Like many devoted beauty geeks, I am obsessed with my skin and hair care. Every potion and lotion you can think of, I've tried. I've got a system for my hair and a system for my skin and I am diligent about making sure I do each one every day, no excuses. My nails? Not so much. This is probably why, whenever I do make the rare manicure appointment, the technicians all get in a fight trying not to be the one to deal with my splitting nails and cracked cuticles.
I want to be the kind of girl who makes a ritual of her hand care, methodically applying lotion throughout the day, getting luxe treatments on the weekends, and with cuticles that would make a baby jealous. I just can't get in the habit. By the time I remember to put on hand lotion, it's 12:30 at night and I've already been asleep for 20 minutes.
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Perhaps that's why these nail oils from Japanese brand Uka caught my eye. There are five nail oils total: a basic one, to be applied whenever, and then four separate oils for specific times of the day. Each one is formulated with specific essential oil fragrances meant to optimize you for that time of day. So, your 7:15 oil features sandalwood, hinoki, and yuzu to help create a feeling of Zen that will help promote productivity, while your 24:45 (that's 12:45 p.m. for you non 24-hour clock types) has lavender, vanilla, and orange extracts to calm you down and ease you off into dream land.
Completely unnecessary? Obviously, but I love the idea of being a fancy lady who has different hand treatments for specific times of the day. And, it doesn't hurt that the oils really do make nails and hands feel amazing thanks to a super-hydrating and nourishing argan oil base. Impractical, but I don't care — my nails are sick of playing second fiddle to the rest of my beauty routine.
Uka Nail Oil Basic, $36.60, available at Woodley & Bunny.