Your Guide To Cuticle Care: How To Cut Them Safely + 10 Other Expert Tips

Consider this your guide to cuticle care: where they are, how to clip them safely, and the best expert advice we could get our paws on. 

"The cuticle is actually a layer of clear dead skin that hangs around the nail plate," says Amy Lin, the founder of sundays—a nail care brand focused on wellness. It rims the base of the nail bed, as it creates a barrier for your growing nails—so the vulnerable, new spots aren't exposed to any bacteria as they grow. 

If you don't have a pusher, you can also use a cotton swab or even the end of your file (just wrap the end of the file with a tissue so the abrasive grit doesn't scrape against the nail as you push). "If you have a piece of skin that's still hanging after you've properly pushed it, you can take your cuticle nipper and just nip that tiny piece of skin. You never want to nip all the way around." 

Experts agree: Rather than clipping every single fray (and risk nipping too far into the necessary seal of skin), you can take steps to keep those cuticles hydrated and healthy—and prevent them from fraying in the first place. 

Some highlights: A bit of mindfulness, like breathwork or going for a quick walk, can be helpful for some, while others may need to find other ways to keep their hands busy (like squeezing a stress ball). 

Using cuticle oil daily is enough to keep nails healthy, but chief educator of Paintbox Evelyn Lim once told us you can use a cuticle oil up to three times a day if your tips are feeling especially dehydrated (from, say, oversanitizing). "Apply cuticle oil at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Why not?" 

Sometimes the best method for hydrated, smooth nails is to go internal.* Namely, your nails are structurally made of keratin, so getting your fill of keratin-building amino acids can support your cuticle growth and keep them strong. Two of the most popular (and widely studied) vitamins for nails are biotin and collagen, but plenty of supplements include other antioxidants and bioactives to support nail health from all angles.* Find our list of favorite vitamins for nails here. 

You don't have to get too meticulous about it; a great tip is to gently push them back every couple of days after stepping out of the shower (again, with a cuticle pusher, cotton swab, or wrapped nail file), as the nails will be softened from the spray.

It's especially important not to soak right before trimming your cuticles: "I suggest not to soak in water, as doing so will expand the tissue surrounding the nail plate, which may lead to over-trimming," Lim once told us about clipping hangnails. 

A water soak alone can dry out the cuticles, but even the most natural-leaning dish soaps and cleaning sprays can contain extra-drying ingredients—like vinegar and lemon—which can cause cracked and scaly cuticles. To protect your claws, many experts recommend investing in a set of gloves for manual labor or housework. You can even opt for a DIY hand mask while you wash dishes: Because why only protect your hands from potential aggressors, when you can moisturize them at the same time?

"I carry a hand moisturizer with me at all times and apply it within moments of washing or sanitizing my hands throughout the day. If you wait too long, you miss that narrow window of opportunity to really trap and seal those nourishing ingredients in the skin before all the water evaporates off the surface, further compromising your skin."

That includes polish removers, too: Stay away from 100% acetone removers (which can dry out the nails) and try to find options that contain moisturizing ingredients, like a soy-based remover—these can effectively dissolve polish while simultaneously strengthening the nail, and they're typically pumped with other vitamins and hydrating ingredients. 

Rather, after softening the area with cuticle oil or hand cream, position the clipper at a 45-degree angle before gently trimming the excess skin. Instead of grabbing the hangnail and pulling it from the root, think about clipping right where the skin juts out from the nail bed. Cutting too close to the base can cause even more hangnails to crop up—see here for the full step-by-step guide. 

As overgrown cuticles can cause a crop of issues, you'll want to practice regular nail hygiene—you know, cleaning, filing, and clipping. Without proper training, though, it's difficult to cut the cuticles safely and correctly. If you're able, see a professional who can trim the excess skin so they stay healthy—although, experts suggest opting for no more than two salon manicures a month. 

If your cuticles are in dire need of some TLC, you've come to the right place. With these tips above, your nail beds will appear soft and smooth, without a fray in sight.