With the multitude of cuticle care products out there, it can be tough to navigate and decide what works best for you. I have tried a number of products -- here are the six that are either tried and true or that I have given a shot recently.
Keep reading to see how they measure up (in my opinion)!
Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream - This is the cuticle product that I have used the most out of any of these. I've almost finished a whole tin! Smells lemony fresh, not artificial smelling at all. Rubs in nicely, moisturizes really well, but makes the skin surrounding your fingers shiny. Not sticky or thick feeling. It can be hard for long nailed people to get it out of the tin without getting cuticle cream under their nail, especially when it gets low. This is my go-to purse-safe cuticle product.
Sally Hansen VitaSurge Cuticle Gel - The really big selling point for this one is that it dries quickly and matte, so you can put it on right before a nail photo and your hands won't be shiny. It's also not greasy, so you won't leave fingerprints on everything you touch. It doesn't smell like much at arm's length, if you get up close, it smells kind of like orange soda. The main drawback is that the orange color of the gel can show on your skin in a close up photo, even when rubbed in (especially if you are fair). The gel can leave a bit of residue if it dries on your nail, but that can be wiped off easily. This product seems to go faster than my other cuticle products.
Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser + Balm - This is one of the best smelling cuticle products, in my opinion, but the texture on this is not pleasant to me. Smells like cucumber and white tea -- very refreshing -- but it is waxy and sticky and feels thick on my skin. The product design is cool, with the green and white swirled together. It can be difficult to get the lid to line up correctly sometimes. Moisturizes fine, but is very shiny on your skin. I don't have a lot of cuticle to remove so it's hard for me to comment on the removal properties.
OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil - Smells like grapeseed, nice and light scent, fresh. Avoplex comes in an OPI bottle, which is cool and kind of novel to me. Absorbs well and moisturizes nicely. I wouldn't keep this one in my purse though, as the oil can get on the cap threads and make the cap not as secure. I love using this one for photos, but you definitely have to give it time to soak in, or your skin will look shiny to the max.
Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil - Love the mini Essie bottle, smells good. Cap doesn't seem very secure though, so this might be an oil to use at home and not on the go. Absorbs well and moisturizes nicely. This is kind of like the Avoplex though, in that it isn't a good choice right before manicure photos.
C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve - Works fine in a pinch, but I prefer it on lips! :) Very floral smelling, obviously, but sort of slick and greasy. Moisturizes nicely but not my first choice.
The winner for "Most Well Rounded Cuticle Care Product" is...
Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream!
It's the product I've used the most for a reason. It's portable, smells good, and does its job without being too heavy or waxy. Keep it up Burt and your bees!
