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It is not enough to make a manicure, it would be nice to make sure that it is preserved for a long time. First of all, pay attention to the condition of the cuticle – regularly use a special oil and cream. Although this is not all.
Need for cuticle care
The cuticle serves as a kind of protective barrier to nails, protecting them from bacteria and pollution.
If the cuticle is not cared for, it becomes dry, cracks and burrs appear on it. All this reduces its barrier functions to nothing.
Basic cuticle care
On well-moisturized hands, the cuticle is almost invisible.
Rule number one is to moisturize and moisturize again. The cuticle should not be dry and hard, otherwise your number one problem will be burrs. And this is not only unpleasant, but also traumatic for the skin around the nail plate.
A professional manicure once every two weeks is good, but not enough for proper care. In between visits to the manicure room, you will have to perform a few more manipulations.
Do hand baths
Salt bath 1-2 times a week will strengthen the skin and nails, soften the cuticle. Water should be at a comfortable temperature, and in addition to sea salt, you can add a drop of essential oil to it.
After the bath, make an oil scrub with salt or sugar crystals and, as a final step, apply a nourishing cream to damp skin.
Use a remover
This is a special category of products intended for the cuticle. The remover (from the English remove – “remove”, “eliminate”) is applied directly to the cuticle for a short time (from 30 seconds to 5 minutes), then washed off, after which the cuticle softened with it is pushed back. This product is mainly used for professional care during manicure and pedicure procedures.
Most often, cuticle removers come in the form of a gel, light liquid cream or thick lotion.
Take care of your cuticles
To prevent the cuticle from growing, it needs to be pushed back about once a week. Ideally, this manipulation should be carried out by a manicurist, and the procedure looks like this:
softening the cuticle with a bath and / or remover;
actually pushing back with a special metal tool (pusher) or an orange stick.
An orange stick has two sides:
one in the form of a spatula – it is she who is needed to process the cuticle so as not to injure the skin;
the other is pointed: it can be used to remove dirt from under the nail.
In the absence of professional skills with pushing back the cuticle, it is better not to experiment, there is a risk of injury and infection.
Massage
Massage is useful not only for cuticle care, but also in order to maintain the elasticity of the skin of the hands and strengthen the nail plate.
Apply a little cream or cosmetic oil to your hands.
Massage thoroughly until fully absorbed.
Pay special attention to massage your fingers, rubbing the cream in the direction from the tips to the palm of your hand in a circular motion.
Moisturize
Use hand and nail cream. It takes good care of cuticles.
This is where different types of resources come in handy.
Cuticle oil. Carry it with you in your purse (close the bottle tightly so that it does not spill) and use it whenever possible. Usually, the composition of such products includes a mix of oils, for example, jojoba, olive, avocado.
Hand cream. Many of them are suitable for caring for the cuticle and even the nail plate. You want the ones that contain vitamin E, allantoin, chamomile and aloe extracts.
Cuticle preparations. They are produced in different formats: stick, pencil, cream, balm.
The top tip from nail technicians is to use cuticle care products daily, ideally in the morning and evening. Apply directly to cuticles, gently spread and rub in until completely absorbed.
Practical advice from experts
If during a manicure you ask the master what needs to be done to keep the cuticle in good condition, you will be given basic recommendations that are best followed.
Apply cuticle oil every day.
Use hand cream all year round. In summer – moisturizing and containing SPF, in winter – dense protective. At night, you can and should apply a nourishing hand cream.
So that the body and the skin of the hands (and hence the cuticle) do not experience a shortage of moisture, follow the drinking regimen. The norm of 2 liters per day does not work for everyone, so calculate the optimal amount of water individually using the formula 30 ml per 1 kg of weight.
Safety measures
But you can’t do this if you want the cuticle to look beautiful and healthy.
Do not start processing the cuticle if it has inflammation and burrs. Even if the procedure is performed by a professional.
Fans of edged manicure, in which the cuticle is not pushed back, but cut off, it is better to entrust this task to the master. No self-activity, if you do not want to get hurt with all the ensuing unpleasant consequences.
Funds overview
Hand Cream Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, Kiehl’s
Squalane, shea butter and avocado oils provide nutrition, softening, hydration of the skin of the hands, as well as cuticles. Protects the skin.
Regenerating hand cream “Intensive care. Nutrition, Garnier
It will come in handy for those whose hands often come into contact with water: for example, if you go to the pool or do wet cleaning daily. The formula with allantoin and glycerin restores, nourishes, gives comfort and softness. When applying, rub the cream into the cuticle to soften it.
Revitalizing cream for very dry skin of hands Lipikar Xerand, La Roche-Posay
Thanks to allantoin and thermal water, La Roche-Posay relieves dry and irritated hands from discomfort and protects against environmental aggressors.