Cuticles are hard, rough and definitely not pretty to look at. They can really ruin the look of your nails. The good news is, they’re not indestructible, so prepare to attack.
A blessing in disguise
Although you wouldn’t mind going without them, nail cuticles are there for a purpose. The skin that covers the base of your nails plays an essential role: it protects you against all sorts of infections and stops certain germs from entering your body. That is exactly the reason why you should never cut your nail cuticles. Also, when you do that, cuticles could grow back twice as thick.
The lethal weapon
The secret to defeating your nail cuticles resides in your mastering the cuticle pusher, also known as an orange stick. Follow our plan of attack and you may just win your battle against your cuticles:
- Soften the skin. Unless you just came out of the shower or bath, first soak your hands in a bowl full of lukewarm soapy water for approximately ten minutes. And while you’re at it, why not naturally whiten your nails by adding a good quantity of lemon juice?
- Apply an emollient. Moisturizer is a foolproof ingredient to attack the toughest cuticles. This product will further soften the skin all over your hands.
- Push back the cuticles. After your cuticles are softened, you can use an orange stick to gently push the cuticles back, either to allow the nail to keep growing properly or to apply nail polish or fake nails.
Note that these steps should be repeated every ten days to stop your cuticles from gaining ground.
Pamper your nails
It’s no secret that to keep your nails beautiful, you have to moisturize and nourish them daily. So every day, take a few minutes to massage your fingertips with hand cream, sweet almond oil or olive oil. The circular motion will restore your nails’ vitality after just a few weeks. And why not combine something useful with something enjoyable and treat yourself to a little down time at the beauty salon.
Now you know everything there is to know about this easy and inexpensive technique. Remember: the only time it’s okay to use a cuticle nipper is to prevent the risk of infection if you notice small cuts at the base of the nail. Otherwise, the key when it comes to nail cuticles is to simply push them back.
