Beauty self-care is one of the most vital cares women should do for themselves. Whether you have the funds to take care of it professionally or not, it’s important to treat yourself to little (or big) beauty rituals on a regular basis. Things like taking care of your nails, working to maintain your cuticles at home and pampering yourself truly makes a difference.
You don’t always have to spend an arm and a leg by going to the nail shop to take care of the essentials. If you cannot find the time or don’t have the money to hit up your nail salon for a manicure, don’t worry. There are so many alternatives you can try that are fun and affordable. Check out a few simple steps to help you achieve healthy looking cuticles at home.
How to maintain your cuticles at home
First, think about the cuticles
A lot of times, people do not realize the role cuticles have in protecting their nails. Cuticles act as a protective barrier that prevents bacteria from sneaking into the nail bed. It is vital to keep your cuticles healthy to avoid infections from entering your body.
Prior to starting your at-home, natural cuticle care treatment. make certain you have all the tools and products you need to properly treat your cuticles. You will need nail polish remover, hair conditioner, a bowl of warm water, paper towels, soft cloth, and hand moisturizer.
Start with bare nails
If you have any nail polish on your nails, be sure to remove the polish with a non-acetone nail polish remover. Nail polish remover that has acetone in it is harsh and dries the nail and surrounding skin. You want to start treating your cuticles with a clean smooth base, and no traces of old polish.
Next, you will need to moisturize your nails by applying hair conditioner to your cuticles. You can apply however much you want but I recommend enough to cover around your cuticles. Once you have applied the moisturizer to your cuticles you then should soak your hands into the warm bowl of water.
Let your hands soak in the bowl for a couple a minutes; here you can listen to your favorite music and zen out. Soaking your fingertips in the soapy water helps loosen the skin around the cuticles. When your cuticles appear supple remove, your hands from the water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Treat your cuticles
After you have patted your nails and cuticles dry, you can massage some olive oil or whatever oil you prefer, into your nail beds to restore moisturizer. If you do not have a brand in mind, try applying cuticle cream. Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream works amazing.
The cream helps create a protective barrier around your nail to ensure it grows healthy and strong. Once oil has been applied, you can push your cuticles back by using certain tools made specifically for maintaining cuticles.
Due to all the soaking you did, this part should not be as bad as you imagined. Gently using the tool, push the cuticles back, and move the tool in circles to get rid of the dead skin. As much as you may want to cut your cuticles, don’t do it. If you cut your cuticles incorrectly you can be prone to infection, and that is a major no- no! After your cuticles have been pushed back, you can take you favorite hand moisturizer and moisturize your hands. Viola! You have just given yourself a homemade cuticle care treatment!
Related: How to Remove Acrylic Nails at Home
Treating yourself does not mean you always have to spend a ton of money. There are many ways you can pamper yourself right in the comfort of your own home. Have you ever done an at-home self-care treatment? If so, what was it? Do you have any tricks you use to maintain perfect cuticles? Share in the comments section below if you have tried cuticle maintenance at home or if you have your own self-care tips!
