Oil stained fingers and nails for a week after every under the hood encounter was once a fact of life for me.
I tried every lotion, potion and all kinds of commotion to keep my hands and fingernails clean, but nothing worked and my hands were taking a lot of abuse. A few years ago, I started using latex gloves purchased from the local hardware store. They worked OK, but didn't last very long or fit very well. Recently we tried a glove made specifically for professional auto mechanics by MICRO-FLEX.
MICRO-FLEX "Diamond Grip" gloves are very strong and comfortable and provide great "feel". It's possible to work on your car all day and only go through a couple sets. The gloves are lightly powdered, so they slip on easily. A small amount of baby powder makes re-using the gloves easier with sweaty hands. Give'm a try and you'll wonder why you waited so long.
Diamond Grip is a model of gloves made by Microflex. They have been in business for over 25 years making gloves for all professions, automotive to surgical.