· By katie masters
Why do my nails keep breaking? And why cuticle oil is the answer.
Written by me, Katie Masters, NEVER AI.
I know sometimes cuticle oil sounds unnecessary and just another upsell, but it's totally the opposite.
Hi! My name is Katie Masters also known as Nail Thoughts, and I am a professional nail tech of over 10 years with a product line in collaboration with the gel brand Kokoist as well as my very own press on line I am here to tell you why cuticle oil is something that shouldn’t be overlooked!
In this blog I am going to answer all these questions you might have:
Why do I keep getting hangnails?
Why do my nails break so easily?
Why are my nails peeling?
How can I fix my weak nails?
How can I make my nails stronger?
Do nail strengtheners work?
Does gel protect my nails from water?
What cuticle oil should I use?
Let’s dive in…
pictured: tap through to read more @nailthoughts
Why do I keep getting hang nails? Why do my nails break so easily? Why are my nails peeling?
As someone who also struggled with all of these problems and literally studied this for years before I even went into nails professionally, you’re in the right place for ANSWERS!
Your nails only produce a tiny amount of oil per day to hydrate themselves, but that quickly gets washed away almost immediately with showers, hand washing, etc. So after all of that, your nail hydration is basically in the negative. Try this experiment: before you go into a shower, bath, jacuzzi, pool, etc. study your nails. Look at their shape and feel the way they bend. Then after you get out of the water, check your nails again. They are going to have a slightly different shaped appearance, be more expanded, and feel weirdly more squishy and bendy. It’s because your nails absorb water! They are almost like sponges.
Of course your nails will eventually shrink back up to their normal size but the water damage has been done. Water has gotten in between the many layers of keratin on your nails (which causes those little pieces of your nails to peel away in layers sometimes). Believe it or not, water is one of the worst things for your nails (I'm talking about water exposure, not drinking! Stay hydrated please). Water completely washes away any moisture in your hands and nails leaving you with super brittle nails, peeling nails, and hang nails.
pictured: nails that desperately need moisture!
How can I fix my weak nails?
Now that we know that dryness and lack of skin hydration is the main culprit for weak nails, you should also know that this is totally normal, there’s no shame in any of these easily fixable issues! You need to replenish that moisture and hydration with a cuticle oil, but specifically ones with jojoba oil and/or sweet almond oil as ingredients. Those specific types of oils absorb quickly and deeply into the nail plate and the skin due to their small molecular structure and the way the molecules almost mimic our natural nail oil structure. Oil based nail moisturizers absorb much quicker and deeper into the nail plate than typical lotion moisturizers or things like petroleum jelly. When you regularly apply cuticle oil daily, you are supplying your nails with much needed moisture making them STRONGER!
Do nail strengtheners work? How can I make my nails stronger?
Short answer: No. Nail strengthener's don't really work. Long answer: This might blow your mind, but "nail strengtheners" only make your nails more hard and brittle, giving them the illusion of strength, but when you jam them, they will break and snap. At the end of the day, you want your nails to be hydrated and bendy. Why bendy? Because when you jam a bendy and hydrated nail, it will simply just bend and absorb the shock, but not break. And that's the power of regularly applying cuticle oil onto your nail plate. Ultimately, it's the real nail strengthener.
APPLICATION TIP: Apply the oil underneath your nails as well! Remember, your nails are like sponges, they will absorb oil and water from anywhere! Hey, apply it all on your hands and arms too, get all the juicy hydration (and yummy scent) out of it!
Does gel protect my nails from water?
Yes! So does nail polish! Gel is obviously more solid of a product than polish so water can’t seep through, but nail polish also helps do the trick of protecting the nail from over exposure of water! Think about it, having layers of nail product over your natural nail reduces the amount of surface area that water can get on to and add a full layer of protection! But remember, water can get absorbed under your nails as well, so be sure to always reapply your cuticle oil underneath your nails. The pairing of my Clear Builder Base and my cuticle oil have done wonders for my nails as well as my clients nails. I build my nails with the semi-hard gel Clear Builder Base gel for support, and use my cuticle oil every day on top of and underneath my nails, and look how long my nails are.
pictured: tap through to read more about my nail process @nailthoughts
I created a cuticle oil with both Jojoba AND Sweet Almond Oil to help all of your above listed nail issues! Here are the main ingredients of the Nail Thoughts Summer Forever Nail Oil and each benefit:
pictured: Nail Thoughts in Women's Health Magazine Best In Beauty Awards 2026
Sweet Almond Oil: Quickly penetrates into the skin creating instant hydration.
Jojoba Oil: Easily Penetrates the nail plate providing hydration and flexibility in the nail which prevents nail breaks.
Vitamin E Oil: An antioxidant that helps soothes and moisturize the skin.
Coconut Oil: Soothes and hydrates the skin.
pictured: nail thoughts nail oil review
Check out these results after 7 weeks of regular application of the Nail Thoughts Summer Forever Nail Oil.
The Nail Thoughts Summer Forever Cuticle Oil also won “Best Cuticle Oil” in the Women’s Health Magazine 2025 Best In Beauty Awards! See more about what they said about this oil HERE!
"This one performs all the basic functions of a top-notch nail and cuticle oil—it nourishes with a blend of sweet almond, jojoba, vitamin E, and coconut oils. What sets it apart, though, is the tropical scent, which takes you on an instant vacation".
-Women's Health Magazine 2026
The Nail Thoughts Summer Forever Nail Oil has a warm scent with fragrance notes of pistachio, vanilla, and almond, creating an instant summer vibe no matter what time of year it is. This oil is great for creating flexibility in the nails to prevent breaking and it helps prevent hang nails. Use it on your nails, cuticles, hands, and even arms for maximum hydration!
This oil has a dropper applicator for sanitary salon use while also being compact enough to store in your bag for moisturizing on the go! I always have it in my bag so I’m always reminded to put it on wherever I am.
APPLICATION TIPS AND IDEAS
