Cuticle Oil Ingredients

Cuticle oil is used to soften and moisturizer the nail and cuticle area to prevent it from being dried out, torn and damaged. The product is usually made from pure oils with fragrance added. It can be made commercially and sold by retail stores or made at home. Knowing what ingredients cuticle oil contains will allow you to decide whether a store brand or homemade mixture is best for you.

Derived from the Helianthus annuus, or sunflower, this seed oil is used in many products as a conditioner. It's a skin conditioning emollient that smooths and softens the skin. The FDA has approved it as mild and safe. It contains more vitamin E than other vegetable oils.

Jojoba oil is derived from Simmondsia chinensis, or jojoba, seed oil. There are both natural and synthetic jojoba oils, which are indistinguishable in chemical composition. Jojoba oil works as a skin conditioner to hydrate and moisturize it. It is deemed acceptable for use in cosmetics by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, or CIR, expert panel. It is made up of 97 percent wax esters and is more similar to sebum than other oils, according to Cosmetics Info.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that fights free radical damage on the skin. It is a great skin conditioner and helps guard against photoaging, or skin damage. According to Paula Begoun, it's highly effective in decreasing the frequency and severity of skin damage. Vitamin E decreases skin swelling, redness, skin thickening and wrinkling.

Olive oil, or Olea europaea oil, is an emollient oil. It softens and smooths skin on the surface, making it appear healthier and younger. Some studies, according to Paula Begoun, have shown olive oil to have UVB protection for the skin. It is an antioxidant, so it will decrease free radical damage on the skin surface. A botanical oil, it is a natural moisturizer.

Sweet almond oil, or Prunus amygdalus dulcis oil, is in a wide variety of personal care products. It is assessed as safe for cosmetic use by the CIR expert panel. According to Cosmetics Info, it is a lubricant on the surface of the skin, creating a soft appearance and a smoother surface. It is made from expressing oil from ripened seed kernels of the almond.