Beautiful hands are the calling card of a well-groomed woman. There is nothing more attractive than strong, well-shaped nails that shine with a healthy shine. This detail will not go unnoticed, because natural manicure is always in fashion. But due to a lack of vitamins, daily household chores and frequent application of decorative varnish, nail plates can become fragile. In addition, in particularly advanced cases, nails can suffer from fungal diseases. Natural essential oils will help get rid of these troubles and restore the health of your nails and cuticles.
Features of using essential oils:
All oils are different, therefore, not all can be used in their pure form.
There are various recommendations that you should know before use. So, some oils are rubbed undiluted into the nails, the effect when used this way is stronger, but still, for example, highly concentrated esters are used in masks, mixtures, compresses, baths, etc.
Here, for example, is one way:
A cotton napkin is moistened with a mixture of base and ether (oil), which is heated to a certain comfortable temperature, after which it is applied to the nails and then wrapped around the fingertips. A plastic film and then a thick towel are put on top. This mask should be kept on for 15-20 minutes.
Applications using essential oils for nails are also very effective and are easy to do at home. They are usually made using bergomot oil, which, due to its properties, strengthens the nail plate: 3 potassium ether per 5 ml of base.
The procedure is done as follows:
First, wash your hands, then rub the prepared mixture into your nails, skin and cuticles, then wrap it in film and hold it for 5 minutes. Afterwards, wash off the mask with warm water without using soap and pat dry with a towel.
Healthy recipes
A product for strengthening brittle and thin nails
Mix oils:
- jojoba (ten milliliters);
- pink (two drops);
- lemon (three drops).
Rub the product into the plates three times a week. It is best stored in a glass bottle with a lid.
Also, a special mask is used to strengthen nails. Add three drops of cedar oil to ¼ tablespoon of almond oil, and then add ½ tablespoon of cream. Beat the mixture thoroughly, apply the mask to the plates and put on cotton gloves. After 3 hours, remove gloves and wipe nails with a cotton pad.
For nail growth
Mix 10 milliliters of burdock oil with 4 drops of borage or Japanese camellia. Rub the composition into the nail plate three times a week.
To give a natural shine
In 2 tablespoons of avocado oil, add 3 drops of lemon, 3 drops of rose and 2 drops of eucalyptus. Mix everything, can be used for rubbing or oil baths three times a week.
Compresses and applications
No less effective methods are compresses and applications. You can soak a napkin in a mixture of base oil and essential oils and place it on your hands, covering it with a warm towel, or use hot mashed potatoes with the addition of a tablespoon of base oil and 5 drops of any essential oil (this method is effective for peeling and cracks). For overly sensitive skin, cold compresses applied with cotton wool and covered with a damp cloth are more suitable.
To make an oil mask, steam your hands in hot water, and then thoroughly rub a mixture of a tablespoon of your chosen base oil with 3 drops of rose or bergamot essential oils for 5 minutes.
Causes of weak nails
Using oils, you will get rid of nail problems. But knowing the cause of fragility, the use of popular advice will be much more effective. In addition, the cause may be hidden in internal diseases. Remember, treat the cause, not the symptom.
- The first reason is vitamin deficiency. If the body lacks vitamins and microelements, nails peel, become weak, and lose color. This often happens in spring and autumn.
- The cause is diseases. This topic is extensive, the shape of the nails, color, relief, layering indicate problems with the organs, hormonal imbalance.
- Exposure of nail plates to chemicals, acetone. This could be nail polish remover, detergent, dishwashing detergent, etc.
- Smoking makes nails brittle, lifeless, and yellow. As banal as it may sound, smoking is also harmful here.
- Constant coating with bright varnishes, gel polishes, acrylics has a negative impact on nails.
- Improper or insufficient care will create many problems for you. This includes the wrong nail file and nail care products. Don't forget about caring for your cuticles. But you don’t need to do this.
- Heredity can cause brittle nails.
