A good manicure can increase your confidence and make you look more refined and put together. The best part is that home manicures are not very expensive. So if you plan on doing your manicure yourself, it is important to remember to push back the cuticles in the right way that grows over your nails, usually by a couple of millimeters. Doing this will make your nails look neater and longer than before.
Here I’m going to mention a step-by-step guide on how to push back your cuticles so the next time you do your manicure at home, you can do it perfectly without hurting your nails or skin.
Before You Begin, Consider These 3 Things
Following are three steps you should follow before removing cuticles over your nails.
Clear Your Nails
The first step you should start with is clearing your nails from anything you have applied before, like fake nails, paints or nail shiners, etc. You can use acetone-free nail paint removers to clear your nails from nail paints or shiners.
It would be best to use an acetone-free nail paint remover as acetone can dry out your cuticles. Just use a cotton swab by dipping it in liquid remover to remove nail paint from your nails gently. While doing this, avoid rubbing your cuticles with the cotton swab for a longer time.
Clean Your Nails
After clearing your nails, now is the time to clean your nails. Take a bowl of warm water and soak your fingers in it for around 5 to 8 minutes. This will remove all the leftovers from your nails and soften the cuticles so that they can easily be pushed back.
Now dry your fingers and especially your cuticles with a clean towel. Gently rub the towel over your nails for a few seconds. Be sure your towel is clean and free of bacteria to avoid infection.
Apply Moisturizer To Your Cuticles
The third step is to moisturize your cuticles. For this, you can use coconut oil, petroleum jelly, or moisturizing lotion. If you want to use a moisturizing cuticle remover, you have to make sure it is suitable for your skin and has no side effects.
We are now ready to move on to the main procedure of removing the cuticles from the nails.
Choose A Right Cuticle Remover
Choosing the right cuticle remover can sometimes be a little confusing because there are so many types of cuticle removers in the market, from metal cuticle removers to rubber-coated to wooden ones.
Using a metal cuticle remover can put you in trouble because it can harm your skin as the cuticle is one of the delicate skin. Instead, it is recommended that you choose one with a rubber coating or a wooden cuticle remover.
Be Sure To Use The Right Side
The cuticle pushers or cuticle removers have two sides. One side has a round shape, while the other has a pointy shape. The round edge is used for pushing back the cuticle, while a sharp tip is used for cleaning underneath the nail and tucking in the corners of the cuticle.
Use the Round Side To Push Cuticle
Now use the round side by slightly tilting it at an angle of around 30 degrees and apply a little controlled pressure on your cuticle so that it will no longer cover your nail. Don’t apply too much pressure because the cuticles have already been softened by soaking in warm water and applying moisturizer.
Clean Your Hands And Trim Hangnails
Once you push back cuticles from your nails, you will see little pieces of skin over your nail or fingertips. So you next need to clean your hands by wiping them with a damp cloth and removing the excess or dead skin particles. After this, take a ripper and trim the hangnails or skin over your nails.
Once you are done, I am sure you will love your perfect long nails and want to keep them for always. To ensure your perfect nails stay healthy and beautiful for a long time, here are some tips and tricks you should follow.
Avoid Biting Your Nails
Nail-biting is a habit that most people have, and it is something they do in their free time or maybe when they are in a state of anxiety. But this is considered a bad habit as it not only causes you to ruin your nail’s shape but is also detrimental to your health.
So to avoid biting your nails, try finding something relaxing to do while you are anxious or feeling free.
Push Back Your Cuticles After Every Ten Days
To keep your nails well-groomed, give your cuticles a pushback every ten days. But make sure to use a clean wooden stick in a proper way and follow all the steps to avoid any infection.
Another quick tip is that you can also push back your cuticles after taking a shower because your skin gets soft when you take a little longer shower, and you will not need hot water and moisturizer before the process.
Use A Good Moisturizing Product
It is very important to use a moisturizing lotion or creme regularly to keep your skin soft and smooth. Applying a moisturizing lotion or oil to your cuticles will help them to stay soft and fresh. Moreover, the use of a moisturizer also helps prevent the peeling of dry skin.
Use Clean Stick and Trimmer
As cuticles are the sensitive part of your skin, there is also a risk of getting an infection around your nails if you will not use clean tools. So that’s why professionals always advise using a new stick every time you want to push back your cuticles.
Lastly
Whether you are going to a birthday party, celebrating Halloween, or just hanging out at home, having perfect nails will be your top priority. With our guide on how to push back your cuticles for the perfect manicure, you can easily enjoy gorgeously long and beautifully shaped nails with ease.
Please let us know in the comments section if you have any questions regarding the above step-by-step guide, and we will be happy to help you.
Thank you for reading this far!