Nail & Cuticle Care

During the winter our nails and cuticles are more prone to becoming dry, brittle and cracked due to the lack of moisture in the air. The appearance of our nails is a good indicator of our overall health.  Nail care includes the care of our cuticles, which is the dead skin that overlaps the nail plate at the base of the nail.  The cuticle acts as a seal between the nails and the fingers and protects the body from fungus.  Ragged cuticles are an indication that your cuticles are dehydrated and in need of immediate care to restore moisture and health. By the same token too much exposure to water and/or improper trimming can result in cuts that reflect dehydration, redness and irritation.  The key to healthy nails is soft cuticles. 

Here are a few simple, homemade nail and cuticle recipes for healthier and stronger fingernails.

Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Warm olive oil slightly and gently massage cuticles

Lavender Olive
1 tsp Olive oil
3 drops Lavender essential oil

Healing Cuticle Oil
5-10 drops Tea Tree essential oil
2 Tbsp Sweet Almond oil

Nail Conditioner, Strengthener & Whitener
2 drops Tea Tree oil
2 drops Lavender oil
2 drops Rosemary oil
2 drops Lemon oil
2 Tbsp Vitamin E, Sweet Almond, Jojoba or Olive oil

• Remember to always store oils in a small dark glass jar or bottle (1oz-2oz) as this helps to keep the oil longer and avoid oxidization.
• Tea Tree and Lavender essential oils have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
• Rosemary essential oil moisturizes and strengthens dry and brittle nails.
• Lemon essential oil strengthens weak nails as well as whitens discolored nails.
• Vitamin E, Sweet Almond, Jojoba and Olive oil are excellent moisturizers and conditioners.
• DO NOT shake the mixtures as this causes free radicals to form within the oils that can cause it to go rancid.  Instead, when mixing you want to gently roll the bottle around until all has been fully incorporated.

Ucuuba Butter

Ucuuba Butter is native to Central and South America and is cold pressed from the seeds of the Ucuuba tree.

Ucuuba Butter is said to have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and is ideal for treating acne, eczema and dry or irritated skin.  Exceptionally rich in essential fatty acids, Ucuuba Butter is considered to have anti-aging properties and can be used to replenish tone and moisture to dry and mature skin. Therefore it's ideal for making pomades, creams lotions, and body butters.

Murumuru Butter

The Murumuru tree grows in the clay rich soils of the Amazon rainforest and can also be found on the fertile firm terrain.

Murumuru Butter is a rich butter that is a light amber color and carries a natural earthy aroma.  Its rich oleic acid content promotes nutrition and moisture for skin, hair and scalp.  It's an excellent choice for shampoos, conditioners and highly moisturizing skin care products.

Cupuacu Butter

Cupuacu (pronounced coo-poo-ah-sue) Butter is cold pressed, refined and filtered from the seed of the Cupuacu Tree in Brazil. This creamy, emollient butter leaves the hair and skin smooth and soft. It boasts the properties of natural moisture and elasticity. Cupuacu Butter is extrememely beneficial for dry, damaged skin and har, promoting deep, long lasting hydration. Its high water absorption capacity is due to its phytosterol levels and makes Cupuacu an effective alternative to lanolin. Cupuacu also contains a unique antioxidant phytonutrients called polyphenols, which are commonly found in plants like green tea and grape seeds.

Illipe Butter

Illipe nuts come from the Illipe tree (Shorea Stenoptera) that is native to Southeast Asia and Boreno that flowers in October through January. The indigenous people of Borneo have been making butter from the Illipe nuts for many centuries for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. Illipe Butter is exotic and luxrious and is quite similar to cocoa butter in its triglyceride composition. Even though it is a harder butter it still melts upon contact with the skin.

Illipe Butter is renowned for its incredible moisturizing properties and its ability to restore elasticity to the skin. It is quite comparable to cocoa butter in its physical properties and composition and is beneficial for the treatment of moisturizing chronically dry skin, mature skin, sunburn, healing sores, damaged skin, rough skin, mouth ulcers and dry or over processed hair.