Cuticle care: for strong, healthy nails

Cuticles are essential for protecting your nails against infections and everyday external aggressions.

• Never cut: Gently push back your cuticles with a suitable pusher after softening them, no more than once a week, to avoid infections and harmful micro-injuries.
• Daily moisturising: Apply natural oils (sweet almond, jojoba, castor) every evening, massaging lightly, to get soft, supple cuticles that support growth.
• Weekly scrub: Gently exfoliate the nail surround with a mild scrub to remove dead skin and ensure a neat, well-groomed look for your hands.
• Suitable protection: Step up moisturising in winter, use a cream with a UV filter in summer, avoid acetone and wear gloves to preserve their natural protective function.

We have all noticed those little bits of skin around our nails and sometimes wonder how to deal with them properly. These thin layers of skin, known as cuticles, play a far more important role than it might seem in the overall health of our nails. True guardians of our fingertips, they form a natural protective barrier that is often overlooked in our daily beauty routines. Yet looking after them properly is essential for strong nails that are healthy and attractive. Here we reveal the best practices for caring for your cuticles, the mistakes to avoid at all costs and the effective routines to adopt every day to preserve the beauty of your hands for the long term.

Understanding the protective role of cuticles

Cuticles sit right at the base of each nail, on both fingers and toes. We need to tell apart those little bits of dead skin that cling to the surface of the nail from the eponychium, the ridge of living skin that runs along the bottom of the nail plate. This distinction helps us better understand how to intervene without risking damage to these delicate structures.

These skin formations act as a true natural shield against everyday external aggressions. They stop bacteria, germs, dirt and other pathogens from getting under the epidermis and infecting the nail matrix. This sensitive area, where keratin is formed, allows our nails to keep growing. An intact protective barrier maintains the structural integrity of the nail and effectively prevents unpleasant infections. Healthy cuticles also promote better blood circulation around the base of the nail, thereby stimulating its natural growth and strengthening its resistance to everyday trauma.

The critical mistakes that damage your cuticles

We must steer clear of certain harmful practices that permanently weaken our cuticles. The first mistake is cutting these little bits of skin with scissors or a traditional cuticle nipper. This creates microscopic wounds that become so many entry points for bacterial or fungal infections.

Many people also have the bad habit of biting the little bits of skin or tearing at their cuticles absent-mindedly, especially when stressed. These seemingly harmless actions cause micro-injuries that easily become infected. Pushing back cuticles roughly without any prior preparation is another common mistake that we see regularly.

Among the tools to avoid altogether are sharp boxwood sticks, Y-shaped cuticle nippers and diamond drill bits used without professional expertise. The consequences of these incorrect practices are many: painful infections, redness, swelling, bleeding, ingrown nails, fungal infections, slowed growth and an unsightly appearance. A build-up of dead skin also gives an untidy result, even if we look after our nails in other ways. To regain healthy nails, we must adopt gentle, respectful habits.

Daily moisturising: the key to healthy cuticles

Moisture is the fundamental pillar of cuticle care, and we cannot stress its importance enough. Regular moisturising keeps these tissues supple, prevents premature drying out and boosts their natural regeneration. Without this daily attention, our cuticles become dry, stiff and more likely to crack.

We strongly recommend applying botanical oils or creams specially formulated for the hands every day. Among the most effective natural oils are sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, coconut oil, castor oil, macadamia oil, hazelnut oil and sesame oil. Each has exceptional nourishing properties that penetrate deeply. Belweder offers you two moisturising treatments: a 98% natural nourishing oil and a regenerating serum with myrrh extract

The ideal time for this application is still the evening, just before bed. We recommend gently massaging the edges of the nails with a few drops of oil to help the active ingredients penetrate and boost local blood circulation. During the night, the active ingredients have several hours to work. This simple routine brings remarkable benefits: soft, supple cuticles that allow nails to grow faster and stronger. Key ingredients such as panthenol particularly strengthen the structure of the nail.

