The need for cuticle care
In order for the cuticle to grow more slowly, it must be taken care of daily. © Getty Images
The cuticle (from the Latin cuticula - “skin”) is a skin film in the area of the nail hole, consisting of dead and living cells. We remove accumulations of dead cells during manicure, and keep living tissues in order so that nails and fingers look beautiful and healthy.
The cuticle serves as a kind of protective barrier for the nails, protecting it from bacteria and dirt.
If you don't take care of the cuticle, it becomes dry, cracks and burrs appear on it. All this reduces its barrier functions to nothing.
About other care products ↑
When caring for cuticles, store-bought or homemade exfoliating scrubs are often used. They have a softening effect on the cuticle and help completely get rid of dead skin cells. To prepare a homemade version, mix olive oil with sugar. The composition is rubbed into the cuticle with gentle movements, then washed off. It would be appropriate to use a homemade emollient cream here.
It is made from half a glass of calendula and 10 g of petroleum jelly. The mixture is kept in a water bath over low heat until the petroleum jelly is completely melted. After this, the composition is removed from the heat and kept for up to 12 hours. After the specified period, the resulting moisture is drained, and the almost finished cream is again placed in a water bath to dissolve completely. At the end, the mixture is filtered through cheesecloth, and the already prepared cream is poured into a jar.
A series of care products that can be made at home include ointments. For example, a recipe based on apricot oil and lanolin makes it possible to independently prepare a universal cuticle care product, which not only perfectly softens and moisturizes the sensitive skin of the cuticle on the nails, but also has a noticeable healing and healing effect. It is made by mixing a teaspoon of apricot oil and lanolin in the amount of 4 teaspoons. The mixture is kept in a water bath until the lanolin dissolves. The finished ointment is stored for a long time in a closed jar at room temperature.
The standard minimum for cuticle care includes daily rubbing of any oil in combination with massage. This comprehensive care has a pronounced restorative effect in case of damage, so it is especially recommended to use it after a trim manicure or other similar types of cosmetic procedures. It allows you not only to strengthen the cuticle, but also has a positive effect on brittle nails and their structure. To keep your cuticles, nails, and the area around them in healthy, good condition, you need to do the described care procedures at home regularly.
