Oil, gel and nippers – take care of your nail cuticles properly

The skin around the nail can ruin every manicure. Cuticles stand out and go in the way when becoming hard and grapple to everything.
Today, we will discuss how to remove them, what to use to nourish the skin and how to prevent cuticles from ruining the beautiful manicure.

Dry and overgrown cuticles – the causes

• incorrectly made manicure;
• too frequent nipping the cuticles and the damage to the nail matrix;
• hand skin dryness;
• lack of protective gloves when using detergents;
• biting the nails and cuticles;
• the harmful impact of cosmetics, e.g. nail polish remover.

Did you know that…

The nail condition often reflects our health. Too little vitamin and microelements is the number one reason for nails, hair, and skin being in bad condition. Lack of vitamin H (biotin), vitamin A and vitamin B has a significant impact on hands, cuticles and nails appearance.

Overgrown and dry cuticles – it is usually our fault

Cuticles are often damaged due to our own doing. It happens when you incorrectly remove them, i.e. cut them out too deep with cuticle nippers. It can result in cuticles growing back faster, but also the damage to the nail. Keep in mind, that it does not mean that cutting your cuticles is forbidden.

Nail cuticles care – to cut them or not to cut them?

How should you remove cuticles then? Should you cut them out or not? There are two methods and both of them have their followers. One claim that you can just push cuticles back, other that you should cut them out. Truth be told, there is no better or worse method and when you visit the beautician you should just tell her whether you prefer your cuticles cut out or just softened and pushed back. Most manicurists cut out individual cuticles that are especially hard and the rest is just pushed back with a wooden stick.

When nipping the cuticles, it is also important to soften them with a special gel or liquid. Check the composition for moisturizing and softening substances, e.g. allantoin, aloe, oils, vitamin E, panthenol. Apply the gel or liquid and wait 2 minutes, in this time cuticles will soften and then you will be able to decide what to do next. Prepared this way cuticles can be cut out with disinfected cuticle nippers or if the issue isn’t too big just pushed back with a stick.

What should you use to moisturize the skin around nails?

When tending to the cuticles of great importance is to make sure the skin is moisturized on a regular basis. You can use natural oil for it, such as jojoba or castor oil. The oil will strengthen the nail plate while providing cuticles with hydration and making sure these are not dry, hard and rough.

Nail cuticles also like hand cream so every time you apply this product, make sure to rub some of it in the skin around nails. This way the cuticles will be soft and smooth. The perfect way to take care of the skin around nails on a regular basis is to use hand creams with emollients as they can moisturize skin. It is best to apply a bit of cream to the cuticles and leave it for a few minutes.

There are also many products dedicated especially to cuticles moisturizing. These are creams, gels in a tube and special liquids equipped in a brush for easier application to the cuticles (the brush looks like one you encounter in nail polish). All sorts of conditioners and nourishing oils for nails contain also the ingredients that take care of cuticles that is why these are enriched with vitamins A and E as well as panthenol, silk proteins, oils, and olive oil.