What do we want? Healthy nails!

We’ve heard from loads of you who are nursing your nails back to health after years of gels, SNS, and acrylics and this, combined with the pending cool weather in Australia means now is the time to get behind cuticle care. If you look after your nail matrix and keep it hydrated, your nails will be healthier. And as we have said many times before, healthy nails are beautiful nails.

Nail Matrix 101

We can’t talk about cuticle care without mentioning the nail matrix, of which cuticles are a big part. “What is this nail matrix?”, you ask. See that little half-moon at the bottom of your nail? It’s really a full moon and is your nail matrix. The other part of the full moon (aka, the rest of your nail matrix) sits under your skin. This matrix is your nails’ brain trust, nerve centre and is where your nail health and growth is determined. It’s also super-sensitive so we have to be very gentle with it and treat it right if we want healthy nails.

Protect your matrix for healthier nails

As we all know, cuticles play a key role in nail health and protect you from environmental pollution, bacteria and infection. Cuticles also lock-in hydration, which is very clever of them and the reason why cutting or trimming them is a no-go. It’s also counter-intuitive. When you cut your cuticles, your body’s natural reaction will be to send skin cells into overdrive and the skin will grow back thicker than before. You can, however, gently clean off the dead skin that is stuck to your nail plate using the famous ‘orange stick’. Orange sticks are your friend.

Cuticle care is self-care

Nourish your nail bed and create a mindful self-care moment at the end of the day by massaging some cuticle oil or cream into the base of your nails before bed. While you sleep, the cuticle oil can really sink in and hydrate your nails. You won’t be washing your hands as you would be during the day, so it gives all that lovely, luxe oil a chance to do its thing.

We love our cuticle oil

Sienna cuticle oil is luxurious, and our lightly scented freesia oil is particularly divine. But in a pinch, you can also use olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, rice bran oil or vitamin E oil if your cuticles are in need of nourishment.