Tips for Healthy Cuticles
One of the toughest things to keep hydrated and looking good on our bodies are 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 and stay looking smooth and healthy.
HYDRATE FROM THE INSIDE OUT
First , make sure that you are moisturizing 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 just not your thing, then diluted fresh fruit juices and decaffeinated teas work well too. Add Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet as well. These have been proven to improve the condition of your skin, hair and nails by nourishing them and allowing them to maintain normal levels of natural moisture.
USE NATURAL OILS
Before you go to bed at night, rub Vitamin E, olive, coconut or almond oil onto your hands and particularly your cuticles. You can then wear cotton gloves on your hands while you sleep for maximum moisture retention. Your cuticles will look and feel incredible after just one night of doing this!
SAY NO TO SCISSORS
Never cut your cuticles or allow a manicurist to cut them for you. It's 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. It's more effective and less damaging...and your cuticles will thank you for it.
TOSS OUT THE TOXIC STUFF
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., Zoya, RGB and more that are now making their nail colors formaldehyde free.
USE A PROTECTIVE BARRIER
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 leave you with younger, healthier looking hands and you can say good-bye to the ol' claws and hello to smooth pretty hands!
