Dear Friends,

One aspect of personal grooming often overlooked is keeping cuticles
in great shape. Even if we’re in the habit of quickly applying polish
to our nails, we often skip softening the cuticles in our effort to
save a little time. A few weeks of this and cuticles become thick and
hardened and rather unsightly.

To manage my cuticles, I like to massage a sugar scrub all over my
hands. A mixture of sugar and liquid hand soap will work, but for
extra moisture, use olive oil instead of soap for your carrier. Rinse
away this mixture and then use an orange stick to gently push your
cuticles back. Try to avoid cutting your cuticles if at all possible
because intact cuticles are a barrier that protects your nails and
skin from infection. Finish by polishing or buffing your nails if you
like, and then apply a moisturizer to the cuticles and hands. For an extra
treat, cover the hands with gloves or socks to allow your body heat to increase
the power of your moisturizer as you sleep. During the day, you can wear
cleaning gloves to help give your hands a spa treatment while washing dishes or
doing other cleaning tasks.

Commercial cuticle softening creams will help your cuticles stay
looking great longer. You may want to keep some by your bedside or in
your purse to make applications more convenient, just be careful to
keep away from children and pets if the product you choose has harsh
chemicals. Olive oil works very well!

Bless the hands that you use to bless others! You are so worth it!

Love,

FlyLady Dana