With the rising trends of nail arts and manicure treatments, the health of nails becomes a key consideration. Constant filing, lacquering, and aggressive removal techniques may turn your strong, pearly-white nails weak, bumpy, and brittle. In fact, your soft, smooth, and clean cuticles may also become dry and raggedy due to this. So, it is crucial to take good care of nails just like other body parts. A soothing hot oil manicure treatment can offer luxurious pampering to your nails so that they never look unhealthy. Let us talk about it here. We have also compiled the benefits of hot oil manicure that made it a huge favorite of worldwide women.
Facts You Should Know About Nails
Before we start discussing hot oil manicure, here is a quick glance at a few facts you should know about your nails:
- The growth of your nails starts underneath your skin and the visible parts of them contain dead cells only. However, the layer called ‘dermis’ below it has sensory nerve endings to sense the pain upon the application of pressure (1).
- Nail tissues are made of keratin protein (2), which strengthens nails and protects them from damage. There are also blood capillaries under the nail beds, which supply blood for the healthy growth of nails.
- Cuticles are small slivers of skin at the bases of nails, which create a strong barrier between the freshly grown nails and germs to prevent them from infections (3).
- No matter how much you take care of your nails, their average growth rate of nails per month in healthy adults is limited. It is 3.5 millimeters for fingernails and about 1.5 millimeters for toenails.
- The regular growth of nails depends on several factors including gender, activity, pregnancy, season, stress, and so on. Similarly, the characteristics of nails depend on genetics, age, health, status, etc.
Not only nails but keratin protein also makes up the cells of our hair and skin. It even forms many glands in our body as well as the inner linings of internal organs.
Read Also – Simple Nail Art Hacks to Give Yourself the Best Manicure Ever
What is Hot Oil Manicure?
The popularity of hot oil manicure has sky-rocketed in the last decade and, needless to say, it truly lives up to its claims. But what is it all about? Well, a hot oil manicure is basically the most luxurious, relaxing, and expensive nail treatment that you can ever opt for. But it does not use traditional manicure ingredients, such as acrylic powders, nail polishes, etc., which may not be nail-friendly always. Rather, it uses a heated mixture of nourishing natural oils for soaking the fingers up. This rich blend can again be customized based on the unique nail requirements of the individuals. However, the best thing about hot oil manicure is that it not only treats dry, flaky, and ribbed nails but also works on damaged cuticles. You can clean your nails, soften your cuticles, and provide deep nourishment to both of them by choosing this treatment. It also imparts a natural shine to the nails without a single scrap of polish.
How to Do Hot Oil Manicure at Home?
Getting the hot oil manicure treatment at salons or spas is certainly a good choice as they offer professional services with a wide range of products. However, it is an expensive affair and you might not find yourself much comfortable in splurging into it. If that is the case, simply do it yourself at home without spending a fortune. We tell you how to do it right yourself. Start with the regular procedure of manicure and stop right before the step where one needs to submerge her fingers in a water-filled bowl. This is the point where the hot oil mixture takes the entry. Here are the steps to follow:
What Do You Need:
- Almond oil – 1(1/2) cups
- Sunflower oil – (1/2) cup
- Castor oil – (1/4) cup
- Olive oil – (1/2) cup
- Tea tree essential oil – 10-15 drops
- Vitamin E capsule – 1
What Should You Do:
- Take a large microwave-safe bowl and pour almond oil into it.
- Add the sunflower oil and castor oil to it.
- Also, pour olive oil and tea tree essential oil into the bowl.
- Now, puncture the vitamin E capsule and add its content to the oils. You may replace it with 1 tablespoon of pure vitamin E oil.
- Mix all the ingredients very well to form a smooth uniform blend.
- Microwave the oil blend for 30 seconds so that it becomes warm and thin enough to penetrate the skin. Make sure that the temperature of the mixture remains bearable instead of being too hot.
- Take the bowl out of the microwave and dip your fingers in the warm oil blend gently. Soak them up until the oil cools off. It might take 4 to 5 minutes for the oil mixture to cool down completely. You can reheat it once more for 20 seconds if you enjoy the dipping session.
- After the oil blend cools down, take your fingers out of it and massage them (including the nail beds, nail edges, cuticles, and the wrist areas) thoroughly with some more oil. Continue it for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Finally, finish off the procedure by washing both of your hands with plain tepid water and drying them up with a soft clean towel.
You can also include shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, mineral oil, beeswax, glycerine, etc. in the recipe as per your choice.
