Cuticle help

[faeriegirl]

My cuticles have been so bad lately. I am considering getting the Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Lab - Nail Treatment Set  during the sale. I would love some feedback if anyone has tried it or any other suggestions or advice. Thank you!

[ather]

@faeriegirl  I actually was looking at that set the other night. And @itsfi  and I both have noticed our nails have not been able to keep or get length lately. My fav cuticle oil is the one by Dior. I know Sephora use to sell it but I had to buy it from Nordstrom’s it’s expensive but I like how it feels. I’ve used the L'Occitane Strengthening Shea Nail and Cuticle Oil  that @CynthieLu  mentioned. I don’t mind that one. I think @RGbrown  gave some awesome advice! Hope they get better!! 

[faeriegirl]

Thank you @ather! I have a few things ordered already so hopefully they start to look better soon🤞🏻

[itsfi]

Interested to see what you pick up @faeriegirl; and what results you get with them. Keep us posted. 

[faeriegirl]

@itsfi  I decided to go with some of 

@RGbrown s suggestions and I ordered the Sally Hansen cuticle remover, CND solar oil, and Burt’s Bees cuticle cream. I might still get the DL set during the sale but I want to try these out first. I will definitely update with my progress.

[CynthieLu]

If no one has mentioned it, the The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL works on nails too.  @faeriegirl @ather 

[ather]

@CynthieLu  That’s a good one!

[Titian06]

@faeriegirl - I use the CND Solar Oil.  I found it at my grocery store for much less than $14.  Regardless, my cuticles and skin folds were in less than ideal shape so I use the cuticle oil every time I change out my mani and two or three times a day if I'm not wearing polish.  I also use hand cream moisturizing over my cuticles and nail folds.  Now they look wonderful!  Use what you think you will use consistently because that's the key.

Thanks for the tag, @itsfi !

[faeriegirl]

Thank you @Titian06!

[Mellmars1185]

@faeriegirl What I do is try to moisturize my hands (including my nails) as much as possible. After showers, (when I remember) I gently push back my cuticles when they are soft.

I say if you want to try out the sale, that woule be a good time. I think I have only tried one nail polish from the brand. 

Thank you for the tag @itsfi 

[faeriegirl]

Thank you @Mellmars1185!

[RGbrown]

@itsfi thanks for the tag! 

@faeriegirl 

It looks like a decent set, though as a cheapskate, I just canNOT get over the price lol. If you are open to cheaper recommendations, I have some suggestions:

🔹Cuticle remover: Sally Hansen or Blue Cross. Both are in the $5-6 range with much larger bottles, and are very well regarded by hobbyists and professionals alike. 

🔹Cuticle oil: soooooo many options here, but the key is to look for jojoba oil on the ingredients list. CND Solar Oil is usually the one I recommend for folks that want easy access and don't want to mix their own ($14/0.5oz or they've got a 2oz bottle around $35), or I've seen a good amount of praise for NBM Cuticle Buddy, and many many many indie polish brands have their own mixes as well. If you want to go diy, a bottle of jojoba oil is the perfect base, and then add in whatever your heart desires...my current bottle is jojoba, vitamin e, The Ordinary rosehip seed oil, almond oil. 

🔹Cuticle cream: another item with a bazillion options from drugstore to high-end; Burt's Bees cuticle balm is a classic all the way up to Dior Abricot. Even something as simple as Vaseline or Aquaphor would work to seal in the oil. I mostly just use whatever lotion/cream/balm I have laying around, I don't spend on a separate product here.

🔹Cuticle pusher: I've become a big fan of glass pushers over metal; I feel they do a better job of getting everything up gently with less risk of accidentally gouging my nails. I picked up the one from Butter London on sale, and it works well, but there are tons of options out there; just look for one that's etched, not coated, if you go this route.

All in all though, I also understand the importance of aesthetics, and if the DL set is pleasing to your eye and you don't want a mishmash of random brands, by all means, go for it. The products look good overall, just a bit spendy for my taste. 

The biggest key to cuticle care is developing a routine and sticking to it. Cuticle oil multiple times a day, and top it off with your balm/cream/lotion to seal it in when you can. Use the cuticle remover once every week or two, and some folks even make it a habit to push them back after every shower or other times when they're already soft. Wearing dish gloves whenever possible will help keep water from drying out your nails and skin. And no clipping (unless you've got a dead bit peeling up that needs to be removed)...contrary to what many people think, the cuticle is a thin layer of dead skin that's stuck to the nail plate, not the living skin around the base of the nail. That's the proximal nail fold, and it should be left alone as much as possible, as it helps keep out bacteria and general cooties...if yours is stretched out (it can stick to the cuticle as the nail grows), it'll take a little time, but it will shrink back with regular pushing and moisturizing. 

Happy to help more if this brings up any other questions for you!

[CynthieLu]

Amazing information! @RGbrown 

I bought Jojoba oil from a health store for 8$ after you gave me fantastic nail care advice a ways back. Thank you again 🩷 it absorbs so quickly and works wonderfully!

( I still have a really nice oil by L'Occitane Strengthening Shea Nail and Cuticle Oil that came in a gift set, but thanks to you I know there are many options and not all as expensive 🙏)

[faeriegirl]

Thank you so much @RGbrown!

[itsfi]

@faeriegirl, I have this set but have yet to get around to putting it to consistent use. Cuticle care is definitely something I've been meaning to work on. Tagging a few of the beauties from the Nails 2.0 thread for their input - @RGbrown @ather @Mellmars1185 @WinglessOne @Titian06 @CynthieLu. I'll try to tag others from the thread when I have more time today. 

[faeriegirl]

Thank you @itsfi !