First of all, what is the cuticle? The cuticle is the thin layer of skin that covers the base of your nails. It serves as a protective barrier, preventing bacteria and infection from entering your nail bed. It is important to take care of your cuticles to maintain healthy nails and prevent issues such as hangnails and dry, cracked skin.
So, why do you need to care for your cuticles? Proper cuticle care not only keeps your nails healthy but also enhances the appearance of your manicure. By keeping your cuticles moisturized and well-maintained, you can ensure that your nail polish goes on smoothly and lasts longer. Plus, healthy cuticles can help prevent painful and unsightly nail problems.
Now, let’s talk about how to care for your cuticles. Start by gently pushing back your cuticles with a cuticle pusher or orangewood stick after soaking your hands in warm water. This will help to remove any dead skin and promote healthy nail growth. Avoid cutting your cuticles, as this can lead to infection and irritation.
After pushing back your cuticles, moisturize them with a nourishing cuticle oil or cream. Massage the product into your cuticles and nails to keep them hydrated and healthy. You can also gently exfoliate your cuticles with a sugar scrub to remove any dry, flaky skin.
Finally, remember to maintain your cuticles regularly. Make cuticle care a part of your weekly nail routine to keep your nails looking their best. And don’t forget to protect your hands and nails from harsh chemicals and excessive water exposure, as these can damage your cuticles and nails.
By following these tips and taking care of your cuticles, you can achieve healthy, beautiful nails that look great in any manicure. So, make cuticle care a priority in your nail care routine and enjoy the benefits of strong, beautiful nails!
The Cuticle Debate
There are debates in the nail community about whether to cut cuticles. I have been attending nail courses in 2021 and working as a nail service master since then. I am all for cutting cuticles, with the condition that you understand what you are doing. PS – This applies to everything related to nails. Read this blog post about why I believe it’s important to educate yourself about nails before starting!
In nail courses, you learn about all parts of the nail and what it consists of. Here’s a brief diagram:
People often say that you shouldn’t cut cuticles and are referring to the Eponychium, which is living tissue, but the cuticle is actually dead tissue that grows on nails and often adheres to the nail bed. Since it is dead tissue, it is safe to remove and it even helps the manicure last longer. Here’s another perspective:
Now, I never recommend cutting live skin because it’s painful, unnecessary, and can cause issues like infection or bleeding. We don’t want that. So today, I’ll share how I like to safely remove cuticles and dead skin from the cuticle area to make my manicure look great and last long!
Professional manicure
If you want your manicure to look very professional, for the polish or gel to adhere well, and for your manicure to last longer (ESPECIALLY GEL), you should take care of your cuticles. Without cuticle care, your manicure can look messy and chip sooner!! I also love cuticle care because I believe it helps maintain the appearance over time and prevents hangnails/temptation to pick at the skin. That’s what we all want, right!
I also want to highlight the importance of removing cuticles in gel manicures. As you can see in the photo above, the cuticle literally looks like a thin piece of skin growing on the nail. You can imagine that since it can be easily removed, it doesn’t adhere well to the nail, meaning it can decide to peel off and not stick properly during the day, and if there is gel on this cuticle that decides to peel off, your gel will also come off! So we want to completely remove it for your gel to adhere to your NAIL, not to the cuticle.
Cuticle care methods
There are several different methods that I like for cuticle care, and I still use them to this day. But first, let me tell you why DRY MANICURE is essential for safe cuticle care.
A dry manicure is a manicure without any liquid elements (except I use alcohol for nail sanitization, it really dries and does not moisturize). Dry manicures are great for cuticle care because the last thing you want to do when you’re ready to remove dead, dry skin/cuticle is to REHYDRATE it. If you keep everything very dry, then you can easily distinguish live skin from dead! Also, dry manicures keep your nail bed dry/prevent its expansion, which helps your polish last longer too!!
This means we are not using liquid cuticle remover!! These are lotions or gels designed to remove cuticles from the nail bed, but they often need to be soaked in soapy water to stop working, which means you are adding more moisture to your nails! I used to use them before, but since I started doing dry manicures, I haven’t looked back. And I don’t even have them.
I always trim the dry skin that has shifted during this process. Since everything is dry, it’s very easy to determine which skin is tough, dry, a different color from my live skin, and ready to come off. This process is ABSOLUTELY painless. If it hurts, your skin is alive, and you shouldn’t cut it. My Nail Preparation Course shows you how to precisely treat the cuticle area (more details below) if you’re interested in learning!
