Kitten Devine’s question…I’ve read your post about coconut oil being able to penetrate the hair and strengthen it. Now, since I’m looking for both something moisturizing for my cuticles and something to strengthen my nails Ive started to apply coconut oil to my nails and cuticles (only since yesterday, so I can’t tell if it’s working yet) so I wondered if it works the same way on nails as it does on hair? Can it penetrate the nailplate? And is it even possible for any product/ingredient to penetrate the nails and actually strengthen and condition them? 
The Right Brain’s reply:
Thanks for a very intriguing question, Kitten. So far, we’ve not been able to find a definitive answer in the scientific literature but we did uncover a couple of interesting tidbits in the Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists.
Nourishing nails
First, it is known that nails are more flexible when the water content is higher. And when you’re nails are more flexible they’re less likely to chip and break. But surprisingly, oil alone does not have much effect on nails. Researchers treated nails with mineral oil showed no increase in flexibility. But when they applied mineral oil to previously hydrated nails their flexibility was increased. This finding suggests the oil itself is not strengthening the nail against breakage, but that the oil can lock in water.
Another experiment showed that an oil and water mixture (specifically a phospholipid-water preparation for those of you keeping score at home) did boost nail flexibility. The researchers theorized that oily material that can bind and seal water in the nails are helpful in improving flexibility (and therefore, strength.)
Second, the same article also pointed out that some materials can penetrate the nail but there was no indication that penetration and strengthening were connected.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
Oil can help keep nails moisturized and keep them strong by making them more flexible so they’re less likely to chip and break. But it appears that using lotion should be better than oil alone, unless you’re hydrating your nails first and then using oil to seal in the moisture.
Source:
J. Cosmet. Sci., 50, 363-385 (November/December 1999) Structural characteristics and permeability properties of the human nail: A review GOURI V. GUPCHUP and JOEL L. ZATZ, College of Pharmacy, Rutgers University
What do YOU think? What’s your favorite nail treatment? Leave a comment and share your favorite nail treatment with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
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I can vouch for the hydration aspect. I have weak, thin nails. They don’t break so much as bend and tear. Recently I started swimming a lot, and I definitely notice a difference. They do not peel as much, and seem to grow faster. They are still not hard, and probably never will be, but are definitely in better condition. I’ll take the lotion idea and add that to the hydration- thanks for that!
This must be related to why nails break in the winter so much — low humidity sucks the water out of your nails. Hm!
i appreciate your approach about nails. but can you tell me that the nails design you show in picture is this real nails or some?
There is too much anecdotal evidence in favor of cuticle oil, (such as Solar Oil, which I also use and love) by many nail bloggers with nails much longer and stronger than my own, to completely discount the use of cuticle oil for nail hydration.
This study leaves much to be desired.
It should be edited to say:
“But surprisingly, {MINERAL} oil alone does not have much effect on nails.” (emphasis mine)
and edited further to show:
“This finding suggests the {MINERAL} oil itself is not strengthening the nail against breakage, but that the {MINERAL} oil can lock in water.”
Using an oil, such as mineral oil, that cannot penetrate skin, and including no other oils for comparison’s sake, makes no sense.
(Note, there’s no mention of coconut oil, which was inquired about in the question, almond, rice bran, apricot kernel, jojoba oil or any other vegetable or plant oil compatible with skin…)
Unless the oil-water mixture was also made with mineral oil, (it was not- See “specifically a phospholipid-water preparation for those of you keeping score at home”) the comparison is unbalanced and renders the results inconclusive.
Whatever “preparation” was used included an ingredient that was moisturizing to the nails and THAT is what was sealed in by the mineral oil.
“The researchers theorized that oily material that can bind and seal water in the nails are helpful in improving flexibility (and therefore, strength.)”
Anyone who has torn soft, weak, water-logged nails in the shower can attest to the fact that water has no strengthening effect whatsoever, and can be detrimental to unprotected nails.
The flexibility/strengthening attributed to the water in the “preparation” is likely due to the “phospholipid” and not the water.
That being said, lotion/cream can be used interchangeably with liquid oil, or instead of oil altogether, for those who prefer quicker absorption.
It is the oil(s) in the lotion doing the moisturizing, in concert with other ingredients like aloe vera and glycerin, and not just the water.
(If water is so moisturizing on its own, then shouldn’t we be able to lick our lips, when they become chapped, to cure the dryness?)
Just my .02.
~wixbetty
You make good points about no other oils being tested. To make definitive conclusions about using oil on nails, lower chain length oils must be tried. However, I would disagree that the amount of anecdotal evidence makes it more compelling. Anecdotal evidence is never proof of anything. There are millions of people who believe in ghosts, UFOs, bigfoot, etc. but that doesn’t add any credence to the validity of those topics.
Hundreds of people on this blog have said that Pantene makes their hair fall out but those anecdotal stories provide no evidence whether to prove it’s true or not (based on the best evidence available, it’s not).
Anecdotal evidence has it’s place, but it is useless for determining whether something is true or not.
I use coconut oil at times as a total body moisturizer. It smells so good and leaves my skin incredibly soft! I also love almond oil as a facial moisturizer.
This really surprised me. I always associated flexibility with weak nails. Nail strengthening treatments make my nails harder and less flexible and flimsy, does this mean they actually weaken nails? :S When I tried the coconut oil it seemed to help because it was making my nails LESS flexible and therefore (in my opinion) stronger. I stopped using it though, I am wearing nail polish again.
I use organic coconut oil in my hand made soaps and shampoos. It really works great as a moisturizer! I used to have peely cuticles, but that seems to have cleared up since ive been making soap. I also get a great deal by buying my oils in bulk online!
Organic Coconut Oil
I appreciate your approach about nail.
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww are you seriuos
Try Shellac nail varnish, I have just started having my nails painted with
Shellac and it makes nails so strong and helps them to grow. I also does not chip and they do not break. I have a manicure every four weeks and the varnish is as good as new. It is a little dearer than ordinary varnish and you cannot do it yourself and you have to have it removed, which costs about £5., but well worth it. The Shellac site has a video which is very worthwhile watching.
Hello,
only yesterday I noticed that my middle finger nail was peeling (like always -_-) so, as I recently bought a jar of pure cocnut oil, I decided to give it a try and put it on my nail and cuticules.
I was shocked about the result..The nails were extremely flexible and today the part where the middle finger nail peeled is totally smooth.
I knew cocnut oil is considered a sort of miracle oil (lol) but I didn’t expect this extreme result…
Now I will however cut my nails as they are thin due to previous peelings but I know for sure I will keep on putting on coconut oil
(maybe once a week when I put it on my hair).
So I would say (for my self) Nail test: passed!
Aloe ladies is AMAZING! I use cliniques moisture surge which has an aloe base to it on my face and rub a small amount twice a day onto my cuticles and nails. They are stronger than they have been in years. The only other time i recall them being this strong and unbreakable is when i was pregnant or when my kids were babies. Notably though, when my kids were babies I did use aloe (from the plant) on any diaper rashes bumps and bruises and always put some on my nails!
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