6 DIY Cuticle Removers for Salon-Quality Results at Home

Your cuticles play a very important part in keeping your nails and hands healthy and strong. They protect the lower part of your nail bed and prevent any bacteria, germs, and any form of dirt from getting in.

Cutting your cuticles is very dangerous as removing that barrier leaves your nail bed exposed, leading to serious damage or, even worse, infections. However, with that being said, you can maintain them and keep them looking clean and tidy while still allowing them to fulfill their purpose.

In this post, I’ll be sharing 6 DIY homemade cuticle removers. These remove help remove the top layers of the cuticles; these will help keep your cuticles fresh and looking presentable without causing any damage to them. I’ll also explain the benefits of using a cuticle remover and why you may want to incorporate one into your nail care routines.

Benefit of using a cuticle remover

There are many benefits to using a cuticle remover. One of the main benefits is that they are a much safer way of removing your cuticles.

Cutting your cuticles with cuticle scissors can cause many issues like cutting too low or the scissors not being clean and causing infections. A cuticle remover only softens the cuticles and removes the top layer, similarly to removing dead skin cells.

Here are a few other benefits:

It makes your manicure look more fresh and clean

Maintaining your cuticles can make your whole manicure look much cleaner and neater. Removing them can make them look more even and give your hands and nails a more seamless look.

Even though your cuticles are such a small detail, they have a big impact and can make your level of hygiene look better. It also helps make your nail polish look better, as it gives it a smoother finish that compliments your hands and nails more.

Your nail polish lasts longer 

Removing your cuticles helps your nail polish last longer. When they are pushed back or removed, it reveals more of your nail bed, a safe amount, giving your nail polish a larger surface area to adhere to.

This means the nail polish has a stronger hold, which will make it last longer. If you struggle to make your nail polish last, you should try this as it could help improve the length of your manicure. 

It prevents cuticles from getting caught or cracking

Removing your cuticles not only keeps them maintained, but it helps prevent them from damage. If you leave your cuticles and don’t do anything to them, they become more prone to damage.

They tend to become hard and stiff, which causes them to crack, or part of the cuticle can lift; this can lead to many issues like serious cracks or the lifting parts getting caught. This could cause a lot of soreness and lead to serious damage, so removing your cuticles helps prevent this. 

Homemade Cuticle Remover: 6 Easy DIY Ideas

These 6 easy DIY cuticle removers all use easily accessible products, all of which you should already have in your house. Not only that, but they are very easy methods that don’t take long to do or for you to see results. Here are 6 easy homemade cuticle removers.

1. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar helps to loosen your cuticles which is essential when you’re trying to remove them as it is much easier to do, and it helps avoid any damage or the process going wrong. Not only that, but it kills bacteria and germs on your cuticles, so this is another way it prevents damage and any infections from occurring. It can also benefit your nails as apple cider vinegar strengthens your nails.

What you need: 

Apple cider vinegar

An oil of choice

Orangewood stick

A bowl

Method

Soak your fingers in a bowl of apple cider vinegar for 5 to 10 minutes.

Halfway through, gently push back your cuticles using an orangewood stick, then place them back in the vinegar for the remaining amount of time.

When they have been in for the recommended time, remove your hands and apply an oil to your cuticles. You can use any oil you want, for example, vitamin E oil, body oil, or specific cuticle oil.

Finally, push back your cuticles again gently. Massage the remaining oil into your nails and cuticles.

2. Lemon juice and oil

Lemons contain citric acid, which can weaken your cuticle skin cells allowing them to be easily removed. This is also a very natural way of removing your cuticles; there isn’t anything artificial being used, which also has its benefits.

What you need: 

1 Lemon

An oil of choice

Orangewood stick

Method

Simply cut a lemon in half and push a nail into the lemon, one at a time, for 30 to 60 seconds.

Once it has soaked in the lemon, apply your chosen oil to your cuticles.

Push them back gently using an orangewood stick.

Finally, massage the remaining oil into your nails and cuticles.

3. Baking soda and honey

Baking soda and honey create a natural exfoliant scrub that gets rid of dead skin cells and hydrates and moisturises your cuticles. If you don’t have honey, you can use baking soda on its own, but it can be very drying, so make sure to apply a hydrating moisturiser afterward.

What you need: 

1 tablespoon of baking soda

1 tablespoon of honey

Orangewood stick

Method

Mix the baking soda and honey together, and stir into a paste.

Apply the paste to your cuticles and leave it to rest for 30 to 60 seconds.

Then use your orangewood stick to push back your cuticles.

Once you’re happy with the results and shape your cuticles as you want, wash off the baking soda and honey paste.

Finally, moisturise your hands.

4. Oil, soap, and water

This is probably one of the most straightforward ways to remove cuticles. When it comes to removing cuticles, the main thing you want to do is soften your cuticles; this helps to avoid any damage, prevents your cuticles from cracking, and makes it an easier process. Using oil, soap, and water helps soften them and applies enough moisture to keep them hydrated and move to reshape them. 

What you need: 

Warm water

Hand soap

An oil of choice

Orangewood stick

Nail brush

Method

Start by washing your hands and nails with hand soap and warm water. Leave them to soak in the water for about 1 minute.

When they’ve finished soaking, remove your hands from the water, but do not dry them. 

Apply your chosen oil to your cuticles and gently push back your cuticles.

Once you have pushed back your cuticles and you’re happy with them, using a nail brush, gently scrub your nails and cuticles to remove any dirt, dead skin cells, and any of the cuticle that has lifted. 

Moisturise your hands, nails, and cuticles to rehydrate them.

5. Face wash

Face washes are exfoliants with special chemicals used to remove dead skin cells. To remove cuticles using a face wash, you need a face wash that either contains an alpha hydroxy acid such as lactic acid, salicylic acid, or one that uses an abrasive material like microbeads. Alpha hydroxy acids weaken the hold between the skin cells, making it easier to remove and push back your cuticles. Abrasive materials essentially sand off the dead cuticle skin cells.

What you need: 

Face wash of your choice

An oil of choice

Orangewood stick

Method

First, start by washing your hands in warm water with hand soap to ensure your hands and cuticles are clean.

Apply the face wash to your cuticles and allow them to soak for 30 to 60 seconds.

Once you’ve let them soak, scrub your cuticles against your opposite hand. Do this vigorously for about 30 seconds.

When you have done both hands, wash the face, wash off and apply your chosen oil.

Push back your cuticles to neaten them up.

Finally, massage the remaining oil into your cuticles and allow time for it to soak in.

6. Coconut oil

Using coconut oil to remove cuticles is a natural way of doing it that also provides many benefits to your hands and nails. It is naturally soothing and hydrating, which is great when you want to loosen your cuticles.

What you need: 

Coconut oil

Orangewood stick

Moisturiser

Method

Rub a pea-sized amount of coconut oil onto each cuticle and leave it to soak on your nails and cuticles for 15 to 20 minutes.

Once your cuticles have softened, use your orange wooden stick to push your cuticles back and reshape them.

When you’re happy with the results, wash off the coconut oil with warm water.

Finally, apply your moisturiser to your hands, nails, and cuticles to rehydrate them.

Summary

These methods are much healthier and safer for your cuticles and nails to try one of these methods.

The healthy of your hands and nails are much more important than the appearance, so even though they may not completely remove your cuticles, these will leave your cuticles much healthier and, in turn, will improve the appearance of your hands and nails in the long run.

If you don’t want to try these methods, then there are cuticle remover products that you can buy that can give you the same results as these will.