A nail serum works for problems caused by dryness: peeling, snapping, rough cuticles and hangnails. It does not speed up growth, which runs at about 3 mm a month regardless. Used every day, most people notice softer cuticles within days, fewer breaks and smoother edges within one to two weeks, and visibly longer nails after a month, because they are no longer losing length. Results vary.
- A nail serum helps with dryness problems: peeling, snapping, rough cuticles and hangnails.
- A nail serum does not change the growth rate of about 3 mm a month. It changes how much length you keep.
- Softer cuticles come first, then fewer breaks, then length you keep over one to three months.
- A nail serum only works if you use it every day, and water works against it.
What does a nail serum do to the nail, and what does it not do?
A nail serum hydrates and conditions the nail and the skin around it, which helps with problems caused by dryness and does nothing for the rate your nail grows.
Dry nails peel, snap and catch, and dry cuticles crack into hangnails. Oil keeps both soft. What a serum can't do is make a nail grow faster, because a fingernail grows about 3 mm a month whatever you put on it, and it can't change the nail you can already see either, which was made two to three months ago. What it changes is the next millimetres, and how many of them survive.
Mine is the Body Collective Nail Growth and Strength Serum pen. Here's what's in it. Four certified organic oils: fractionated coconut, argan, jojoba and sweet almond. The unscented pen is the four oils only; scented pens add fragrance.
One thing before you buy: sweet almond oil is a nut derived oil; people with nut allergies should talk to their doctor first.
How long does a nail serum take to work?
Most people notice softer cuticles within days, fewer breaks and smoother edges within one to two weeks, and length they keep over one to three months.
Results vary, so think of that as what most people notice, not a promise. Here's the picture, and then we'll go through it step by step.
Week 1: cuticles
In the first week the change is in the cuticles: most people notice softer cuticles within days.
The skin around the nail is the quickest to respond, so softness shows up before anything changes in the nail itself. The first sign is usually small: a hangnail stops catching on your sleeve, or the skin at the base of your nail stops looking tight. Nothing dramatic happens to the nail in week one, and if I told you otherwise I'd be selling.
Week 2: fewer breaks and catches
By the second week, most people notice fewer breaks, fewer catches and smoother edges, and visible growth within one to two weeks.
A hydrated nail flexes instead of snapping, so the tip stops catching on things and you stop losing a little each time. This is where the habit decides the result: the nails that improve are the ones that were oiled every day.
Month 1 to 3: length you keep
From about a month, the change you see is length you keep, because nails that no longer break are nails that stay long.
If a nail grows 3 mm a month and you lose less of it, the length builds. The nail you can see was made two to three months ago, so the full benefit takes that long to reach the tip. This is also when a before and after photo means something, so take one on day one in window light, and another at two to three months from the same angle. The full routine for keeping length is in how to grow longer natural nails.
Why is my nail serum not working?
The two usual reasons are that the serum is not being applied and that water keeps drying the nails out.
Not applying it. A pen in the bathroom cabinet can't work, however good it is. Keep it where you'll actually pick it up: next to the phone charger, by the kettle, in the handbag.
One click a day covers ten nails, so the habit's quick, and it's easiest when you tie it to something you already do, like brushing your teeth. If your nails are recovering from damage, twice a day, morning and night, is a good rhythm.
To apply, brush the serum along the cuticle and over the nail, then massage it in. If you want the click by click version, it's in how to use a cuticle oil pen.
Water. Soaking and drying your nails again and again, in the shower, over the dishes, at the pool, dries them out faster than any oil can keep up. Wear gloves for the washing up, dry your hands properly, and oil straight after.
How can you tell within a fortnight whether a nail serum is working?
You can tell within a fortnight if you use the serum every day and check three things: the cuticles, the catches and the base of the nail.
- Day one. Photograph your nails in window light, and note how many hangnails and catches you've got.
- Fourteen days. Oil every day. A half-hearted fortnight tells you nothing, so no skipping.
- Day fourteen. Are the cuticles softer? Are there fewer catches? Is there a visible line of new nail at the base?
- If nothing has changed. Check you really did oil every day and keep water off the nails. Results vary, and it might not be the right thing for your nails.
When should you see someone about your nails?
A nail serum is for everyday dryness, so if your nails do not respond, or something else is going on, that is for a person to look at.
If it came on suddenly, hurts, is discoloured, thickened or lifting, see a GP, dermatologist or podiatrist.
How should you read reviews of a nail serum?
Sort by newest and read the middle ratings as well as the top ones, because a review that says it took three weeks tells you more than one that says it is magic.
The stars on the pen below are live from our reviews, so they're always up to date. And for the record, over 200,000 people around the world have used it, and I used it on my own clients for years before we offered it to the public.
Nail Growth, Strength & Repair Serum | Easy Twist Pen
A$16.95
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
How long does it take for nail serum to work?
Most people notice softer cuticles within days, and fewer breaks and smoother edges within one to two weeks. Visible length takes longer: a fingernail grows about 3 mm a month, and the nail you can see was made two to three months ago. Results vary, and a serum only works if you use it.
Does cuticle oil actually work?
Yes, for dryness. Cuticle oil hydrates and conditions the skin around the nail, so rough cuticles and hangnails soften, and a hydrated nail breaks less. It does not make nails grow faster, because a fingernail grows about 3 mm a month whatever you use. Most people notice softer cuticles within days; results vary.
What does nail serum do?
A nail serum is an oil blend that hydrates and conditions the nail and the skin around it. It helps with dryness problems like peeling, snapping, rough cuticles and hangnails. It does not speed up growth. Used every day, most people notice softer cuticles within days; results vary.
