Cuticle oil is multifunctional and a cuticle care must-have because it serves 2 purposes. First, it's gentle enough to use every day. Your best bet is to use this at night, before bed, so it has some time to soak in. You don't necessarily want to put it on in the morning, because as soon as you wash your hands, that oil and all its benefits go right down the drain.

The second purpose of cuticle oil is when grooming. If you don't have a cuticle dissolver or other softening solution (we'll cover this later), you could use cuticle oil as a way to soften cuticles before pushing them back. After all, you never want to push them back when dry - that leads to shredding, ripping and infection, which is almost worse than cuticles that have grown out of control.

Also, never underestimate the power of olive oil. When you're looking for one of the best moisturizers nature could provide, this stuff will do the trick. Simply soak your nails in a bowl of olive oil for several minutes, rinse and you're ready to groom.

Cuticle Creams

You may be asking yourself, why can't I just apply my regular skin moisturizer to my cuticles? You could but it may not be as effective. Cuticle creams are unique in that they're heavily laden with natural fats like petroleum and beeswax. Applying cuticle cream regularly helps replace those natural fats cuticles lose when they dry out. This makes them soft and flexible again and keeps your nail from becoming brittle or damaged.

When shopping for cuticle creams, you can spend as little or as much as you want. On the inexpensive end, Burt's Bees offers a lemon butter cuticle cream for just $6. Just like with cuticle oil, you can use cuticle cream every night. You may find it especially comforting during those long winter months when your hands and nails are so much more vulnerable to the dry, cold conditions outside.