Nail Care Series! Part 1- Cuticle Care

Hey everyone! So I get asked pretty frequently about my nail care routine and what I do, so I thought why not do a series! I am going to have a post up every Saturday, each time with a new topic! Today this series will start with part 1 (of course) which is cuticle care!

This post might be a little wordy, but I'll try to keep it as short and informative as possible! *DISCLAIMER* I am not in any way a licensed professional, this is just what I do manicure my own nails.

First let's talk removers!

Blue Cross Cuticle Remover

This product, by far, is the best cuticle remover I have ever used! A lot of ladies on Instagram had been raving about this product, so I thought why not give it a try. I purchased my bottle at Sally Beauty Supply for five dollars. This bottle is 16oz and should last a very long time! I use this product about once a week to remove dead skin from the cuticle area. I place my fingers under warm water to soften the cuticles and then I work on two fingers at a time. I drop a little bit of product on my cuticle and let it sit for about 20 or 30 seconds. Then I take a wooden orange stick and gently push my cuticles back. After I am done, I run my fingers under warm water and dry them with a towel. Now I use a wooden stick, but a metal stick can also be used. If you chose a metal stick, please be careful not to take out a chunk of your actual nail. I know from personal experience that it does not make for a pretty manicure because there will be little dents in your nail. I really love this product and if you can get your hands on this, please do!

Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover

Before I discovered the Blue Cross Cuticle Remover, this is what I used. This Instant Cuticle Remover can be purchased on the Walmart site or in stores. To use this I would repeat the same steps used for the previous remover. I personally don't like this remover. I don't think that it completely removes all of the dead skin that needs to be removed. Maybe it would have helped to leave the product sitting on my cuticles for about 3 or 4 minutes, but I don't know. Before using this product, I used another Sally Hansen product called Problem Cuticle Remover. I don't really have much to say about that one, because I only used it once and I was a nail noob then :P

One thing that I do want to stress to you, DO NOT cut your cuticles, please!! I know the nail salons do it, and if you go to a salon, please ask to not have your cuticles cut! Alright, confession time. I used to cut my cuticles :o :o I don't do that anymore though! Cutting your cuticles may make them look good, but it is the worst thing that you can do! Your cuticles are a natural barrier to nasty infections, bacteria, and fungus. They also play a part in your nail growth. If you cut or mess with your cuticles you could loose this protection and could also end up with permanent nail damage! I also know, from personal experience, that if you cut your cuticles that they will hurt extremely bad! All in all, PLEASE do not cut your cuticles!! 

Alright, next let's talk about moisturizing!

Lush Lemony Flutter

Two words. Lemony. Flutter. This is the most amazing butter/cream for your cuticles. It can be purchased on the Lush site. It retails for about 16 dollars, which might be a lot of money, but I have had mine for close to 7 months and I'm not even halfway through the little pot. Lemony Flutter is very very oily, so I like to rub it on my cuticles at night and in the morning I wake up with supper soft cuticles. It can also be used on your knees, heels, and elbows. I also really like the scent, which is pretty strong. I personally don't think that it is annoying. It smells like, well, lemons! I love this stuff!

Sally Hansen Vitamin E Cuticle Oil

Sally Hansen Vitamin E Cuticle Oil is another moisturizer that I like. This can be purchased at Walmart or on the site. I like to use this when I am on the go and my cuticles need some love. I also use this right after I paint my nails and my top coat has dried a bit. I feel like Lemony Flutter has a longer lasting effect than this one does, but it does the job at hand. 

I would encourage you to take care of your cuticles, your nails will feel better! If the least you can do is moisturize, then go go go! If you read all of this, props to you!! I hope you enjoyed this post, and let me know if you did in the comments! If there is a question about cuticle care that I didn't answer, let me know! I'll try and answer it for you! Stay tuned for the next part of this series next Saturday!