Essential oil for nails and cuticles: different esters for different purposes
The list of esters and their properties presented below will help you make your choice. At the same time, for convenience, all essential oils for nails and cuticles can be divided into groups according to the problem:
- For peeling nails, the following are best suited: pine, cedar, lavender, myrrh, as well as esters of thyme, incense, patchouli, ylang-ylang and bergamot;
- Citrus esters are good for whitening, for example, grapefruit and lemon;
- for brittle nails, rosemary, sandalwood, pine, lemon, as well as esters of bergamot, thyme and patchouli will be excellent helpers;
- tea tree and wormwood oils can resist the fungus, as an additional component of medicinal mixtures - chamomile and sandalwood;
- essential oils that moisturize the nail plate: geranium, myrrh, chamomile, patchouli, sandalwood and sage;
- Rosemary, chamomile and tea tree are undoubtedly useful for enhancing the growth of marigolds.
Ylang oil - ylang for nails
It strengthens, prevents delamination, protects against fungus, and is used for polishing nails.
Can be used both in pure form and with transport (fatty) oil: apply 1-2 drops of ylang-ylang ether evenly to the nail plates, cuticles and rub in for 1-2 minutes.
Lavender essential oil for nails and cuticles
It heals small wounds, softens the cuticle, and strengthens the surface of the nails. Particularly useful in winter
To restore and strengthen nails, 1-2 drops of lavender ether can be rubbed in with massage movements up to two times a day.
Tea tree essential oil
This is one of the best antibacterial agents, used to fight fungus, soften the cuticle and stimulate nail growth
To combat fungus, you need to lubricate problem areas with clean oil several times a day. Carefully! May cause an allergic reaction.
Lemon oil for nails
This is an excellent strengthening agent. Compared to fresh lemon juice, lemon essential oil for nails stimulates blood circulation and does not dry out the plates, can be used every day
To lighten your nails, rub a small amount of pure aromatic product with massage 1-2 times a day.
Grapefruit ester
This is an excellent whitening and strengthening product for the nail plate, which also cares for the cuticle and prevents the appearance of hangnails.
In case of fragility and delamination, it is used in its pure form, and for strengthening it is better to mix with almond squeeze: almonds (5 ml) + grapefruit ether (5 drops). Rub in or use as an aromatherapy bath.
Rosemary essential oil
It strengthens thin and brittle nails, promotes their rapid growth, has antiseptic properties, and cares for the cuticle.
Baths with rosemary ether and sea salt are especially useful for brittleness and delamination.
Bergamot essential oil for nails
Particularly effective for restoring thin, weak nails after extensions, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties
To restore after extensions, rub in a clean product (1-2 drops) every day for a week, and also prepare aromatherapy baths.
Chamomile essential oil
Treats ingrown nails, cuts, reduces nail pigmentation after using varnish. Soothes, heals, moisturizes cuticles, eliminates hangnails
A mixture of chamomile and lemon ether is especially effective. To care for nails and cuticles, you need to mix almond or coconut oil base (5 ml) and lemon and chamomile esters (5 drops each).
Myrrh essential oil for nails
A natural remedy for the growth of strong and smooth nails, often included in medicinal mixtures for nails and cuticles
For daily effective care of the skin of your hands, nails and cuticles, you can add myrrh ether (2-3 drops) to a single dose of hand cream or balm.
Advice
You should not use myrrh ether during pregnancy, or too often - this can lead to yellowing of the nail plate.
Pine ether
It strengthens and moisturizes the nail plate, softens the cuticle
Strengthening mixture: wheat germ oil (20 ml) and pine oil (10 drops). Immerse your fingertips in the resulting mixture for 5-10 minutes. After this, rub in the residue using massage movements. Course: 2 rubles/month.
Sandalwood essential oil
It moisturizes the cuticle, disinfects and strengthens the nail plate, gives them a well-groomed appearance and even color, soothes the skin, heals cracks
To moisturize and strengthen, you need to rub a few drops of pure oil with a massage until absorbed several times a day.
Patchouli
The ether helps eliminate dark spots on the plate, softens rough cuticles, moisturizes, and resists the appearance of burrs
Moisturizing and strengthening: rub the oil several times a day into the cuticle and nail plate or add drops to moisturizing creams, balms and hand masks.
Geranium
Essential oil protects against hangnails, softens and moisturizes dry cuticles, and adds shine to nails
Anti-inflammatory and wound-healing mixture: almond oil (5 ml) and geranium oil (3-5 drops). Rub the composition into the nail plate using a buff (sanding file) until absorbed, and also rub into the cuticle.
