Simple Tricks for Happy Cuticles

Possibly one of the toughest things to keep hydrated and looking good on our bodies is our cuticles. Whether you get regular manicures or you tend to work with your hands more often than not, dry and cracked cuticles plague us all equally. Keeping your hands well moisturized at all times is one way of trying to keep your cuticles healthy, but along with that there are a few more things you can do to make sure that your cuticles reign back their unruly ways.

First and foremost, make sure you moisturize inside and out. This means, not only using a thick emollient lotion after every time you wash your hands, or wash dishes, but also make sure you are hydrated on the inside as well. Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. If water is not to your liking, then diluted fresh fruit juice and decaffeinated teas work well too. Add Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet as well. These have been proved to improve the condition of your skin, hair and nails by nourishing them and allowing them to maintain normal levels of natural moisture.

Before you go to bed at night, rub Vaseline, olive or almond oils onto your hands and particularly your cuticles and then wear cotton gloves on your hands while you sleep. The condition of your cuticles will be incredibly improved after even just one night of keeping them hydrated this way.

Never cut your cuticles or allow a manicurist to cut them for you. This is a sure fire way to irritate your cuticles and worse yet, to tear them making them more prone to fungus and other infections. Push back your cuticles with an orange stick rather than cut them off. Pushing them back is more effective and less damaging.

Try tossing out old nail polish that contains formaldehyde which is not only toxic, but has also been shown to be extremely drying to the skin around your nailbed. There are many nail polish manufacturers such as O.P.I. that are now making their nail colors formaldehyde free.

If you are planning to clean your house with products that may be harsh or drying or if you will be working outdoors in the garden, consider using protective gloves. These will keep a nice barrier between your hands and the damaging effects of cleaning products and the drying effects of dirt ensuring that your cuticles remain smooth and undamaged.

Following these simple steps will allow you to have beautiful hands with or without a professional manicure. Dried out and cracked cuticles can age your hands and make you look and feel unkempt, yet taking care of them can be quite simple and very worth it.