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A potent but oft-overlooked product, the best cuticle oils deserve to be as constant in our lives as a go-to hand lotion or lip balm. The crucial layer of dead skin creates a seal at your nail bed to keep out dirt or bacteria and promote healthy nail growth. Left unattended, cuticles become dried and cracked—or, worse, form a dreaded hangnail. Simply put, cuticle care is nail care.
Fortunately, a good cuticle oil is also one of life’s greatest little luxuries. You don’t have to be dealing with cracked, brittle cuticles—or nail beds that mimic a desert wasteland post-gel—to reap the benefits. In addition to being packed with vitamins and fatty acids, they often come with an ultra-hydrating combination of sweet-smelling, plant-based oils such as jojoba, coconut, or argan, and keep the skin surrounding your nails equally nourished. The fast-drying formulas also let you douse your tips all day.
A beauty companion as constant as a cuticle oil deserves to be chosen with care, so we polled our Instagram followers for their favorites. The following 13 products are comprised of the top recommendations we received (with one cuticle oil clearly dominating the scene) cross-checked with the internet’s favorites and vetted stalwarts.
The Best Cuticle Oils to Buy in 2023
Discover your favorite, place it on your bedside table, use it twice a day (or more—there’s no such thing as too much cuticle oil), and set your nails up for a strong, beautiful future.
Best Overall: Olive & June Cuticle Serum
By far and away the most recommend cuticle oil on this list, Olive & June’s clean formula is ultra-hydrating without feeling greasy. The soft foam tip applicator makes it easy to apply throughout the day.
Best Manicurist-Designed: Deborah Lippmann “It’s A Miracle” Intense Therapy Cuticle Oil
Another recurring recommendation was celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann’s luxurious blend of shea butter, vitamin E, and botanical extracts. As one follower wrote, “I use it three times daily. It’s $22 but worth it.”
Best Strengthening: L’Occitane Nail and Cuticle Shea Oil
Featuring a blend of apricot oil and 30% shea oil, the brush-on product from the French luxury retailer also received several shout-outs in our poll.
Best Natural Formula: Tenoverten Rose Oil Cuticle Treatment
As aesthetically pleasing as it is sweet smelling thanks to rose flower oil, the all-natural treatment is massaged on via rollerball for easy reapplication.
Best Hydrating Cuticle Oil: Bare Hands Cuticle Oil Duo
Another brush-on beauty, this nutrient-rich formula features jojoba oil and olive squalane to bring even the driest cuticles back from the brink. The non-toxic product serves as a companion to Bare Hands’ at-home manicure kit, which has earned praise for helping grow stronger, healthier nails.
Best Vegan-Friendly: Fleurette Golden Drops Intense Nail Conditioner
For a truly vegan-friendly option, opt for the Australian brand’s gorgeous “golden drops,” formulated with pure essential oils.
Best Luxe Buy: Dior Huile Abricot Daily Nutritive Serum
Per our poll and many an online review, the Parisian fashion house also happens to make a killer apricot-packed cuticle oil.
Best Scented: Olivine Cutie Oil
True to its brand name, the vegan cuticle oil is, truly, very cute. It also mixes coconut and jojoba oils with a hint of sandalwood for an intoxicating scent.
Best Clean Cuticle Oil: Londontown Nourishing Cuticle Oil
While a dropper isn’t our favorite way to apply cuticle oil (too much room for a mess), Londontown’s glowing reviews and commitment to clean, sustainable manufacturing are enough for us to look past it.
Best Fast-Absorbing: JINsoon Primrose + Honeysuckle Healing Cuticle Oil
It’s on the splurgier side, but the non-greasy, sweet-smelling oil from celebrity manicurist Jin Soon Choi is worth its weight in 20, fast-absorbing natural ingredients.
Best Cuticle Hack: Lansinoh Organic Nipple Balm
As one poll user said, “Don’t laugh. It’s off Amazon and I love it on my cuticles and lips.”
Best On-the-Go Application: CND SolarOil Nail & Cuticle Care
Thousands of “holy grail” Amazon reviews have bumped this purse-friendly cuticle oil to the top of many lists, but it has the vitamin E bonafides to soothe even gel-damaged nails.
Best Multipurpose: Lanolips The Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm
We love a moisturizing multitasker. And while it doesn’t come in oil form, the cult-loved formula, made with sustainably sourced lanolin, requires a bit of massaging to fully absorb, promoting healthy blood circulation on the cuticles.
