Sweet Almond, Jojoba, Chia and Linseed Oils in Nail Defender

At a glance

Slot five holds four oils: sweet almond, jojoba, chia and linseed. The brand lists the blend for moisture and nourishment.* Linseed is the oil of flax seeds, so you may also see it called flaxseed oil.

Where they come from

Almond oil is pressed from almonds. Jojoba comes from a desert shrub of the American Southwest, and what we call jojoba oil is really a liquid wax. Chia oil comes from the tiny seeds of a sage-family plant first farmed in Mexico. Linseed oil is pressed from flax seeds, one of the oldest crops people grew.

If you cook with nuts and seeds, you have likely met all four plants before.

Role on this label

The brand says this blend brings moisture and nourishment.* It is the conditioning half of the formula and a counterweight to the acid at the front.

That is the brand’s framing, passed along as written.

Why four

Oils feel different from one another. Almond is light, jojoba is smooth and steady, and chia and linseed come from seeds that are naturally full of plant oil. Using four lets one formula cover more ground than any single oil.

It also gives label readers more to look up.

Light, not heavy

Oils can sound heavy, but the brand describes Nail Defender as fast-absorbing with no residue.* The blend sits inside a light spray, not a thick cream, so a few seconds is all it asks before socks or shoes.

Next stop

The final name is the vitamin, vitamin E. For all the plant stories at once, read where each plant comes from.