Thank you for this really good and informative post. I've always wondered about the cuticle removing thing - I never understood why people wanted to remove them. Now I know that I've been right all along. :)

So I push back my cuticles and instead of being all nice and lovely and neat like yours I'm quite often left with what looks like excess, especially on my thumbs. I'm not really sure which but I should be removing... am I meant to be taking off any of the skin that lines the bottom of the nail?

I really enjoy these posts :)

Thanque Kayla for this post, and like your new layout for blog <3 <3

I pride myself with keeping up with my nail care more than what shade I will wear next on fingers/toes. I use Barielle's Nail Strengthening Cream - that sets up for ~30 sec and I combo it with Barielle's Intensive Nail Renewal Oil. Have used these 2 for years - try other things and always come back to these. I always keep pots of indi made olive oil paste in a tin, Burt's Bee's cutical tin as well to are all over the house. In my purse their is also another olive oil tin and an OPI Avoplex To Go. I never miss an opportunity to hydrate while I am driving, or waiting for my coffee, or waiting for an appointment. I push what little cuticle I get back but I have not needed to use a cuticle remover for a long time. If I do need one, I use Sally Hanson's Problem Cuticle Remover. The Barielle products I use and RAVE over, can be bought at Barielle.com or at Sally's. At Sally's you need to look at the Barielle Pro line. The box the strengthening cream comes in is different than what it is off the Barielle site -but the name is the same. The oil has a different name at Sally's than on the Barielle site - but just look for the hydrating treatment oil - I am forgetting the name of it at Sally's in the pro line as I have 3 bottles here from Barielle.com. But both are a lot cheaper bought at Sally's than on Barielle's site - esp if you have a Sally's card and it's % off time for you in addition.

THANK YOU for doing this. my cuticles are atrocious & i've had the hardest time trying to keep them healthy. This post really, really helps! :)

How often would you recommend using a cuticle remover?

Can't wait for your post about beveling! My nails are sqaure right now but I've thinking about making them oval..

Great tips! Thanks for sharing.
I must admit I have been guilty of cutting cuticles, but I'm a lot better than I used to be :)

My question would be how to approach using the cuticle nippers when you do need them. My nails, hair and cuticles grow SUPER quickly. No matter where I go to get a manicure they take forever working on removing my cuticles. If I follow your tips I end up with a good millimeter of dead skin after one week. I find my nails look a lot better when I trim the cuticles, but I can't get it to be neat like manicurists can. Any advice for those of us who really need to cut our cuticles?

Just what a newbie like me needs, Thanks!

Thank you so much for this article!! :)

Because of the name, I've ended up trying to remove live skin and hurting myself with cuticle removers sigh.. Definitely going to start investing in some cuticle care treatments to avoid getting so much dead skin and ragged hangnails! Finally starting to understand my hands better.

Really helpful article but I got the essie conditioning cuticle remover, and was wondering if it's alright to use it and push back your cuticles everyday? It doesn't seem to say on the bottle or container. Thanks :-)

I've always cut my cuticles, but after reading this, I will make sure I do not do that again! Thanks for the help> :)

Really useful article :)

Eeeee thanks! I feel the confidence to remove my cuticles now since you are a manicurist ^_^

could you post a photo of what you mean by "dead" and "live" cuticle? I am always confused about this and worry that i push too far. what happens is that the whole semicircular piece of cuticle on my nail gets "lifted" up when i push it back, but there is no pain or signs of irritation at the nail bed. is this normal?