Along with split ends and dry lips, bad cuticles are a small yet mighty beauty conundrum that has the power to spoil your look in an instant. That being said, removing them has got to be one of the most satisfying parts of your gel manicure, are we right?! Whilst your cuticles may seem unnecessary and always playing second fiddle to your beautiful nail art design, the skin surrounding our nails is just as important as the nails themselves. When treated with the care they deserve, cuticles help protect the nail, surrounding skin and keep your fingers looking (and feeling) healthy.
Here at CANDY COAT, we’re all about bringing you practical, expert tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your manicures. Consider this your no-nonsense guide to cuticle care.
STEP 1 | TAKE A CHILL PILL.
Before you go in all guns blazing and armed to the teeth with a fabulous array of snipping tools it's important to remember that cutting your cuticles should really be left to the professionals! The function of the cuticle is to act as a barrier to potential infection so getting it wrong could end up in an infection at worst and a messed up mani at best. You can, however, clip the excess dry, dead skin hanging off your cuticles; so when professionals cut your cuticles, what they're really doing is nipping that extra dry skin. More on that later.
STEP 2 | GIVE YOUR HANDS A WARM BATH.
Popping your hands in a bowl of lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes is the best way to start your cuticle care process as it starts to soften the skin surrounding the nail bed. Make sure not to overheat the water as this causes the nail to expand and contract over time which can cause damage as well as drying them out.
STEP 3 | *GENTLY* PUSH THEM BACK & TRIM ANY EXCESS.
The key to this whole thing? You’ve guessed it - gently! Grab your favourite CANDY COAT Cuticle Pusher and softly start to push the skin back to tidy up the surrounding area. If you notice a build up of dead skin it’s fine to carefully trim that away, being mindful to never cut away living flesh (that will come back thicker!). The CANDY COAT Cuticle Nipper or Scissors are perfect for the job. What’s great about this step is that you don’t have to be too meticulous about it. One of our pro tips is to gently push them back every couple of days after stepping out of the shower in order to keep on top of them, as your nails will be softened from the spray!
STEP 4 | USE A DEDICATED CUTICLE OIL.
By all means use a hand cream too but the key to keeping your cuticles growing soft and subtle is to use our CANDY COAT Cuticle Glaze on a daily basis. It prevents the nails themselves drying out (and becoming brittle) and helps to keep the surrounding skin nourished. Making this a daily practice will keep your nails in tip top condition AND protect them from any future damage by locking in much needed moisture helping them to grow long and strong from the get go. PRO tip: you can even add a few drops to your favourite hand cream as well as applying alone to amp up the formula.
There you have it! It’s often the simple things that make all the difference. A cuticle oil here, a quick soaking of the fingertips there, and just like that the nail care routine you’re so used to is instantly upgraded for fresh and nourished at-home hands.
Until next time, stay sweet!
x