(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best cuticle tools

This is basically what I do:

1. Moisturize and exfoliate! This means lotion and/or cuticle oil whenever you need it, and exfoliating once a day or so to get the dry skin off- I like to use brown sugar and olive oil. There are a lot of great ways to moisturize your cuticles- I've got Lush's Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter (my fave, but it's really just shea butter with lemon), Vitamin E oil, olive oil, just putting lotion on them and letting it sit, etc. Whatever you prefer, really.
   
   
2. Push those cuticles back! You can do this whenever you like, really, but I prefer to do it in the shower- your cuticles get all soft from the hot water, soap, and conditioner, which makes it really easy to do.
   
   
3. Have any loose/flappy bits of skin or hangnails? Get a nipper tool! This was a game changer for me; I take care of my cuticles as best I can, but I still get bits that need to be snipped off- this is what solved the problem for me. You can snip off your entire cuticle (though I don't recommend it- infections and whatnot), or just snip off the bits that aren't flush.
   
   
4. Do this ALL THE TIME. Really, as often as you can. Push your cuticles back every day/shower/whatever. At first they may look a bit ragged, but once they're used to being pushed back they'll be thin and nice and will require minimal upkeep. I'm thinking maybe a month to perfect cuticles? That may even be a bit long. You just have to keep working with them- make it a habit.
   
   
5. Keep your head up! It won't happen over night, and you may get frustrated sometimes, but I promise you'll get there.
   
   
6. Optional! But I really love Sally Hansen's Instant Cuticle Remover. It's a gel you put on your cuticles and let sit for fifteen-ish seconds, then wipe off; it basically dissolves all the cuticle bits stuck to your nail bed when you push them back, giving you a nice, smooth, clean surface.

Lame story time.

Was using a drift once. It wasn't even all that bad.

I give it a good wail, hammer in right hand, drift in left. Clean hit, but I felt a cold shock in the top of my left hand. The kind a little piezo crystal gives you.

About a third of the way from my index finger knuckle to my wrist is a little red flap... huh, it must have gotten me... upon closer inspection I see a little steel glint under the blood that's appearing at the flap.

Sigh and dig in with these. Pull out a curl and was ok. Over then next few days it turned into a nice purple bruise. That thing must have been flying realllly good.

This could happen to anyone at any time. I wasn't worried about my hand. I took it as don't fuck around with eye protection and chisels. If it were a well developed curl and hit anywhere it could have been far worse. If it hit an eye it would have been a loss.

Oh well! Just be safe guys.

This please!

5 Awesome Facts:

• I have played the piano for 16 years
  
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• My favorite flower is the gardenia.

When using tweezers for the tabs OR scissors for cutting you are using the muscles closer to the tips of your fingers. This can cause fatigue or soreness at your extremities.

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Instead use cuticle clippers or nose pliers. These primarily use the muscles of your palm, or your grip strength. Much easier on your fingers and takes advantage of your grip strength which is far more than adequate.

Cuticle Clippers and Nose Pliers.

I get ingrown toenails all the time and use these.

Sally Hansen Beauty Tools, Ingrown Be Gone-Ingrown Toenail Nipper Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004KRYXCK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4N-9yb1TCF0KD

A walk in clinic may also help, or ask the Dr of they have a cash pay discount. Many ERs do.

Tips on cleaning up your cuticles? I can't seem to get this right, either they look too long, or too short (bloody and scabbed). How do I get them to look clean and nice?

This is the tool I currently use

These are the products I used, thanks to this sub for guiding me -

-Lagunamoon Gel Nail Polish Set UV... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NL57T9H?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

-Nail Lamp 60W UV LED Nail Dryer,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G4B8MF2?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

• MelodySusie Portable Electric... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H05EDK0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
  
  -Manicure Set, ESARORA 18 In 1... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078JCCGB8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
  
  -Tweezerman Neon Hot 4-In-1 File,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YRBWOWU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
  
  -TOODOO Cuticle Peeler Scraper... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07998KWCW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
  
  No, I’m not getting paid per click for those links...I wish!

funny you should mention those. I Used a pair a few days ago to open a package of xenon light bulbs & pipe cutting disks that were both in those plastic packages.

I even use them to nip a hole in the side of aluminum cans to get the very last out after finishing them off.

Cheap as chips, durable & incredibly useful around the house.

Get yourself a pair of sharp cuticle trimmers. Anytime you catch yourself tearing at your fingers, go get those cuticle trimmers and repair your fingers the nice way. And yes, as u/cde123 said, get your nails done.

