The first cuticle product I ever used was Burt's Bees Cuticle Cream. It's semi expensive for a little jar but it lasts a long time because it's very compressed. It's got a lovely lemon scent too, which I love! Just use your fingers to rub some on your cuticles. You don't need an excessive amount just enough to moisturize. For best results do this 2-3 times daily.
The Second product I used was Sally Hansen's Vitamin E Cuticle Oil. Now, I loved my Burt's Bees, but this stuff was amazing! Probably because it was made with vitamin e. For those who don't know, vitamin e helps with repairing scar tissue while providing moisture so that's why it's so good for your cuticles. Putting vitamin e on a wound that's starting to heal will help decrease the appearance of the scar later on!
All sorts of vitamin e products can be purchased at a drugstore or even Walmart, such as pure vitamin e oil (a little expensive but totally worth it in my opinion), and Webber's Vitamin E gel and cream, which I own and have applied to my tattoos as recommended by my tattoo artist.
I'd recommend vitamin e if you have really dry cuticles with a lot of hangnails. Mine tend to be dry, especially in this cold Canadian winter weather!
My next product is Freeman's Bare Hands Cream. Not only do I love the scent of this mint & lavender cream, it reminds me of an Avon cream from when I was younger. It's hand and cuticle cream, so when I use it I make sure my cuticles get a nice moisturize too.
I'd recommend this, or any other similar hand/cuticle cream if your cuticles are under control but you just want something to moisturize them nicely everyday.
My last product is Pro FX Apricot Cuticle Oil. I haven't been using this for too long but it works like any other cuticle oil. I love the giant bottle though, so I know it's gonna last me FOREVER! My only disappointment is that it doesn't actually smell like apricot but it works great nonetheless. My friends also love it and made me apply it multiple times on them!
As far as tools go, my favourite cuticle pusher is my own fingernails. I tend to do this when I'm bored (I always have) or only a little while before I know I'll be changing my manicure (so the gap between my cuticle and polish isn't massive). I do own a couple cuticle pushers, and I prefer metal over anything else, and I like a round edge.
I've got a few different cuticle cutters, like scissors, the trimmers, and nail clippers of course. I find that the only tool to get close enough for my liking is the Sally Hansen Trimmer, but you've got to be extremely careful when you use it, I cannot stress that enough! Trimming cuticles too close could lead to an infection, and in some cases you actually need antibiotics, so let's just not go down that road. If your cuticles aren't long, you dont' even need to push them back. If you do want to push them back then just do that because they will settle down after pushed. Only cut them if necessary!
So, we've talked about all the cuticle products I own, now for my actual routine. I push my cuticles once or twice a week so they're fairly small. I only need to trim them once every 1-2 months because I regularly push them. I do my cuticles first to get them out of the way of my mani. I only apply cuticle oil after I've finished the mani and put top coat on, or else the polish won't stick to the cuticle oil on your nail and your mani won't last as long (duh!). I apply my hand/cuticle cream maybe every few days, and I only use my Burt's Bees Cuticle Cream once in a while. This is mostly because it's in my purse and I forget about it since I'm typically at school with my backpack and don't often need to use my purse.
I used to get a LOT of hangnails when I was younger and I would peel them and bleed and go to school with ugly bandaids :( I've learned since then though... NEVER EVER PEEL HANGNAILS! Don't touch them until you can cut them off! When you do cut them, use nail clippers and try to get as close to the base as you can then moisturize right away. I still get hangnails sometimes, but they're very tiny. I don't moisturize as often as I should so that's why they're drier than I want them. As long as you moisturize them after you push them, and you moisturize at least once daily then you should be set! Like I said, you only really need vitamin e as a remedial measure, although it is nice to have once in a while! One little secret I have is if you're out and don't have anything to moisturize them, I just use a bit of my lip chap (carmex exclusively) and rub it on my cuticles to make them happy!
Hope this helped you if that's what you were looking for! Comment below and let me know what you guys do for your cuticles :)
Even when I'm not at home, I'm concerned about my nail and cuticle health. I always make sure to have a pot of The Nail Junkie's Cutie Balm with me.Naturasil Natural Nail Fungus
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