Doing a manicure is not brain surgery. But if your goal is perfectly groomed nails, you need to know how to take care of cuticles like a pro. This way, you can ensure your hands always look neat and healthy even without paying regular visits to your local salon.

To cut or not to cut? That’s the question lots of people ask their nail techs when it comes to looking after cuticles. Some experts would recommend that you refrain from snipping off the gentle skin surrounding your nails, while others, to the contrary, suggest removing dry cuticles completely.

And while there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to this dilemma, you want to try different approaches to decide which one works best for you. Regardless of your preferences, what you want to do for sure is generously moisturize, nourish, and hydrate the skin around your nails and always keep it healthy.

Below are some cool tricks that can help you take your at-home cuticle care to the next level.  

Why is It Important to Take Care of Cuticles?

As with your skincare and hygiene routine, you need to stick to your nail care routine to banish dry, lackluster, and unattractive nails and cuticles.

It’s a common misconception that cuticles are useless. Any professional who knows how to take care of cuticles will tell you that the skin at the base of your fingernails and toenails plays a vital role in ensuring the health and attractiveness of your nails.

Cuticles guard against any mechanical injuries and deformities. They go a long way toward protecting the gentle nail matrix responsible for generating the new cells making up your nail plate.

What’s more, the cuticle keeps fungi and bacteria at bay by blocking their passage between the skin and your nail. Therefore, it’s critical that you keep your cuticles clean and hydrated to maintain and boost its barrier function.

Should You Keep or Snip Your Cuticles?   

It’s not a secret that a perfect manicure is impossible without perfect cuticles. And that brings us back to the question ‘Should I cut my cuticles or leave them intact?’

Most manicurists agree there’s nothing criminal about carefully removing the cuticles completely with the best cuticle scissors.

Dry, pesky cuticles might get in the way of an ideal manicure. So, if you’re aiming for perfect adherence and flawless look of your nails, you can safely ask your nail technician to snip it off. That said, you should be mindful that regularly removing the skin at the base of your nails will eventually lead to thicker cuticles.

Our bodies are wired to replace compromised skin (which is what we do when removing cuticles) with harder, callus-like skin. So, if you decide to cut your cuticles, you should be ready to deal with the consequences.  

How to Cut Cuticles the Right Way

First things first, you need to thoroughly clean and disinfect that area you’re attending to. Once you’re done filing your nails into preferred shape, push your cuticles toward the base of your nail. Consider investing in a quality metal cuticle pusher or a wooden stick.

These tools are great for cuticle care at home, as they allow speeding up the overall procedure and make it as safe as possible.

You can either soak your fingernails in a mixture of lukewarm water and soap for about 5 minutes or apply a dedicated cuticle remover. This will help soften your cuticle and make it come off of the nail plate easily.  

Rinse off your remover and carefully trim the dead excess skin. Don’t go overboard trimming all the way round your nails and remember to use only quality tools specifically engineered for removing unwanted cuticles.

You would be well-advised to opt for the best professional cuticle scissors or nippers to achieve the desired results without compromising your skin.

Aftercare Tips

Now that you know how to cut cuticles, you should learn some simple aftercare tips.

You definitely want to avoid intense hydration and contact with harsh detergents. So, always wear rubber gloves when doing your dishes and wipe your hands dry after water exposure.

Your cuticles can benefit from extra nourishment and moisturizing, as well. So, don’t skimp on cuticle oil, which helps you seal in moisture.

Also, get into a habit of finessing your nail care routine by slathering your cuticle with some occlusive cream or ointment. You can go for petroleum jelly or any other occlusive product. You can safely apply it over your regular moisturizer, nail growth serum, etc.    

Hopefully, these recommendations will help you keep your cuticles in a tip-top shape. Still, if you have any problems or need more clarification on a certain matter, don’t hesitate to contact a professional manicurist or dermatologist.

They will tell you what to do with the cuticles you couldn’t tame at home.