I mostly rely on self-trimming perches. The few times I've trimmed I use a 1/4 jaw cuticle nipper--very good for just nipping the pointed tips. It's a very small blade at a 90-degree angle so you have a lot of control and there's very little chance of over-trimming or accident. Just in case, I keep some Kwik-Stop on hand.

I have a flush cutter (actually for electronics/wires) that works perfectly. There are also specialized cuticle nippers that probably work just as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Cuticle-Nipper-Trimmer-Heavy-Build/dp/B00LSY6GFU/ref=sr_1_23?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1412152593&sr=1-23

Cut off those hangnails as soon as they appear and as close to the base as possible. If it still hurts, put some Bepanthol on it and cover it with a band-aid over night. Should be better in the morning.

Dont rip it off. Use the right tool for the job. You need a cuticle trimmer. Soak your hands in warm water, or do this right out I'd the shower. Then gently nip the hangnail off while the skin is soft. Be gentle and don't go too deep or you'll cause bleeding.

I bought this little tool to deal with those because I get them constantly. I works so much better than a nail clipper or those little scissors for me. Clipping the hangnail off right after a shower seems to work best because the skin is softened and less prone to continuing to tear after. Just be careful to angle upwards slightly, not down into the skin, when clipping to avoid catching skin that isn't already hanging.

200,000 of those little orange wood sticks you use to get nail polish off your skin during a manicure. Not disastrous, but also definitely not as useful as some of the other things you all have!

Use this on your fingernails, and carry these with you religiously... if you get a hangnail, or you've made a rough edge, clean it up with those instead of chewing. You can probably get both at your local grocery store or pharmacy.

Cuticle pusher for sure. Here's a similar one on Amazon.

Here's a list of things you should have:

• good sharp nail clippers
  
• a cuticle tool/trimmer or a pack of orange sticks for pushing back and trimming cuticles
  
• an emery board/nail file
  
• a 4-way buffer block
  
• a good hand cream (I recommend L'Occitane but go with what works)
  
  Trimming your nails regularly is a must (trimming cuticles reguarly is optional but recommended: push back cuticles with your stick and trim them off). After trimming, file away sharp edges with your emery board. Using your buffing block, buff each of your nails with each of the 4 sides in order (the sides will be numbered). Make sure you moisturize regularly. You can also use your cuticle stick to scrape dirt out from under your finger nails as needed.

my tool of choice, hopefully already in your household

I have these, these, and something like this and this. Head down to your local ace and pick up some dowels or a drill set of varying sizes for rolling.

Looks like a manicure pick to me. For cuticles or something. If it is small that is.

If you're asking how to remove it, use these. Your fingers will thank you.

Is it noticing the rough bits of skin that triggers you to bite? A friend of mine conquered a 30-year old habit by carrying a set of nippers around with him and snipping off any bits of dry skin he was tempted to bite immediately, and then using lotion to keep the skin soft. Took about a month of interrupting the cycle and eliminating the trigger before he completely lost the urge.

If you have never seen nippers, they nip off dry skin or cuticles cleanly without cutting healthy skin or leaving rough edges.

My habit is biting dry lips. I can't figure out how to trim dry skin on lips, so I'm just staying slathered with lip balm. Helps, but doesn't really get rid of my trigger.

> nail scissors

https://www.amazon.com/Finish-Stainless-Scissors-Solingen-Germany/dp/B003HKVRDY

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E4YM6MW/

you need one of these!

This is my cheapest item.


Egoraptor

Perhaps she will just buy a few cases of these. (orangewood sticks)

• http://www.amazon.com/DMtse-Cuticle-Remover-Manicure-Pedicure/dp/B009WLX83Y
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Orange-Stick-Cuticle-Pusher-Manicure/dp/B000FKXSU4
  
• http://www.walmart.com/ip/Salon-Supply-Store-100-Pack-Short-4.5-Orange-Wood-Salon-Spa-Manicure-Cuticle-Pusher-Remover-Sticks/29700447
  
  
  

I've found that using only a pumice stone doesn't work for my callouses. I use a cuticle nipper for my hands and sometimes my feet. Basic one on amazon here. Once I've nipped off the nasty stuff, I use a pumice stone to smooth it out.

Hangnails don't have to be a thing. You can knock it out painlessly in seconds.

Clip it off with cuticle nippers so it doesn't get tugged on. Nippers are designed well and make it very hard to cut living skin, just the hangnail. You could use nail clippers, but you tend to pinch sensitive skin with them.

If it's already sore from getting tugged on, after clipping it off, apply a dab of Neosporin plus pain relief. You will be pain free in less than a minute. Knock off brands work just as well, as long as they are labeled "pain relief." This stuff is great for small burns, paper cuts, and splinters, too. Eliminates the pain so you can get on with what you are doing without distraction.