DIY Beauty Fridays: Hangnails and How to Prevent Them

Typically I create, test and write my own posts for Beauty Fridays but this week is a bit different.  Yes, there is a recipe at the bottom but I found this fantastic article that I had to share with you.

While at work this afternoon, I was picking at a GIANT hangnail on my thumb (which eventually came off AND has left a huge red irritated area) and it got me thinking about hangnail prevention and how important it is.  Especially with the weather being drier, our hands, and nails, are taking a beating.  So, in non-Red Lip Gloss fashion, here are some fantastic (borrowed) tips to prevent hangnails.  Thanks so much CLUTCH Magazine!!!

1. Juice them up. Keep your nail beds moisturized. Use cuticle oil or cream to keep the skin around the nails supple. Dry nails are the first things that lead to hangnails.

2. Don’t pick at your cuticles! It’s a habit that most women have–even more so than nail biting–and makes the little boogers pop up.

3. Nick them while their short.Instead of picking at your cuticles, snip them off as soon as you see them with a good pair of nail scissors. This keeps them from growing longer and becoming more painful.

4. Use your resources. A really good moisturizer for your cuticles is petroleum jelly. The fats in the product penetrate through the layers in your skin while the jelly itself creates a film preventing air from drying out the skin.

5. Nighty-night. The best time to pamper cuticles is at nighttime. Massaging a little bit of lip-balm into your nail beds will keep them moisturized and protected throughout the night.

6. Healing power. A natural element to heal hangnails quickly is by tapping into nutrients. Dropping vitamin E oil on nail beds after a fresh clip is one of the best ways to prevent hangnails from appearing.

7. Watch the solution! Avoid acetone-based nail polish remover because it dries out hands and nails, making hangnails highly susceptible.

8. Push it. Make sure you have your cuticles pushed back often with an orange stick or cuticle tool.

9. Keep ‘em groomed. Trim your nails regularly so they appear and stay neat at all sides and angles. Do this by treating yourself to regular manicures.

10. Kick a bad habit. Try your hardest to fight the urge to chew or bite on nails. Doing so aggravates the nail bed and causes hangnails to bleed.

Wow, I can definitely see what I need to incorporate into my nail routine.  These tips also explain the importance of cuticle oil/softener.  On that note, here's a quick recipe to make your own cuticle oil.

Prick a liquid vitamin E capsule with a clean, disinfected pin.  Squeeze the contents of the capsule into a little bowl and add 1 TBSP of olive oil.  (Again, I always use extra virgin olive oil).  Dip each finger into the mixture and let it sit on the nail beds for a minute or two.  After they've finished soaking, begin pushing your cuticles back.  Once done, rub the remaining mixture on your hands and fingers for additional moisture.

There you have it ladies!  A quick cuticle softener recipe and some fab tips to prevent hangnails.  Hopefully, I'll learn from my own mistakes and STOP PICKING those pesky little things..

Happy weekend!