:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/333377448_1259937151285937_6369443454925649479_n-c9e90b67b9a34c59b55532ec2a58880c.jpg "7 DIY Cuticle Removal Methods, Straight From Nail Experts (1)")
Anyone who has ever attempted their own manicure knows, no matter how much you master painting within the lines, it never looks quite as good as a salon-quality paint job. We feel your pain. But we also have a way to remedy it. Chances are, you're forgetting one crucial element of a picture-perfect nail look—your cuticles.
Think about it: Whenever you go to the nail salon, your manicurist cleans up your nails before applying polish. While this includes removing all trace amounts of lacquer, it also includes dissolving and pushing cuticles back so that each nail bed is clean and even. After all, you don't want to apply your polish only to realize that the base of each nail is wavy due to the varying degrees of your cuticles.
While you might not be able to head to a salon anytime you want, you can cater to your cuticles wherever, whenever. To help you do just that, we chatted with a few pros to explain seven DIY cuticle remover methods you can try at home.
Keep reading to learn more about how to remove cuticles from the comfort of your own home.
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Try Not to Cut Them—Seriously
Trimming the cuticles might seem healthy, but it can actually create more hangnails and jagged edges and even cause infection. "The cuticles act as a sealed barrier between the skin and the nail to help keep our microbes and irritants," says board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD. In other words, it's best to keep them as intact as possible. If you feel like you absolutely must trim, only clip what's hanging, not the cuticle itself.
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Use a Cuticle-Remover Pen
Since cutting cuticles can get tricky fast, pro manicurist Debora Lippmann recommends leaving the cutting to the pros and using a cuticle remover instead. Her Cuticle Remover Pen ($24) makes the dissolving process easy as can be—after applying the pen, Lippmann recommends using a stainless steel pusher to gently ease the cuticles back.
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Try Cuticle Nippers
Just as you shouldn't cut your cuticles, you should never pull them, either. "If you have a little piece of skin hanging—just barely attached, use your cuticle nippers," Lippmann notes. "Eyeball that piece of skin. Place the head of your nipper at the base of the hanging skin. Close and open the jaw in the same spot but do not pull; simply place the cuticle nippers on the extra skin and open and close."
If you're curious as to why, hear us out: Pulling your cuticles can cause the tiny piece of hanging skin to rip centimeters down your finger—ultimately causing more harm than good.
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Swipe On a Cuticle Oil
Paintbox creative director Mabelyn Alva advises using cuticle oil on nails both for maintenance and prevention. "For at-home maintenance, you can push your cuticles back gently while you're in the shower with a cuticle pusher or orangewood stick," she says. "Apply PaintboxCuticle Oil($28) daily to keep nails hydrated and to prevent dry cuticles and hangnails."
King agrees with using oil on the cuticles. "It's very important to keep the skin around the nails moisturized to boost their function against bacteria that can penetrate and cause infection," she says.
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Soak Them
Manicurist Nicole Wong swears by soaking nails in soapy water. "First, push your cuticles with a wooden stick or use a cuticle pusher to loosen up the cuticles on your nail, then soak them in soapy, warm water for a couple of minutes," she advises. "Soaking your cuticleswill make it easier to see and trim dead skin."
Once the cuticles are dry, "end the process by moisturizing your nail beds," she says. "Use a hydrating hand cream and preferably a cuticle oil with healing ingredients to avoid infection. My favorite is theMiniluxe cuticle nourishing oil($20). It's great because it hasnatural tea tree oil, which is EGW-certified, antimicrobial, and has nourishing benefits of vitamin E."
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Use a Buffer
If dissolving your cuticles doesn't seem to be working, consider buffing them. "Use a nail buffer on dry skin to gently buff away any excess cuticles as needed," says Gibson Tuttle. "Gently glide the buffer cube back and forth along the edge of the cuticle to erase dry skin and smooth things out."
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Incorporate a Hydrating Serum Into Your Routine
One of the biggest and best things you can do for cuticles is to keep them hydrated. The more hydrated they are, the easier they'll be to shape and push back."Dryness causes damage," Gibson Tuttle says. "Applying daily Cuticle Serum ($30) is our number one tip to encourage healthy cuticles and nail growth."
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