Make Your Own Cuticle Oil (with Essential Oils!)

When it comes to my nails, I’m pretty bad about leaving hangnails (those little pieces of ripped skin near your cuticles) alone. It’s like a compulsion that I have to peel them back or try and rip them off instead of just waiting until I can get to a cuticle trimmer to cut them off instead. One of my favorite things about getting an occasional manicure is when they add a coat of nail oil at the end of the session to nourish and moisturize the skin around your cuticles to prevent those annoying hangnails in the first place, and each time I think, “Oh wait, I forget I can do that at home, too!” Making your own nail oil is super easy and I added in some lavender and rose geranium essential oils since they are both anti-inflammatory (which is great for skin), and geranium has cellular-rejuvenation properties as well. Supplies:
sweet almond oil
vitamin E (optional)
lavender essential oil
rose geranium essential oil
empty nail polish bottle
small funnel (I used the smallest one from this set)

Pour 1 tablespoon of sweet almond oil into your nail polish bottle using your small funnel and add a few drops of vitamin E oil as well.Keep the funnel in and add 4 drops of lavender oil and 4 drops of rose geranium oil.

Screw your cap back on and shake well to combine. Store your oil in a cabinet or somewhere away from light to keep your oils effective for the longest period of time.To use, swipe the polish brush with the oil in a “U” shape around your cuticles and allow the oil to sit on the skin for a few minutes if possible before rubbing it in gently with your fingers. A good way to keep your cuticles nourished is to do a coat of oil at the end each time you paint your nails (which if you are like me can be 2-3 times a week). Adding this oil into your nail routine will make you less likely to forget this important step and you’ll thank yourself by avoiding all those painful hangnails later on. Make a few bottles at once to give out as gifts or have a girl’s night to make your own while you do some mani/pedis together and try a gold star or hologram manicure. Have fun! xo. Laura

P.S. That super pretty nail color is a color that we specially designed for our beauty box—make sure to sign up for the box to get the other colors we have planned too!

Credits // Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.
  • Such a great idea. I am a big fan of making my own cuticle oil, as you can choose ingredients that you like. Try using jojoba oil next time, as the molecules of the oil are built similarly to our skin, so it penetrates better.

    • Paulina, do you mean to use jojoba oil in place of the Vitamin E or in place of the Sweet Almond Oil?

  • I use a similar recipe (substitute jojoba for almond oil), but I use refillable “nail pens” (from Amazon). That way I can carry them around with me everywhere! I have pens stashed all kinds of places, and when they go empty, I just refill them!
    If your oil is too thin, just add more vitamin E gel to get a thicker consistency. That helps when it’s in pen form.

  • I’m SO bad at biting my hangnails too! This tutorial is SUPER handy. I love how easy you make it and that you used only natural ingredients. Honestly, that’s one of the reasons I’m kinda scared of nail salons. I feel like I’ve lost several brain cells with all the fumes in there after I leave. lol

  • Interesting. Never knew nail oil was a thing. I have a genetic mutation that affects both my hair and nails (as they are made of the same thing). So my nails are very different than the majority of people both visually and in structure. They are narrow and thick and the bed nail is raised up because there’s a layer of skin/other nail growing underneath. It affects both my hands and feet. Basically, the way they look makes it hard for me to wear nail polish (it just doesn’t look very good in most colours so I stick to light pinks and beige if I feel fancy and want nail polish on). Additionally, I don’t really get hangnails……my fingers are just not structured in a way to make that happen. I guess it’s a bonus cuz I hear they’re painful sometimes. However, my nails themselves are extremely dry. I’m wondering if nail oil on my nail themselves would help in that regard. I guess I’ll have to try to know.

  • I love the essential oils of lavender. It perfectly affects the condition of my nails.
    I use similar recipes. Coconut oil also works great.

  • That’s a perfect idea creating our own homemade nail oils. However it is sometimes hard to find all the ingredients we need in order to make it. My favourite ones are cocount nail oils. Cocount oil nourish and moisturize our nails and skin perfectly. I really love cocount oil because it has lots of properties!

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