacterial (destroys bacteria), anti-fungal (inhibits fungal growth), anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation), and anti-septic (fights germs and infection) therapeutic properties. It’s a restorative essential oil that will help eliminate sore, inflamed, and damaged skin.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea tree essential oil is a moisturizing oil that also has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-septic therapeutic properties. It may also treat discolored nails. Tea tree essential oil is great for minor cuts and wounds, making it great to treat those torn cuticles. 

Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon essential oils is brightening and cleansing. It can fight free radicals by reducing cell and tissue damage. It brings oxygen to your skin cells which help keeps them healthy. Lemon essential oil also helps reduce scaring. Lemon essential oil also destroys bacteria and has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as fights germs and infection. 

Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense essential oil is also moisturizing. It allows essential oil benefits to absorb through the skin easier. It too is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-septic and has restorative properties. 

Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary essential oil is moisturizing and helps to stimulate growth. It has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-septic therapeutic properties. It to helps to restore skin and nails natural beauty.

Roman Chamomile

Roman chamomile promotes cell growth making is a great restorative essential oil. It also has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-septic therapeutic properties. Roman chamomile is full of antioxidants that help rejuvenate skin and nail beds.

Do you need essential oils from this recipe? If so, you can get them at Plant Therapy! They have pure, high quality essential oils and I use and recommend them! Plus they offer free shipping. Click on the Plant Therapy Logo below to shop for essential oils! This is an affiliated link.

Carrier Oils for Nail and Cuticle Health

Carrier oils are vegetable based oils that “carry” an essential oil. Basically you mix the essential oils with the carrier oils to dilute the essential oils to a safe useable amount. Below you will find several different carriers to use in making your nail and cuticle ointments.

Jojoba Carrier Oil

Jojoba carrier oil is a great therapeutic element in any skin care product due to is sebum like properties. Sebum is what the skin creates naturally.  This carrier oil is easily absorbed by the skin. It is relaxing to the skin and is great for any type of skin irritation. This make is great for inflamed cuticles. You can get jojoba oil at Plant Therapy.

Coconut Oil (Solid Form)

Coconut Oil (solid) is full of lauric acid. It forms a protective barrier when applied to the skin. It has a slightly oily feel but absorbs quickly. Coconut oil is white when solid and clear when in liquid form and has a slight odor. Coconut oil has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial therapeutic properties. Get solid coconut oil here.

Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil is light and odorless. It’s full of fatty acids which are moisturizing. It also has vitamin E oil. You can get grapeseed oil at Plant Therapy.

Vitamin E Oil

Vitamin E oil is a perfect addition to any skin care routine as it has cleansing properties that help clear away impurities from your skin. It also balances pH levels and reduces free radicals. It also helps protects your skin from those UV rays from the sun. Vitamin E oil is very moisturizing to the skin and will help hydrate your dehydrated skin. Get 100% pure vitamin E oil here.

Beeswax

Beeswax is anti-microbial and anti-fungal. It is also a humectant, meaning it seals in moisture to your skin. Beeswax is full of vitamin A, or retinol, which has many great skin properties such as normalizing cell function and promoting healthy collagen. Get beeswax here.

I know that this seems like a lot of ingredients, but this is for two recipes that will work wonders for your nails. Individually, all these ingredients have optimum skin and nail healing properties. Mixing them together will only increase your odds of smooth and healthy nails and surrounding skin. Lets get onto the good parts. The recipes.

DIY Rollerball Nail and Cuticle Serum

The first recipe using essential oils for nails and cuticles is a serum. A vitamin enriched serum full of all good things. This is at a 2% dilution.

You will need a 10ml roller ball bottle for this recipe.

Essential Oils Needed for Serum

• 2 drops lavender
• 1 drops tea tree 
• 1 drop lemon

Carrier Oils Needed for Serum

• 2 drops vitamin E oil
• Approximately 5 ml jojoba carrier oil
• Approximately 5 ml grapeseed oil

To create your rollerball serum, add the essential oil drops and vitamin E oil to the 10 ml roller ball bottle. Then fill the bottle up half way with jojoba carrier oil, followed by the rest with grapeseed carrier oil. Swirl gently to mix oils together. 

To use your essential oil serum for your nails and cuticles roll the bottle over your cuticles to apply the serum. Then using your fingers massage the oil gently into you nail bed and cuticles. Repeat daily, but this stuff is gentle enough to use multiple times a day. 

DIY Essential Oil Nail and Cuticle Balm

I absolutely love how thick this balm it! It takes a little bit to warm it up with your fingers but works fabulously on cuticles. Within two days I saw a huge difference in my cuticles and skin around them. I use this on my whole hand sometimes! This is a 2% dilution. This smells wonderful too!

You will need a small container with a lid such as a small glass baby food jar or round tin.

Essential Oils Needed for Balm

• 6 drops lavender
• 6 drops rosemary
• 4 drops frankincense
• 2 drops roman chamomile

Carrier Oils Needed for Balm

• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil (solid)
• 2 teaspoons beeswax
• 1 teaspoon jojoba carrier oil
• 2 drops vitamin E oil

If you don’t have roman chamomile, you can eliminate it. Just increase lavender by 2 drop or use geranium or patchouli. If you don’t have frankincense you can substitute with helichrysum, jasmine, or myrrh. I know those are all more expensive essential oils. If you don’t have any of them just increase lavender by the needed drops.

To make your nail and cuticle balm add the coconut oil, beeswax, and jojoba carrier oil to a small glass dish. Microwave 15 seconds, 2 or 3 times. Mixing between each time. The beeswax will not be all the way melted, just keep stirring till it’s all melted in. 

Once the beeswax it fully melted add the vitamin E oil and the essential oil drops. Stir. 

Slowly pour (or spoon in) the mixture into your desired container. Allow to sit to become cool and firm. 

To use nail and cuticle balm use your finger to warm the balm up a bit and scoop a small amount out. Apply to cuticles and rub into nails and surrounding skin.  Reapply daily, but this too is gentle enough to use several times a day. Use after washing hands repeatedly, working in the garden or anytime your hands get roughed up.

Wrapping it Up

So now that you have two essential oil nail and cuticle ointment to use to strengthen your nails what do you think of the recipes? Let me know in the comments!

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Remember Plant Therapy has all the essential oils you will need to create these recipes. They even have most of the carrier oils. Click on the logo below to shop!

This information is intended to educate and inform. Please do not replace this information with the advice and guidance from a doctor. This information is not intended to treat, prevent, diagnose or cure any disease. Please consult your health care professional if you have any questions.