This week I'm starting a series reviewing some of my favorite cuticle products! Each week I'll be sharing several of my favorite products for my cuticles. I'm definitely what you might call a cuticle fiend, and I buy every cuticle-aimed product I can find. Since I used to be a nail biter and cuticle picker, keeping my cuticles in tip-top shape is what keeps me from going back to my old bad habits. First up I have two of my favorite cuticle products that are readily available in drugstores.
1. Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser + Balm
Sally Hansen Cuticle Balm + Eraser is a fairly new product to my arsenal, one I picked up during my lunch break when my cuticles were in need of a pick-me-up. So far it's a great moisturizer and keeps my cuticles soft, and a little goes a very long way.
With a quick glance at the ingredients, I'm not sure what the active 'cuticle erasing' ingredient is. Although I'm currently using the balm fairly regularly, it does make me nervous since I have a bad habit of touching my face and eyes, and I'd rather not get some unknown cuticle erasing ingredient in my eyes.. that just sounds like a bad idea!
The texture is very thick and creamy, and the amount on my fingertip in the photo above would be plenty to moisturize my cuticles on one hand.
My favorite part of this creme would have to be the scent, it smells very fruity/floral and almost exactly like shampoo, one of my favorite scents. I also love that this balm is so widely available in the Sally Hansen section of most US drugstores and supermarkets.
2. Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover
.JPG)
This one is definitely my Holy grail of cuticle products. Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover is a watery gel that dissolves dry, dead skin on your cuticles. The active ingredient is sodium hydroxide, more commonly known as lye. Even though it's called maximum strength, the sodium hydroxide is present in very low concentration making this product safe when used as instructed.
The directions recommend squeezing a small strip of the gel around your nails before a manicure, leaving it in place for 15 seconds (or a maximum of 1 minute) then washing it off. The directions also say not to use this product more than twice a week, and most importantly, don't use it on cuts or open wounds (it will hurt like hell).
I must admit, I don't entirely use this product as directed. I've been using this product for over a year, so I know what will and what will not irritate my skin. Be very careful when trying a new product, and always follow the directions! Since I have problem cuticles, I go for the 1 minute application, I also typically apply the remover while I'm still wearing nail polish. As long as the nail polish is dry with top coat, the cuticle remover doesn't affect my manicure (it can leach the color out of some polishes if you aren't wearing topcoat). While the gel is sitting in my cuticles, I usually use an orange stick to gently push back my cuticles. This method is particularly useful if your cuticles are stained from clean-up!
This product is also available in most US drugstores or supermarkets as well as online.
What is your favorite drugstore cuticle product? Do you have a holy grail product that you couldn't live without?
.JPG)
im a total junkster for cuticle products too. i have an overflowing basket of them next to the bed AND i still have at least 10 more on my nail table! i havent tried the cuticle remover by sally hansen but i HAVE tried that balm and its pretty good. nothing earth shattering, but it definitely moisturizes nicely.
ReplyDelete