I also always trim hangnails if present during this process. And honestly, I think the dry manicure process HELPS keep hangnails under control so well. If you have issues with hangnails or peeling skin, you might like this. You trim dead/dry skin and ultimately moisturize with cuticle oils, giving your nails a clean look, and you don’t leave hangnails that you can gnaw on and cause infections!! I rarely have hangnails now.
Aside from removing cuticles and shaping nails, another important step in preparing your nails for a manicure is to buff the surface of your nails. This helps to smooth out any ridges or imperfections, creating a perfect base for nail polish or gel application.
Additionally, it’s essential to properly clean your nails before starting the manicure process. Use a gentle nail brush to remove any dirt or debris from around your nails and underneath them. This will help ensure that your manicure looks clean and professional.
Lastly, don’t forget to moisturize your hands and nails regularly to keep them healthy and hydrated. Dry, brittle nails are more prone to breakage and chipping, so make sure to use a good quality hand cream or cuticle oil to keep your nails in top condition.
Cuticle care tools
- Alcohol (from any pharmacy, make sure it’s over 80%)
- Not all cuticle sticks are created equal. This is my FAVORITE. I like the angle because it helps push the cuticle BACK, not down. We want to be gentle in this process to avoid damage. It’s also slightly sharp, so you really don’t need to apply much effort, and your cuticle will start peeling right away. It’s amazing.
- Please buy a new pair of cuticle nippers. I like this pair! You need sharp cuticle nippers to use them safely. It’s much easier to cut dead skin when your nippers are sharp, and you’ll feel much better and safer with sharper ones than dull ones.
- I also want to emphasize the importance of using new cuticle stones for each manicure or every few manicures. If you’re using the same one year after year/even if you’ve used it more than 3 times, YOU NEED A NEW ONE. haha. They should be fresh, otherwise, there’s no point! I like these stones because you get SO MUCH for a great price, and they’re amazing.
- SAME THING! Please buy a new nail file through each manicure or every few manicures. Especially if you’re doing gel fills. They wear out quickly and work much better when they’re fresh. I like this set because you get a lot.
Cuticle care methods
Here are my two favorite methods of cuticle care. They are quite similar, but one uses an electric file! Also, this is not a complete nail prep explanation, it’s ONLY cuticle care. For a full tutorial on nail prep, get my new Dry Manicure Prep Course!
METHOD 1:
- Remove all product (polish or gel)
- Push back cuticles and gently scrape excess cuticle from the nail bed
- Use a stone to easily remove peeling cuticles, focusing on the cuticle area of your nails
- Use nippers to carefully trim dead, dry, peeling skin in the cuticle area and on the nail bed, as well as hangnails if you have them
- If necessary, buff again
- Use a nylon brush and alcohol to remove dust and debris from the nail bed before applying polish
METHOD 2:
Personally, I LOVE using an electric file for cuticle work because it’s SO ACCURATE. It really does everything for you, and I believe it helps with cuticle care.
Incorporate a Hydrating Serum Into Your Routine
Hydration is key for healthy cuticles. Use a daily cuticle serum to encourage healthy growth and shape them easily.
In addition to using a hydrating serum, it’s important to keep your hands well moisturized. Dry hands can lead to dry and brittle cuticles, so make sure to regularly apply a nourishing hand cream throughout the day.
Furthermore, don’t forget to protect your cuticles from harsh chemicals and excessive water exposure. Consider wearing gloves while doing dishes or cleaning to prevent damage to your cuticles.
Regularly pushing back your cuticles gently can also help improve their appearance and promote healthy growth. Be sure to use a cuticle pusher or orangewood stick to avoid causing any damage.
By incorporating these tips into your routine, you can ensure your cuticles stay healthy, hydrated, and looking their best.
It’s important to keep your nails and cuticles healthy and strong, especially if you’re prone to dryness or breakage. In addition to using a nail strengthener like ISDIN SI-NAILS, there are a few other tips to keep in mind.
First, make sure to keep your hands and nails well-hydrated by applying a moisturizing hand cream regularly. This will help prevent dryness and promote healthy nail growth.
Second, be gentle when removing excess cuticles. Avoid cutting or tearing at them, as this can lead to infection and damage. Instead, gently push back the cuticles with a cuticle pusher or a warm, damp washcloth.
Lastly, remember to protect your nails from damage by wearing gloves when doing chores or using harsh chemicals. This will help prevent breakage and keep your nails looking their best.
By following these tips and incorporating a nail strengthener into your routine, you can achieve strong, healthy nails and cuticles.