Confessions of a Cuticle Cutter

Okay, I'm writing something a little different today but I promise to be back at 'cha tomorrow with some new nail art because I'm thinking of doing something fancy for the wedding of my friends Michelle and Amy and I know it'll be ruined if I do it the night before.

Anyway - I'm coming out of the closet everyone. I'm a cuticle cutter. That's right. I openly confess it. 

For the last two months that I've been actively blogging I've tried NOT to cut my cuticles. I've been reading up on cuticle care and everything I read tells me not to cut them, so I've been doing the good girl thing and pushing and cuticle oiling and pushing...and pushing...

I even told Tammy at the nail salon not to trim them. She looked at me like I was crazy. 

This is what I've read on EHow.com: 

 
Step1: Moisturize your cuticles by applying a hand creme, lotion or oil and rubbing it into the cuticle. The delicate skin on your hands needs moisturizing daily. Keep a hand moisturizer with you to use several times daily.

Check! I use Lemony Flutter from Lush Cosmetics for my moisturizing needs! It smells great but seriously I almost passed out on the floor from all the dizzying smells in the store. I thought I was getting gassed at one point.

Step 2: Purchase a good cuticle remover (to soften, but not actually remove the cuticles). Apply the cuticle remover and allow the cuticles to soften. Using a cuticle stick (also called an orange stick), gently push back the cuticles, being careful not to damage them.

Check! I use Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover. Is it good? Sure? But...am I the only one that thought that "cuticle remover" meant it was literally gonna dissolve off my cuticles leaving me with some awesomely cuticle-less hands? Seriously...what did it do? Exactly how overgrown do your cuticles have to be before you're like: "HEY! It's working!!!"?

Step 3: Remove dead or flaking cuticle skin by moving the orange stick in tiny circles around the base of the nail. Remove the whitish residue from the nail as well. Repeat this process on each nail several times

Check! I do this like...every night when I'm sitting in front of the TV. But I use this nice plastic one that Sapporo won't chew on. It also has this CRAZY scraper thing on the end that Ben likes to use but it RIPS your cuticles so I refuse.

Step 4: Use a sharp cuticle clipper to trim any remaining hangnails. Make sure that this tool cuts cleanly.

Check! Now...what constitutes a hangnail exactly? Can I count my overgrown cuticles as hangnails now? This is too much grey area. I'm gonna say...yes.

Step 5: Wipe the nail clean with a cotton ball and moisturize again.

Bah! By now I've considered this too many steps...

Tips & Warnings: Don't cut or trim your cuticles. They act as barriers to keep bacteria out of your body, so try to keep this skin intact.

UGH! I triiiiied! But I just can’t stand it!!! Leaving my cuticles the way they were was like having eyelids on my nails.  Let’s look at the difference, it’s totally noticeable to me (click pics to enlarge...if you DARE):

 Before (ewww)

After (yay! snip snip)

So I mean, with results as quickly satisfying as that how can I complain? I mean, I'll never have cuticles as some of you do out there I think I've faced that...but is snipping so wrong to come close? 

Granted...maybe I'm not the only one. Or at least I'd like to think that I'm not! So to this I say - Cuticle Cutter's unite! I'm thinking of printing T-shirts...

In any event, I leave you with the cuticle guru's I look up to. Every time I see their mani's a little part of me whines that I don't have those cuticles for myself! 

  Deez Nails 

 

 Lacquerized's

Emerald Sparkled's 

Forever Jealous,

Niki*