After over ten years of doing nails, I made the pen I wanted my clients to carry, and I used it on them for years before I ever sold one.
Nail technician of over ten years, founder of Body Collective, Gold Coast. Read her story
The best cuticle oil in Australia is the one you will use every day, so format matters as much as the formula: a twist pen suits a handbag, a dropper suits a bedside table and an unscented oil suits sensitive skin. Check the label for the oils, any fragrance and any nut derived oil, then pick the one that fits your habit.
- The best cuticle oil is the one you use every day, so format matters as much as the formula.
- A pen takes seconds and fits a handbag. A bottle or dropper suits a bedside table.
- Read the label for fragrance if your skin is sensitive, and for nut derived oils if you have a nut allergy.
- A fingernail grows about 3 mm a month whichever oil you use. Most people notice softer cuticles within days; results vary.
What does cuticle oil do for nail growth?
A cuticle oil hydrates and conditions the cuticle and the skin around the nail, and it helps growth in the way that matters: a hydrated nail cracks and tears less, so you keep more of the length you grow.
What it doesn't do is change how fast your nail grows. A fingernail grows about 3 mm a month whatever you put on it, and the nail you can see was made two to three months ago. Oil works on the next millimetres, and on how many of them survive. If you're after the long version on keeping length, I've covered it in how to grow longer natural nails.
Myth: The right cuticle oil makes nails grow faster.
Fact: Sorry, no. The rate is set by your body. A good oil keeps the skin soft and the nail flexible, so less of the growth is lost to snags, splits and hangnails.
What should you look for in a cuticle oil?
Look for four things on a cuticle oil label: the oils, any fragrance, any nut derived oil and the format.
This is what I check whenever I pick one up, and it only takes a moment:
- The oils. If you can see which plant oils are in it, you can see what you're getting. A label that doesn't say isn't telling you much.
- Fragrance. It's a lovely extra until your skin objects, so it's worth knowing it's there. If your skin's touchy, go unscented.
- Nut derived oils. Sweet almond is common, and it matters if you've got a nut allergy.
- Format. A pen is quick and lives in a handbag, while a bottle or dropper suits a bedside table. The best one is the one you'll actually use.
How does the Body Collective pen compare with a typical cuticle oil?
Here is how the Body Collective Nail Growth and Strength Serum pen compares with a typical cuticle oil on what is in it, who makes it and how you use it.
I've kept this to the rows where there's a real difference, and I've only named another brand where its own page says something you can check. I read those pages on 12 October 2026.
| What you are comparing | Body Collective pen | A typical cuticle oil |
|---|---|---|
| The oils | Four certified organic oils: fractionated coconut, argan, jojoba and sweet almond. The unscented pen is the four oils only; scented pens add fragrance. | Not always named: CND SolarOil's page says "naturally light oils and vitamin E" and names no oils |
| Mineral oil | Four certified organic oils, and in the unscented pen nothing else | Some include it: Sally Hansen's Vitamin E oil page lists mineral oil |
| Scent | Nine scents and unscented | Check the label for fragrance |
| In your handbag | A twist pen with a brush | Often a bottle or dropper: great at home, bulkier in a bag |
| Over gel, SNS, acrylic and dip | Works on natural nails and over gel, SNS, acrylic and dip | Check the pack |
| Who makes it | Hand blended on the Gold Coast by a nail technician of over ten years. Over 200,000 people around the world have used it. | Check the label |
One click a day covers ten nails, and the whole thing takes about 20 seconds. Now the honest bit: 3 ml is a small pen, and the brush is for putting oil on, so it won't push your cuticles back. If you'd rather a bottle, there's a 15 ml dropper too.
If you do go for the pen, how to use a cuticle oil pen covers opening it and what to do when it stalls.
Which cuticle oil is right for you: a pen, a dropper or an unscented oil?
Choose by the habit you will keep, not by the label: a pen for the handbag, a dropper for the bedside table and an unscented oil if your skin is sensitive.
These are the three questions I ask a client:
- Where will you use it? A pen suits a handbag or a desk drawer, because it takes seconds. A bottle or dropper suits a bedside table, where you've got time.
- Is your skin sensitive? Choose an unscented oil, or read the label for fragrance. My scented pens add fragrance, and the unscented pen is the four oils only.
- Do you have a nut allergy? Check any oil's label for nut derived oils, because sweet almond is common. My pen contains it, so talk to your doctor first.
If you wear gel, SNS, acrylic or dip, oil still matters: the cuticles and the skin around the nail aren't covered by the enhancement, and my pen works over all four. With regular polish, let it dry fully first, then oil around the cuticle so your colour doesn't smudge.
The oil that works is the one that lives where you'll use it. A pen in the handbag beats a beautiful bottle in a cupboard every time.
How often should you use cuticle oil, and how long until cuticles soften?
Once a day is a good start for a cuticle oil, and most people notice softer cuticles within days, though results vary.
Makers differ on how often, so check the pack. If your nails are recovering from damage, twice a day, morning and night, is a good rhythm. Whichever oil you use, keep the layer thin: you want soft cuticles, not slippery ones. Here's roughly how it goes:
- Within days
- Most people notice softer cuticles.
- Within one to two weeks
- Most people notice visible growth.
- Month by month
- A fingernail grows about 3 mm a month, and the nail you can see was made two to three months ago. Results vary.
And whichever oil you pick, read the pack, because the amount and the number of goes a day differ from one oil to the next.
Nail Growth, Strength & Repair Serum | Easy Twist Pen
A$16.95
A twist pen for your handbag: four certified organic oils, hand blended on the Gold Coast, and one click a day covers ten nails.
Add to cartSweet almond oil is a nut derived oil; people with nut allergies should talk to their doctor first.
Questions people ask
What is the best cuticle oil for nail growth?
No oil changes how fast a nail grows; a fingernail grows about 3 mm a month whatever you use. The best oil for growth is the one you use every day, because hydrated cuticles and nails crack and tear less, so you keep more of the length you grow. Most people notice softer cuticles within days; results vary.
Is a cuticle oil pen better than a bottle?
Neither is better, because they suit different habits. A pen lives in a handbag and takes seconds, and a bottle or dropper suits a bedside table. The best one is the one you will use every day, so pick the format that fits your day and check the label for fragrance and nut derived oils.
How often should I use cuticle oil?
Once a day is a good start for cuticle oil, and with a pen one click a day covers ten nails. If your nails are recovering from damage, twice a day, morning and night, is a good rhythm. Makers vary, so check the pack. Most people notice softer cuticles within days; results vary.
