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Donโ€™t ignore your cuticles! Make this DIY cuticle oil and slather it on, especially in winter, to maintain nail health and improve the condition of your nails.

It contains four natural ingredients that nurture and soften the cuticles, helping moisturize the nail bed and improve nail strength.

A bottle of diy cuticle oil.
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Ah, winter. 

Donโ€™t you love how the cold weather makes everything so dry, cracked, and limp? (OK, enough of my sarcasm now!)

But really, I donโ€™t so much enjoy the seasonal effects on my skin, hair, or body, to say the least.

Which is why, at this time of year, I double down on my beauty routine. 

Out come the extra moisturizing lotions, shampoos, and my all-time favorite DIY cuticle oil to compliment my homemade moisturizing hand cream.

Youโ€™ll find the cuticle oil recipe here directly in this post.

Thereโ€™s also information on how to apply it, store it and use it for the best results.

A bottle of diy cuticle oil and applicator brush.

DIY cuticle oil

I am such a fan of DIY cuticle oil because it genuinely works. Beautiful hands in winter are possible!

The fact is that our cuticles get overlooked in favor of slathering on homemade lotion, which does very little to help dry cuticles – all forgotten and flaky, ugh.

While hand lotion is undoubtedly better than nothing, there is no comparison to oil just for cuticles, if you ask me.

You need oil to penetrate the tougher cuticle skin, which helps soften and moisturize, giving you beautiful, healthy nails as a result. 

Yes, really! Healthy cuticles mean stronger nails overall.

Homemade cuticle oil

Making your own DIY cuticle oil is super easy and far more cost-effective than buying an expensive oil from the store. 

It also works better, containing natural, chemical-free ingredients that nourish the cuticles and keep them healthy. 

Using natural ingredients in cosmetics and skincare is way healthier for you and your home – better for your body and the environment. 

Now you may be wondering what is cuticle oil.

Itโ€™s basically a combination of oils designed to soften and care for the cuticles of your nails. 

Dry cuticles are frequently thick, dry, and bulky looking, and youโ€™ll find theyโ€™re difficult (and painful) to push back if you want to expose more of the nail bed. 

They tend to peel too if theyโ€™re too dry and can be super painful to touch if they become red and angry looking.

This is why cuticle oil is vital to soften the cuticles, helping the nail grow stronger and keeping hands nice and healthy.

Clear cuticle oil in a glass applicator bottle.

What does cuticle oil do

In essence, a good cuticle oil will moisturize and deeply hydrate the nail bed as well as the cuticle – paying most attention to the firmer rim of skin around the nail.

In doing so, the cuticles become more supple and healthy. Meaning theyโ€™re less prone to flaking and peeling. 

Your nails will look better and, more importantly, feel better due to deeply moisturizing and taking care of your cuticles.

But donโ€™t take my word for it – try it yourself by following my DIY cuticle oil recipe below!

cuticle oil benefits

The main benefit of using cuticle oil is it helps with healthier nail growth and improved nail condition

We often overlook the cuticles when taking care of our nails, but remember that your nails will grow far healthier and more robust when your cuticles are in good condition. 

Another benefit is that your cuticles, when adequately hydrated – are less likely to split or crack in cold weather. 

So you minimize the risk of that ouch factor right there!

Lastly, well-moisturized cuticles look better and are far easier to keep healthy once you start using cuticle oil compared to not looking after them. 

Essential oil being added to a bottle of diy cuticle oil.

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Cuticle oil recipe

Follow along with this recipe, and youโ€™ll have made your own version of DIY cuticle oil, ready to use as soon as itโ€™s mixed. 

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Using an old nail polish container or something similar, add all the ingredients to the bottle, secure the lid and shake well.

You could also use a glass jar with a screw-top lid if you have this on hand. 

Once mixed, brush or dab the oil onto your cuticles with your fingertips and massage in.

Itโ€™s normal if it feels a bit greasy – this lasts a few minutes but gets absorbed by the nails eventually.

Alternatively, a dropper bottle or even a q-tip can be used as the applicator if you donโ€™t want to use your fingers, but I love to moisturize this oil all over my hands (in case Iโ€™ve got some spare!)

Follow up with a fingernail roller bottle for additional benefits.

Applying cuticle oil to cuticles.

tips

To store your DIY cuticle oil, find a cool, dry cabinet and seal the lid tight so no air gets inside. 

The maximum shelf life is one year for this cuticle oil combination. (if the lid is screwed on well.)

You may also be asking how often to apply cuticle oil, which depends entirely on the condition of your nails and how often you want to apply it.

There is no limit that Iโ€™m aware of when it comes to the safety of this cuticle oil.

The ingredients are natural and nurturing, so if you want to use it every day, I donโ€™t see any problem with it. 

If you have any skin sensitivities or allergies, Iโ€™d suggest consulting with a doctor and performing a small patch test first.

I like to apply cuticle oil at least once a week to keep my nails in tip-top condition. 

A bottle of diy cuticle oil.

Be consistent

You will notice a big difference in how your cuticles look and feel after just one application of this DIY cuticle oil. 

However, you must keep using it! One time is great, donโ€™t get me wrong, but the cuticles need moisture daily – and lots of it. 

All the work your hands do, from the dishes, cooking, cleaning, working, and picking up kids – this is why you need to use cuticle oil!

So donโ€™t skimp on using this excellent oil – be generous, and try and apply it at least once a week to keep those cuticles nice and healthy. 

Thatโ€™s all from me today.

Be sure to visit any of my other recipe posts, and feel free to pop the comments you have below; I love receiving questions and feedback!

4.85 from 13 votes

DIY Cuticle Oil

Prep: 2 minutes
Active: 2 minutes
Total: 4 minutes
Yield: 1 container
Donโ€™t ignore your cuticles! Make this DIY cuticle oil and slather it on, especially in the winter, to maintain nail health and improve the condition of your nails.

Equipment

  • Container with applicator
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Add all ingredients to a small glass jar, secure the lid and shake well. I used an old nail polish container.
  • Once mixed, brush or dab the oil onto your cuticles with your fingertips and massage in.

Notes

Use weekly or as needed.
I used an old nail polish container but found it extremely difficult to clean out well. If you have a small dropper bottle, that would probably be much easier.
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This recipe is for your own viewing pleasure and is not meant for healing purposes. Readers must perform their own research and tests before making any recipe.

About Laura

Welcome to Our Oily House, Iโ€™m so glad youโ€™re here! Explore DIY cleaners, homemade soaps, skincare and hair care recipes, fragrance-free solutions, and sustainable laundry tips for a naturally inspired home.

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4.85 from 13 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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9 Comments

  1. Myra says:

    5 stars
    What oil can you substitute for the argan oil?

    1. Laura says:

      Yes, you could sub with fractionated coconut oil.

  2. Deb says:

    Love your recipes

    1. Laura says:

      Thanks so much!

  3. Desirae R Nicholas says:

    Can you substitute the argan oil?

    1. Laura says:

      Yes, you can.

  4. Rosalind says:

    Can you substitute the sunflower oil?

    1. Laura says:

      Yes, fractionated coconut oil works quite well!

  5. Sara Mack says:

    I love reading about your recipes, I have recently taken an interest in aromatherapy and essential oils, since becoming seriously ill. There is something about your website that makes it stand out from all the others. I cannot wait to get started on using essential oils more in my home and cosmetics.

    I was just thinking last night, that I would like to make my own cuticle oil and I have all the ingredients to do this ,right here in my home