We asked celebrity manicurists to weigh in
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Before they’re polished to perfection, one of the most essential steps in a manicure is preparing your nail beds. After soaking your hands in warm soapy water, a technician usually pushes back the skin, then moves to cuticle removal. Whether your local salon technician uses a trimming tool and a flick of the wrist or an effective treatment to get the job done, a smooth nail bed is essential for a long-lasting polish finish—but is complete cuticle removal doing more harm than good?
According to professionals, removing the rigid skin near the base of your nails by cutting or pulling may ultimately leave you more susceptible to worse regrowth or even infection. “I know it's really satisfying to cut your nails to see a clean look instantly, but this is a big no-no,” celebrity manicurist and beauty founder Jin Soon Choi tells Bazaar . “If you cut your cuticles [consistently], they will peel off and start to get ragged in a few days,” she explains.
Fellow celebrity manicurist Stephanie Stone agrees, adding that cuticles exist to guard nail beds against bacteria and infection. “Cutting them takes away a huge defense mechanism,” she says. “Plus, the more you cut them, the more your body will think they need to be produced, which leads to their growing back even thicker.” As a point of reference, she suggests considering how a scab creates a protective barrier over a wound as it heals. Stone notes that while she advises avoiding cutting your cuticles as much as possible, she still keeps a pair of professional-level nippers in her beauty kit to cut away dead skin once in a blue moon as needed. “If you have a hangnail or snagged skin, it is always better to trim it down as short as possible to prevent it ripping on its own. But when it comes to your live skin, care is always better than cutting,” she advises.
Since removing rogue cuticles is often a last resort for nail health, professionals recommend incorporating oils and creams into your care routine to encourage softness, and opting for gentle treatments that minimize the risk of permanent damage. Celebrity nail artist Sigourney Nuñez considers the right treatments “skincare for your nails” and often uses Cuccio's Revitalizing Cuticle Oil on her clients. “The oil helps moisturize dry cuticles and condition the nail plate, giving your entire manicure a smoother, more polished look, with no elaborate nail care routine required,” she explains. And just like in your skincare routine, Olivia Van Iderstine, Olive & June’s vice president of education and manicure trend expert, says to layer your hand care essentials starting with lightweight textures, like serums and oils, then following with thicker, richer creams for lasting hydration.
“As long as you're not cutting any live skin and damaging your cuticles, gently pushing them back and buffing away excess skin will actually help improve the health and the appearance of your cuticles and will help make your manicure last as long as possible while looking salon-quality,” continues Van Iderstine. The expert adds that the safest way to achieve smooth nail beds at home is to gently push back cuticles before a manicure and after a bath or shower when skin is softest, in addition to buffing away excess dead skin with a fine-grit buffer .
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