Stretch out your hand and take a look at your nails. See those tiny crescents of skin at the base of each nail? Your cuticles are made of the same cells as the rest of your skin, but because they’re thinner than the skin on your elbows, back, knees and ankles, cuticles are ultra-sensitive and far more prone to wear and tear. For that reason, you may need to take extra precautions to keep your cuticles healthy.
If your manicured nails are works of art, your cuticles are their frames. We all know that overgrown, dry or jagged cuticles can cause pain and embarrassment and can ruin an otherwise perfect manicure. In a perfect world, you could visit the spa each morning to keep our cuticles in check, but for most that simply isn’t an option. Thankfully, a little knowledge and a simple beauty routine can go a long way toward maintaining beautiful, healthy cuticles that keep you looking your best from head to toe.
You can start by limiting your exposure to harsh conditions that will dry and damage skin. When washing dishes, scrubbing a floor or gardening, always wear latex gloves. Swap harsh antibacterial soap for a gentle soap without chemical dyes and detergents. Be sure to keep a bottle of lotion next to every sink in your house. Each time you wash your hands, apply a pearl of moisturizing lotion like H2V Quench to your hands and rub it in, paying special attention to your cuticles. This will protect them not only from the drying effects of soap, but from the damage caused by hard water as well.
If you do find yourself with jagged or overgrown cuticles between spa visits, it’s perfectly okay to trim their edges to improve their appearance and to lower the likelihood of further damage – but be careful. Over-trimming can lead to injuries, and trimming that pesky hangnail could result in a serious infection if your cuts get exposed to bacteria.
The single best thing you can do for your cuticles? Schedule a spa checkup with your favorite beauty expert at least once a month. And don’t start neglecting your cuticles as soon as you step outside of the spa doors, either. Nourish and protect them by following these easy tips, because although they’re small, your cuticles deserve just as much love and attention as the rest of you.
