Cuticle

The cuticle is the narrow strip of skin where the nail meets the finger. It has a job: it seals the base of the nail so that water and bacteria cannot reach the root where new nail is made. Part of it is living skin that should be left alone; the dead, dry film that creeps onto the nail plate is what a manicurist softens and pushes back.

In a classic manicure the therapist soaks or applies a softener, pushes the loose cuticle back with an orange stick and trims only the dry, lifted skin. Cutting into living skin causes soreness and hangnails and opens a way for infection, which is why gentle cuticle care matters more than a very clean line.

Cuticle care is part of every Hamd Beauty manicure and pedicure. At home, a drop of oil rubbed in at night keeps the skin soft and helps gel last longer at the base. If the skin around a nail is red, swollen or painful, wait until it settles, and ask your doctor if it does not.