Manicure Basics Week 1: Cuticle Care

This is my biggest struggle in nail care.  Keeping my hands and cuticles well moisturized is a huge battle for me.  I am a preschool teacher so I am constantly washing my hands throughout the day.  I keep lotion on hand at work, but I don't always remember or have time to apply lotion.  The fact that it's winter right now also plays a huge role on my dry hands and cuticles.

Over the years I tried many different lotions, hand creams, cuticle butters, cuticle oils, etc etc. There are so many out there that it can be intimidating to choose one! And you never know if a product will work for you until you buy it and try it.

I have picked 4 items that have been getting me through this winter.



Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover, Eucerin Soothing Repair Creme, Lansinoh Lanolin, and Orly Argan Oil Cuticle Drops

1. Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover

I have been using this cuticle remover for YEARS.  Yes for years.  My mom used to put one in my stocking every christmas.  This little blue bottle works very well for removing the dried cuticle that is attached to the nail (not the skin around the nail).  Apply a little bit around the edges of the nail and after a few seconds use a cotton swab or paper towel to remove the gel and dissolved cuticle. 


2. Eucerin Soothing Repair Creme

I have also been using this hand creme for several years and have gone through several tubes of it.  It is a very rich and emollient creme that is truly very moisturizing.  As you can see, it shows a scale on the front of the bottle that it is as high as lotion gets when it comes to richness.  What I like a lot about this hand creme is that it has very few ingredients: Water, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, and Methylisothiazolinone.  I don't have any sensitivities to these ingredients and find them very moisturizing and healing. 


3. Lansinoh Lanolin

Yep.  This is Nipple Cream.  Yes it is for breastfeeding mothers.  Yes you can safely put it on your nails! (and on your lips too!)  Lanolin comes from a sheep's sebaceous glands and the lanolin found in Lansinoh is the highest quality.  No its not vegan.  But I feel completely comfortable putting this stuff on my skin and lips.  This stuff is very healing.  I like to use it at night as it is very sticky.  After I apply hand lotion, I rub this around my cuticles.  In the morning, my very dry spots are more healed and moisturized. 


I depotted as much of the product as I could into a small jar I found at Target in the beauty section.


4. Orly Argan Oil Cuticle Drops

This is a new product in my arsenal.  I bought this about a month ago in desperate need of something to help the health of my nails.  They were peeling and breaking more than normal.  I started using this oil on my bare nails and cuticles.  Despite popular belief, nails do not have to be bone dry before painting them.  I did not believe this until recently.  I would wipe my nails with acetone or rubbing alcohol before polishing.  I think this was partly causing my peelies. Since buying this oil, I have noticed less peeling and healthier nails overall.   I let the oil soak on my nails for as long as I like (usually 15 minutes) then I wipe off the excess with a napkin.  This allows for the oil to soak in a bit. Then I polish as usual.  




Other products worth mentioning:  There are a few other products I like that I did not include in the picture.  I have been using Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream for a few years.  I like the smell, I like the texture of it.  I think its moisturizing, but not quite moisturizing enough for winter.  I also like the Neutrogena Hand Cream.  It is a lightweight formula that soaks in fairly easily.  I keep it at work to use during the day.  



I hope you found some of this information useful and that I have inspired you to try some of these products for your cuticle care routine.  What are your favorite moisturizing products?  How do you care for your cutes? 



xoxo Danele

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