Read Also – How to Enhance the ‘Life’ of Your Manicure
Tips and Precautions to Follow
While giving the hot oil manicure a shot at your home, you must keep a few things in your mind. We have listed them down:
- Apply a light moisturizer all over your hands right after going through the hot oil manicure.
- Give your nails a standing time between your hot oil manicure and the application of the nail polish.
- Stay away from all sorts of soapy products at least for the next 5-6 hours.
- Practice this manicure twice every week before going to bed for ensuring the maximum benefits.
Amazing Benefits of Hot Oil Manicure
As said before, the hot oil manicure treatment provides a plethora of benefits to us, and here is a comprehensive list for you:
- Deeply hydrates the nails and the cuticles that are damaged by regular gel and acrylic sessions.
- Exfoliates and detoxifies the nails and the cuticles to help them grow faster.
- Gives cleaner, whiter, and stronger nails with more delicate and healthy cuticles.
- Makes the skin on the fingers and around the nails softer, smoother, and more pliable.
- Improves the texture of the skin on the hands and makes it glowing over time.
- Nourishes the skin and nails from inside, thereby slowing down the process of aging.
- Promotes blood circulation throughout the hands.
- Keeps all problems related to the skin on hands at bay, especially in the long run.
- Makes the removal of hangnails much easier.
- Increases the flexibility of fingers and wrists considerably.
- Adds a wonderful shine to the nails that last for weeks.
- Helps the nails, as well as the hands, exude beauty and elegance.
- As no polish is involved, it can be done at home without expert precision.
Read Also – The Easy DIY Rainbow Manicure
How to Care for Your Nails?
While hot oil manicure can restore the health of your damaged nails and cuticles naturally, grooming them rightly and regularly is also important for you. Following are the ways that can help you take the best care of your nails:
- Make sure that your diet contains enough biotin through sources like whole grains, banana, soy, beans, cauliflower, mushroom, egg, nuts, brewer’s yeast, sardines, etc. It will strengthen your nails and prevent breakage. (4)
- Stop using glue-on artificial nails and toxic nail polishes frequently as it may weaken your nails and make them brittle (5).
- Switch to water-based and nail polish formulations that contain little to no toxic chemicals (toluene formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate or DBP, etc.).
- Try to keep your nails as dry and clean as possible to avoid bacterial growth underneath them.
- Keep your nail beds and cuticles well-moisturized by applying a lotion every day.
- Avoid habits like biting or tearing your nails, cutting them too short, pulling on hangnails, and so on.
- Always use nail clippers or sharp manicure scissors to trim your nails the right way. Also, do it right after taking the bath as the nails remain soft at that time.
Summary:
Hot oil manicure is the most luxurious, relaxing, and expensive nail treatment that you can ever try for cleaning your nails, softening your cuticles, and providing deep nourishment. Instead of traditional manicure ingredients like acrylic powders, nail polishes, etc., it uses a heated mixture of natural oils. This rich blend can again be customized based on the unique nail requirements of the individuals. Getting the hot oil manicure treatment at salons or spas is an expensive affair. Hence, do it yourself at home by using affordable and readily available ingredients like almond oil, olive oil, castor oil, sunflower oil, tea tree essential oil, and vitamin E oil. Hot oil manicure exfoliates, detoxifies, and deeply hydrates the nails and the cuticles so that they become stronger, look whiter, and grow faster. It also imparts a natural shine to the nails without a single scrap of polish. In short, the procedure helps the nails as well as the hands exude beauty and elegance. However, grooming your nails rightly and regularly is also important to keep them healthy and pretty.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Function of a Cuticle Remover?
A cuticle remover is used to remove the layer of dead skin around the nails, which allows the nails to breathe and prevents the skin from growing with them.
What is a Paraffin Manicure?
It is a type of manicure in which colorless and odorless paraffin wax (a wax obtained from petroleum and beeswax) is used in place of heated natural oils.
What is a Spa Manicure?
It is another type of manicure, which is known to be more intense and time-consuming than a regular manicure. Mostly practiced at salons or spas, the manicure is often finished with an additional nail treatment.
Can I Get a Hot Oil Manicure with Short Nails?
As hot oil manicure is all about the health of nails and cuticles, you can certainly get it with short nails to grow them longer and faster.
How Long Does a Manicure Last?
A regular manicure typically lasts anywhere between 5 and 7 days.
References:
- “Clinical Evidence for the Relationship between Nail Configuration and Mechanical Forces“, NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Keratin“, GHR.nlm.nih.gov
- “Nail Hygiene“, CDC.gov
- “Supplements for Brittle Nails“, ConsumerLab.com
- “Side Effects of Nail Cosmetics“, Onlinelibrary.Wiley.com