Orange oil for nails
The ether is often used to nourish the cuticle, strengthen and restore the nail plate, as well as whiten it together with lemon ether
Strengthening: rub pure or mixed with a base (coconut, olive or wheat germ) several times a day (proportion: 5 drops of essential product per 5 ml of base).
Whitening: base oil (5 ml) + esters of lemon (7 drops) and orange (5 drops). Mix and dip your fingertips into the aroma bath for 15-20 minutes, then rub in the residue with massage movements.
Nail strengthener
Photo: Pixabay
In addition to nail baths, a special mask will save you from brittleness and splitting.
- To prepare the mask, mix 10 ml of olive oil with a few drops of lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a clean bottle and apply it to your nails with a regular brush several times a day.
- To make your nails hard, take a hard-boiled egg yolk and 4 grams of beeswax, melted in a water bath. Add a little peach oil until an ointment forms, knead the yolk. Rub the ointment on your nails every evening and wear gloves at night.
Various detergents and powders, as well as excessive use of coloring varnishes, have a negative effect on the condition of nails.
Popular oil brands
Cosmetics are available in glass or plastic bottles equipped with lids with brushes or dispenser tips. Volume of one package: 7–10 ml. Among the proven oils, the following are popular:
- Cuticle Oil from Mavala: provides the skin with complete hydration, prevents the appearance of hangnails and cracks;
- Solar Oil of the CND brand with the scent of almonds protects hands from the effects of aggressive ultraviolet radiation, softens and nourishes the skin;
- Argan Oil Cuticle Drops from Orly: bottles with convenient dispensers that allow you to apply the oil evenly along the edges of the nails;
- Oils from Sally: provide basic care for skin and nails, saturate with moisture, nourish and vitaminize;
- The One from Oriflame: a popular affordable product for the restoration and regeneration of cuticle tissue, contains essential oils and vitamins.
An alternative to industrial care products is self-made products. They are easy to make if the necessary components are available.
How to use the product correctly?
Features of using essential oils
There are some rules that will help you achieve positive results in caring for your nails and cuticles using oil products.
- Before starting aromatherapy, you should check the skin's reaction to the components. Apply 2 drops of the product to the back of your wrist. The absence of an allergic reaction allows the use of an oil composition for the care of nails and cuticles.
- To maintain the exact dosage, you can use a regular medical syringe.
- Do not forget that any cosmetic product has its own terms of use. Also with oil solutions, they can be stored in a glass container for up to 3 months. It should be tightly closed and placed in a cool, dark place.
- Essential oils for nails and cuticles are not recommended for use before extensions or varnishing.
- Experts recommend aromatherapy 2 times a week. In addition, the oil composition can be applied after all cosmetic procedures.
- If there are serious injuries on the hands, deep wounds or inflammatory processes, it is better to postpone therapy until complete healing.
- It is recommended to purchase any oil compositions for strengthening or against dryness in specialized stores. They must be of high quality and reliable.
- The oil composition should be applied in the evening, before bed, with massage movements to the base of the nail plate.
To improve the condition of your hands, experts recommend using not only essential oils for strengthening and growth. Together with them, basic means should be used in complex therapy. In this way you can achieve a healing effect.
The use of castor, olive, almond, apricot, almond, burdock or wheat base oil helps soften, moisturize, and strengthen the nail plate and cuticle. These natural remedies have healing properties.
The use of basic ones in combination with essential compositions contributes not only to good care of the cuticle or nail plate, but also to their restoration. Aromatherapy helps strengthen weak nails, brighten them, and give them a natural shine. Thanks to essential oils, caring for your hands is comfortable and pleasant.
How to save nails from splitting
- When treating your nails, avoid using scissors if possible. Use a nail file for these purposes.
- Treat nails only when dry.
- Be sure to use a base coat before applying polish. It has several functions: preparing the nail surface for applying varnish, treatment, strengthening, protecting the nail plate from the appearance of a yellowish tint. In addition, due to it, the varnish lasts longer.
Folk remedies for strengthening nails are very effective. It is enough to regularly devote just a little time to this, and the result will not keep you waiting long.
No matter how busy we are, we can always devote a few minutes of our precious time to self-care procedures. They take very little time and are quite effective, of course, provided that they are regular.
