Nail & Cuticle Care

Hey everyone! Hope you had a good weekend, all things considered. We had rain most of the weekend so basically stayed in and finished binging Tiger King on Netflix. Have you watched it? It honestly was like watching a train wreck - we couldn't look away! We also started watching The Imagineering Story on Disney+ and it's super interesting to see how the Disney parks were created.

Anyway, a friend suggested an updated nail and cuticle care post with everything that's going on. All of the hand washing and hand sanitizer have understandably left many of us with dry hands and cuticles, not to mention all of the people who can't get to a salon right now! There are a few things you can do at home to keep your skin and nails in good shape.

1. First of all, it's a myth that your nails need to "breathe" or take a break between polishing. Nails get their oxygen from the blood stream, not the air. In fact, having bare nails can lead to more breakage. At the very least you're better off with a protective base coat.

2. If you're doing any cleaning around the house or washing dishes, wear rubber gloves! This will protect your manicure or your bare nails (plus you don't want those chemicals on your skin).

3. Push back your cuticles, but please do NOT cut them! Your cuticles are there to protect your nails, so cutting them can actually lead to infection and no one wants that! I love the Instant Cuticle Remover from Sally Hansen. About once a week I apply a small amount to the cuticle area, let it sit for 15 seconds, and then gently push back my cuticles with a manicure stick. I wash my hands right after to get rid of any excess product and then proceed with painting. If you don't have a cuticle removing product, try gently pushing back your cuticles after showering or soaking your nails in warm water to soften the cuticles.

4. CUTICLE OIL! If you can, try to get some sort of cuticle oil to reapply throughout the day. It's a cuticle saver after all of the hand washing. My current favorite is California Mango Cuticle Oil, but there are a ton of options out there. If you're in a pinch you can use olive oil, coconut oil, or even a lip balm!

5. Hand cream is also a good thing to reapply throughout the day. Spend an extra minute rubbing it into your cuticle area. A gentle cuticle massage increases circulation and can actually promote nail growth.

Nail care doesn't have to be a chore. I find peace in taking a few minutes several times a day to apply cuticle oil and hand cream. Plus I know it's good for my skin and nails!

I hope you can take some time for self-care this week!

xoxo,
   Brooke