Before I get to the main part of this post, I must state this: I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL. I do not have a nail tech license, so I have no merit to tell you what will work for you, I am simply telling you what works for me. :)
I will also start off by showing you someone else who is a nail tech, who shows quite well what the cuticle is, and explains how to properly remove the cuticle. My article isn't showing how I do it, just the implements I use, her article shows quite well how to use them! I present to you Bee Polished and her article on Cuticles!
What I use!
Remover!
First up I want to show you my Cuticle Remover. I use Blue Cross Cuticle Remover, which is a white liquid. I would say it has the consistency of skim milk, and the bottle is really hard to work with if you use it out of the bottle. I have not yet, but I plan to put some in an empty polish bottle so I will be able to brush it onto my nail, for much easier application.
I find that this cuticle remover works really fast, I put it on my nails and flood my cuticle with it, and after about 15 seconds I begin to use my cuticle pusher to remove the cuticle.
Important to note! Be sure to wash this stuff off really well when you are finished removing the cuticle, it can be toxic from what I hear. so be sure to wash your hands when you are done getting that cuticle. :)
Pusher!
Next up, is my pusher. When I was searching for a cuticle pusher on the internet my mom asked what I was looking for and I told her a cuticle pusher with a scoop-y type thing on the end of it, and she says "oh i have one of those" and she reaches over to her nail basket next to her and pulls this out! It is from Revlon, and I believe she said she got it at Burkes Outlet.
Whenever I use them on my mom or sister I am sure to clean them obsessively like 3 times with alcohol before I use it, because I don't want to cross contaminate between people.
Nipper!
These are my nippers. I only use them on myself. These ones are REALLY CRAPPY. They are slightly dull, which tells me that i need a new pair. recently I haven't had any hangnails, which are the main reason I use them, but I am getting a new pair tomorrow at Sally's because these are going bad. I will say I DO NOT recommend nippers from China. lol. I really suggest you get a good pair if you plan to use nippers, which can get expensive, but there is a pair at Sally's for around $9 I believe.
Moisturize!
And lastly, MOISTURIZE! I often use Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, but I found this Victoria's Secret Ultra-Softening Body Butter in my drawer the other day(granted it is old, but it is still good. i don't think they make this size anymore) and I have been using it often, and have been LOVING IT. First off, it smells like Love Spell! What I love about these body butters is you can find a smell you like, you aren't stuck with the one they give you.
Why I love it:
it smells delicious.
It is not greasy at ALL. i have taken photos right after putting it on and my cuticles aren't shiny.
I feel it nourishes my cuticles.
When i do my toes, I have another different tool I love to use, but i will save that for another post. :)
My pretty cuticles. :)
So there you have it! My tools and stuff I use for my cuticle grooming. :)
I have a video which helped me learn how to remove the cuticle I want to include, because it does work. Just be very careful when doing it the first time.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/ttxRWkbwGIg
And again here is Bee's Article if you wanted to click on it, but didn't want to leave the page earlier. :) http://beepolished.blogspot.com/2012/05/tools-needed-1-2-cuticle-remover-345.html
Have happy cuticles!
XOX Caitlin
