If oil causes acrylic nails to lift, then why are we urged to use it and to tell clients to use cuticle oil?

Oils on the nail plate can block adhesion, but they cannot dissolve the product once it has bonded to the nail plate. Even small amounts of oil on the nail plate will block areas where the product will normally adhere. But once product adhesion to the plate is established, oils will not break this bond. Applying a penetrating oil to an enhancement surface can be very useful. Penetrating oils, such as jojoba, can add flexibility and toughness to the enhancement. (An oil that won’t penetrate the skin, such as mineral oil, probably won’t penetrate enhancements or nail plates.) In short, remove oils from the nail plate to prevent lifting, add penetrating oils to the enhancement to increase product longevity. It is a tried-and-true combination that really works. — Doug Schoon