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Although all of us have sensitive skin and need TLC, our hands are particularly vulnerable because hand sanitizers, soaps and other chemicals constantly dry them out-especially during a pandemic. Wear and tear in daily life usually affects our stratum corneum and peels off the dead skin around our nails. If not handled properly, these dead skins may become a way for bacteria to spread. Although professional manicurists will deal with these nasty nails during manicure, in the long run, taking care of your cuticles occasionally will cause more problems. If you are not familiar with the nail care process, we discussed cuticle care options with experts and collected the most acclaimed options based on their recommendations.

Learn more about how to treat the cuticle at home | How to buy cuticle oil

What most people think of as the stratum corneum is not actually their stratum corneum. According to Akiko Sugiyama, owner of AKIKO Nails in New York City, the cuticle is actually "dead, colorless tissue attached to the natural nail plate." You might think that the stratum corneum is actually the nail peel-"the living skin that hides the matrix area at the bottom of the natural nail plate"-where it "protects the area between the nail and the epidermis from bacteria."

When manicure, you want to cut the cuticle, not the nail skin. Viviana Torres, a manicurist from Georgia, explained: “When cutting the stratum corneum, it will not bleed because it is dead tissue, which acts as an additional barrier to prevent any bacteria from entering the periosteal membrane." It will cause harm and will open the wound, allowing bacterial infections to enter the body."

Following the guidance of Torres and Sugiyama, we have collected top products for every part of the cuticle care process, from cuticle oils to cuticle boosters.

Olive and June’s cuticle serum contains several oils recommended by experts, including avocado oil and jojoba oil. It comes with an easy-to-use twist pen with a foam tip for clutter-free and easy-to-manage applications. According to the brand, the essence does not leave a lot of residue and is easily absorbed by the skin. More than 450 reviews from Olive and June, with an average rating of 4.4 stars.

CND's SolarOil formula is suitable for hands and feet. It is infused with jojoba oil, almond oil and vitamin E, which can penetrate deep into the skin and soften the stratum corneum. According to the brand, this cuticle oil is ideal for people with particularly dry skin and obvious signs of aging. On Amazon, it has an average rating of 4.8 stars and comes from more than 1,000 reviews.

OPI's ProSpa Cuticle Oil contains expertly approved avocado oil and a variety of seed oils-including grape seed oil, sunflower oil and sesame seed oil-to promote the nourishment of the cuticle and strengthen the nails. ProSpa Cuticle Oil also uses a portable take-out tube, which has an average rating of 4.6 stars from more than 50 Ulta reviews.

Holler And Glow's cuticle oil contains almond oil and coconut oil to moisturize and soften the skin around the nails. The brand claims that all its products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free, which means they contain no animal products and have not been tested on animals. The oil has a light coconut fragrance and has an average rating of 4.8 stars out of 19 Target reviews.

According to the brand, YINYIN's dual-spring stainless steel cuticle trimmer is designed to stay sharp. The jaws of the hair clipper are only 0.38 inches wide, so even the smallest nails will work. Yinyin's suit also comes with a cuticle pusher, and it has an average rating of 4.7 stars out of more than 6,500 reviews on Amazon.

Due to the dual spring design, these cuticle forceps from Tweezerman require minimal pressure to operate. The brand claims that the half-inch wide jaw promotes painless exfoliation, while the stainless steel design can withstand normal rust and wear. On Amazon, nippers from more than 1,400 shoppers have an average rating of 4.6 stars.

These wooden cuticle sticks can not only be used to push back your cuticles, but you can also use the tip of the stick to clean debris under your nails and remove hard-to-remove nail polish. There are 12 sticks in a pack, and the average rating of 20 Target shoppers is 4.5 stars.

This durable metal cuticle tool from Flowery has been highly rated by Ulta, with an average rating of 4.8 stars from 52 reviews. In addition to the push rod, it also comes with a nail cleaner. The reviewer pointed out that both sides are very sharp, so you can successfully push the stratum corneum back by applying a little pressure when using it.

If you prefer blunt tools, this plastic cuticle pusher from Beauty Secrets uses a thick red tip to push back the cuticle and remove dirt from under your nails. According to the brand, it is easy to use and easy to hold​​, with an average rating of 4.1 stars out of more than 70 reviews on Sally Beauty.

Regular care of your stratum corneum can help prevent barbs and skin peeling. According to Sugiyama, the best way to deal with the cuticles is to gently push them back with a cuticle pusher. "This can stop and prevent the cuticles from growing on your nail bed," she explained, adding that if you don't push them, "it may be painful and peel off." She pointed out that the best time is Push away your stratum corneum just after the shower, because the skin is softer and easier to manipulate. Otherwise, you should first soak your nails in warm water to soften the skin.

When it comes to cuticle thrusters, Torres said that metal, plastic, and wooden orange are equally effective. "You can easily find [a] in a local store, such as a beauty store in Wal-Mart, Target or Sally," she pointed out.

Torres said that if you end up with barbs or peeling skin, you can use cuticle scissors to carefully cut off the excess dead skin. If you accidentally scratched yourself during the removal process, she said you should immediately stop the bleeding with a cotton ball, and then clean the area with soap and water plus isopropyl alcohol after the bleeding slows down. "You can immediately cover [it] with a band-aid, but it is best to leave it exposed so that it can heal faster," she added. Sugiyama also recommends covering the wound with petroleum jelly to form a barrier as the wound heals.

Many manicurists apply cuticle oil to the client's nail bed after washing their hands. According to Torres, this is "an important part of keeping your nails healthy" because it "keep your nails moisturized" and "avoid excessive dead skin." These oils also "help nail growth, circulation, and help avoid nails and dry and peeling skin."

You can (and should) use this as part of your daily life-hand sanitizer and soap "contain irritating chemicals that cause excessive drying of hands and nails", while cuticle oil can "keep the skin nourished with vitamins," she Say. Torres recommends applying cuticle oil 3 times a day, but if you only apply it once, you should apply it at night. "[Before bed] applying oil allows the product to penetrate into the skin longer while you sleep," she explained.

There are many different cuticle oils, as the name suggests, the main ingredient is usually one oil. Experts we interviewed said that you should look for cuticle oils that contain argan oil, seed oil, or fruit oil for the best results, as they tend to be the most moisturizing. Specifically, they recommend looking for cuticle oils that contain the following ingredients:

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