The gentle technique for pushing back cuticles

The professional method of pushing back cuticles relies entirely on gentleness and delicacy in every movement. We particularly stress the importance of softening beforehand, before handling the cuticles in any way. This preparatory step makes all the difference to the quality of the final result.

There are two ways to soften these little bits of skin effectively. The first is to apply a cuticle-specific emollient such as the Express Exfoliating Gel for Cuticles for one minute, then massage gently before removing the excess with a cotton pad. The second method involves soaking the nails in hot water, optionally with a few drops of oil, for about five minutes.

Once the cuticles have softened, we can push them back with a suitable pusher. The movement must be in one direction only, towards the hand, never going back and forth, which could irritate the epidermis. There are several types of cuticle pusher: the professional metal model with a rounded edge, the boxwood stick for beginners, or the silicone version. We recommend doing this no more than once a week or before applying polish for a flawless result. If dead skin remains visible, we can carefully trim it with a hangnail nipper, without going too close to the sensitive edges.

Scrubbing and cleansing for flawless nail edges

A regular gentle scrub around our cuticles effectively removes accumulated dead skin and promotes natural cell renewal. This complementary step noticeably improves the overall appearance of our hands and ideally prepares the surface for subsequent treatments.

After pushing back our cuticles using the technique described above, we apply a suitable scrub or a simple homemade mix of sugar and olive oil. The technique of gentle massage for a few minutes works the exfoliating grains in, paying particular attention to the edges of the nails where residue builds up most. A weekly scrub is more than enough to get visible results without needlessly harming the skin.

A final clean with lukewarm water and soap, using a soft-bristled nail brush, removes all traces of exfoliant. This exfoliating and cleansing step contributes to a neat, well-groomed look, while preparing the surface perfectly for any additional treatments or the application of polish. The Belweder Regenerating Wax is ideally applied after this purifying routine to nourish deeply.

Targeted treatments and effective ingredients

The range of products specially formulated for cuticles now offers a variety of solutions: concentrated serums, precious oils, repairing balms, rich creams, refreshing gel-creams and gel-oils with fast absorption and no need for massage. This variety means everyone can find the texture that suits them perfectly, according to their preferences and lifestyle.

Among the most beneficial active ingredients are black propolis, with powerful antioxidant properties, five times more effective than vitamin E. Pistachio tree resin strengthens keratin and stimulates its natural synthesis, while organic baobab oil provides nourishment, protection and fortification. Magnolia bark has remarkable anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, reducing irritation and pain. Lily-of-the-valley polysaccharides strengthen the skin’s barrier function.

Other active ingredients such as shea butter, vitamin E, vegetable glycerine, chestnut extracts, coconut oil, rapeseed wax and aloe vera complete these formulations effectively. We particularly recommend practical formats with a brush applicator for precise application without an unpleasant greasy finish. Let’s favour vegan, bio-based products with as many natural ingredients as possible that respect our health and the environment, for an ethical and effective beauty routine.

Adapting your routine to the seasons and protecting your cuticles

The needs of our cuticles vary considerably with the seasons and the environmental factors we are exposed to. Adapting our routine intelligently in this way ensures optimal protection all year round.

In winter, intense cold and damp dry out our cuticles even more, weakening this essential protective barrier. We then need to step up moisturising significantly with particularly nourishing oils that bring immediate comfort and lasting protection. To care for fragile nails during this period, regular care becomes paramount.

Summer brings other challenges: sun exposure, chlorinated pool water and salty sea water. We then recommend always applying sunscreen to our hands and using products with a UV filter to prevent discolouration and accelerated drying. Regenerating after-sun oils excel at instantly repairing damage. Specific summer precautions preserve the beauty of our hands for the long term.

Day to day, a few essential protective measures are a must. We should avoid acetone nail polish removers, which dry out drastically, and prefer gentle formulas enriched with castor oil. Wearing gloves for housework or washing-up protects our cuticles from prolonged contact with hot water and harsh chemicals. These simple habits preserve their natural protective function and ensure a neat, well-groomed look, free and safe nail growth, and a flawless, long-lasting manicure that we will enjoy day after day.