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How Do I Choose the Best Cuticle Cream?
Cuticle cream is great for softening cuticles and making them more manageable. Unhealthy cuticles can create problems, including infection, so it is best to care for your nails and the surrounding skin on a regular basis. Cream products are great for treating cuticles and softening the skin to make them easier to trim. Neat, well-cared for cuticles are important for health reasons as well as for the sake of appearance.
The cuticle is the protective layer where the nail and the skin come together. Some people push the lower edge back but it is important to do so very gently and only with the use of clean, appropriate tools.
Damaged or ragged cuticles can cause pain or worse. Never bite torn cuticles. Always remove ragged areas appropriately, taking care not to cut too deeply. You may also want to try rubbing away little pieces of skin after moisturizing thoroughly. Use a clean cloth to rub the area gently.
The cuticle is in place to keep bacteria from finding its way underneath the nails. If cuticles are bitten, torn, or cut inappropriately, serious infection can occur. It is also important to ensure that any manicure or pedicure tools are thoroughly cleaned before using them, or allowing them to be used, on your hands or feet. Don’t hesitate to ask about the steps followed to keep such tools clean when you visit a nail salon.
A professional nail technician may suggest a particular brand of cuticle cream for you. You may be able to purchase the one used in your favorite salon directly from the operator or by placing an order. You can also shop online, at a beauty supply center, or at your favorite drugstore.
Cuticle cream can be massaged into the skin, to help keep the skin soft and supple. Doing so at night, along with other moisturizing routines, is a good option. Look for a product that not only moisturizers, but helps keep moisture in. You may also want to wear cotton gloves to bed after applying cuticle cream.
There are many options of cuticle cream from which to choose, from famous brand names to your local store brand. There are all natural remedies of cuticle cream and cuticle oil, or you can create your own homemade formulas. Homemade options often include vegetable oils with a bit of essential oil to add fragrance. You can also use simple petroleum jelly or mix the jelly with lemon juice.
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![Cuticle creams can be used to soften the cuticles on the toenails as well as on the fingernails.]()
By: Valua VitalyCuticle creams can be used to soften the cuticles on the toenails as well as on the fingernails. -
![Olive oil, which is found in most kitchens, is a simple and inexpensive way to moisturize cuticles.]()
By: margo555Olive oil, which is found in most kitchens, is a simple and inexpensive way to moisturize cuticles. -
![Many commercially available creams and lotions are used as cuticle treatments.]()
By: StockPhotosArtMany commercially available creams and lotions are used as cuticle treatments.
Discussion Comments
I prefer cuticle cream to cuticle oil, because it seems so much richer. Oil is slippery and slides around, while cream sits right where you applied it.
Just as I prefer a body cream to a body lotion, I love using a cuticle cream that will lock in moisture. There is something so luxurious about a deeply moisturizing substance that stays with you rather than dissipating quickly.
I don't like cuticle gels that pose as creams. To me, a cuticle cream should be a solid color and have the consistency of thick cake frosting.
@Perdido – That is just gross and unsanitary! How do those people even manage to keep their licenses to operate? It seems that more customers would be concerned about their methods.
Like you, I am too concerned with germs and infections to entrust my manicure to a stranger. I like to make my own beauty products when possible, and I started making my own nail cuticle cream after my favorite brand was discontinued.
I use two simple ingredients to make the cream. I mix lemongrass essential oil with petroleum jelly. It spreads on nice and thick, giving it time to absorb, and it smells very pleasant.
I am always afraid of getting a nail infection, so I watch salon workers carefully before letting them give me a nail manicure. I walk into the salon on a crowded day and sit and watch. That way, if I don't like what I see, I can simply walk out without having to break an appointment.
I did walk out of a salon last month because of something I saw involving cuticle cream. The nail technician picked up a girl's hand and set it down in a jar of cuticle cream, and she rubbed the product over her fingers. This jar had been used on no telling how many people before, and this was just the way they did things.
I wasn't about to risk infection this way, so I split. I decided to get my own cuticle cream and start doing my nails at home.
I started using a cuticle and nail cream after I began getting numerous hangnails. I was always tempted to rip them away when I didn't have clippers with me, and I suffered nauseating pain when the hangnail took some skin with it.
The area was raw and red for days. I wore a bandage to prevent infection, and I scolded myself for not taking better care of the area in the first place.
Since I have been using cuticle cream, I haven't had any more rough hangnails. I use one with a gel-like consistency, and it is so very moisturizing. It is better than any lotion I have ever used on my hands.
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