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Last Updated on January 8, 2023 by Diane Hoffmaster
Tired of hiding your hands from people because of ugly nails and cracked cuticles? This DIY cuticle butter is just what you need! My nails take a beating just about every day. Whether it's washing the dishes or gardening, I'm busy and have very little time to deal with keeping my nails pretty. I don't tend to wear nail polish except on my toes but I still want healthy fingernails. The trick to keeping your nails and cuticles healthy is to pamper them with moisture-rich ingredients.
This DIY cuticle balm with essential oil is simple to make and nourishing for your nails and cuticles. Sure, you could just rub them with straight coconut oil or jojoba oil but the rich ingredients in this cuticle balm will make your spa nail day even more amazing!
Table of Contents
Cuticle Care Tips
Before you start rubbing in this homemade cuticle butter, you need to realize that it isn't some miracle cream. You need to follow a few basic cuticle care tips regularly if you want truly healthy cuticles. Here are a few tips for taking care of that sensitive part of your fingernails!
- Don't Cut Your Cuticles! This could lead to infection!
- Push your cuticles back gently with a wooden orange stick
- Avoid Rough Manicurists. Be very careful who you choose to do your nails!
- Avoid harsh chemicals. Wear gloves when you wash dishes and look for a gentle nail polish remover.
- Moisturize with cuticle cream or butter
Dry Cuticles and Vitamin Deficiency
If your cuticles are in very bad shape, you may want to have a talk with your doctor. Severely dry and damaged cuticles may indicate a vitamin deficiency. Both vitamin A and zinc deficiency can result in xerosis (severely dry skin, cuticles included). Biotin deficiency can increase the risk of fungal nail infections and subsequent nail plate discoloration. Talk to your doctor if you think your nails look particularly unhealthy.
How to Make Cuticle Balm
This homemade cuticle cream is incredibly inexpensive to make but goes for a small fortune if you buy it online. With only a few simple ingredients and about 15 minutes, you can pamper your nails at home and save your pennies for nail polish to put on them!
Once your homemade cuticle butter has hardened, just scoop up a tiny bit and massage it into the cuticle and surrounding area. It is great for the nails themselves as well as the surrounding skin so be as liberal with your application as you want.
Put it on every night at bedtime and you will soon have beautiful nails and cuticles.
More DIY Beauty Products
- Easy DIY Rosemary Mint Facial Toner
- DIY Skin Moisturizing Spray with Rosemary and Glycerin
- DIY Dry Shampoo for Pretty Hair with Fewer Washes!
Store your DIY cuticle butter in a cool, dark place and it should last for at least a year. The recipe makes only a small amount but it will last quite a while.
I doubled the recipe below and got enough to keep one in the medicine cabinet, put one in my purse, and even give one to my daughter. It was perfect for a fun nail day together. Check out our fun nail art for more nail inspiration.
DIY Cuticle Butter for Nails You'll Love to Show Off
Supplies Needed
- 1 tablespoon beeswax
- 2 tablespoon shea butter
- 5 drops of orange essential oil*
- 2 to 3 drops cinnamon or clove oil*
- 3 drops of Vitamin E oil
- small glass jars (You can re-purpose things you have at home as well. Mint tins, etc.)
(NOTE: You can leave off the essential oils or replace them with whatever scents you personally enjoy. They are really just to make it smell pretty.
If you are having problems with nail fungus, add a few drops of Tea Tree Oil. It is a great anti-fungal and will help clear up your nail infection)
Directions:
- In a small pan, heat a few inches of water to boiling and remove it from the heat
- Add the beeswax and shea butter into a small mason jar and place in the hot water. Swirl occasionally until the ingredients melt.
- Add the essential oils and Vitamin E oil. Swirl gently to mix
- Pour mixture into a small jar and let solidify
- To use, just scrape out a bit and massage onto nails, cuticles, and surrounding skin.
Print out the ingredients and directions below and make this DIY cuticle butter whenever you notice dry cuticles are a problem! Love DIY Beauty Products? Pamper those rough feet with this DIY Gingerbread Sugar Scrub!
DIY Cuticle Butter and Tips for Healthy Cuticles
This DIY cuticle butter is just what you need to soothe cracked cuticles. Learn how to make cuticle balm and save money on nail treatments.
Materials
- 1 tablespoon beeswax
- 2 tablespoon shea butter
- 5 drops of orange essential oil*
- 2 to 3 drops cinnamon or clove oil*
- 3 drops of Vitamin E oil
Tools
- small pan
- small mason jar for melting ingredients
- small glass jars with lid for storage
Instructions
- In a small pan, heat a few inches of water to boiling and remove it from the heat
- Add the beeswax and shea butter into a small mason jar and place in the hot water. Swirl occasionally until the ingredients melt.
- Add the essential oils and Vitamin E oil. Swirl gently to mix
- Pour mixture into a small jar and let solidify
- To use, just scrape out a bit and massage onto nails, cuticles, and surrounding skin.
Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time. You can learn more about her HERE.
Scott
I didn't realize our fingernails were something we should be treating. Looks easy enough!
Erika
My cuticles are a mess. This would be perfect for me, especially during the harsh winter months.
Jennifer
I can't wait to give this a try. I've recently gotten into making my own scrubs and things, and it's so much fun!
Mary
I made a good size batch, poured into mini muffin cups and put in freezer, took out and unwrapped put em all in a tight sealed plastic container in frig so when I need refill in my jar I keep by TV it’s all ready to go. Great recovery of my nails after taking off acrylics! Thanks
Diane Hoffmaster
So glad you found the recipe for this helpful!
Brittany
I need to take better care of my hands/fingernails! I love DIY style products. Great recipe!
MsSassykat Johns
How much is a few inches of water, really want to try thus my cuticles and nails are a mess
Diane Hoffmaster
That will really depend on the size of the pan. Just fill to about 3 inches or so.
Beth
Does this feel like a harder consistency? Do I need to dig into it to get it out kinda? I made it exactly like this and I feel like it’s more of a salve consistency and not butter?
Diane Hoffmaster
Mine came out fairly firm, however, you can firm yours up by adding more beeswax next time. Hope that helps!
Carol
Could this mixture be put into the lip gloss flexitubes or will it be too stiff for it to be squeezed out? This would seem to be a better way to put them on the cuticles and carry around in your purse rather than carrying around in a jar.
Diane Hoffmaster
I found that this is very firm so not sure how that would work.