3 Ways To Use A Cuticle Pusher - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow

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• Nail Care

How to Use a Cuticle Pusher Download Article Learn advanced nail care in the comfort of home with this handy guide Co-authored by Kristin Pulaski

Last Updated: June 14, 2025 Approved

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• Prepare Your Nails
|
• Push Back the Cuticles
|
• Choose a Cuticle Pusher
|
• Video
|
• Expert Q&A
|
• Tips
|
• Warnings
|
• Things You'll Need

|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Kristin Pulaski. Kristin Pulaski is a Professional Nail Artist and the Founder of Paintbucket, a self-owned and operated nail salon based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has over five years of experience running Paintbucket and is licensed as a nail technician. Paintbucket offers nail art manicures, pedicures, and soft gel extensions along with customized packages for wedding and bridal parties. She holds a BA in Managerial Science from Manhattan College. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 335,931 times.

A cuticle pusher is a simple nail tool used to perform manicures and pedicures. It pushes the skin from your cuticles back and away from your nails to help your nails grow stronger. Here's information on how to safely use a cuticle pusher.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Prepare Your Nails

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1. 1 For best results, soften the nails and cuticles before using the cuticle pusher. This is a necessary step to make pushing the cuticles away from the nails easier. If the cuticles are not soft and you try to push them, you might tear the skin, causing painful lesions.
   • Try using cuticle softener for this.[1]
2. 2 Apply cuticle remover on the nail. You can also use cuticle oil together with the cuticle remover. Make sure to spread it evenly all over the edges. Leave it for 2 minutes. Advertisement
3. 3 Submerge the fingers in a small bowl of warm water and soak them for about 3 minutes. This will help soften the cuticles even more.
4. 4 Use a small towel to gently dry your fingernails.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Push Back the Cuticles

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1. 1 Use the rounded part of the cuticle pusher to push back the cuticles on the surface of the nail.[2] Angle the pusher 35 to 45 degrees and gently slide it towards the base of the nail and push away the softened cuticles.
   • Always be gentle when you're pushing back your cuticles.[3]
2. 2 Use the pointed, sharp part to push down the cuticles at the corners of your nails.[4] You can also use this tip to clean under the nails. Repeat this process for all the nails.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Choose a Cuticle Pusher

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1. 1 Decide whether to get a cuticle pusher made of steel or wood. Steel cuticle pushers are best for tough, hard cuticles. Wooden cuticle pushers are best for soft cuticles.
2. 2 Pick which tip you want your cuticle pusher to have. Some have blunt rounded ends, others have sharp pointy ends or spoon-shaped ends and yet others are curved. The most common one has a rounded tip on one end and a sharp tip on the other.
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Video

Expert Q&A

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• Question Should you cut your cuticles or push them back? Kristin Pulaski Salon Owner & Nail Specialist Kristin Pulaski is a Professional Nail Artist and the Founder of Paintbucket, a self-owned and operated nail salon based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has over five years of experience running Paintbucket and is licensed as a nail technician. Paintbucket offers nail art manicures, pedicures, and soft gel extensions along with customized packages for wedding and bridal parties. She holds a BA in Managerial Science from Manhattan College. Kristin Pulaski Salon Owner & Nail Specialist Expert Answer Always push your cuticles back instead of cutting them. Your cuticle (also known as your eponychium) is there to block any outside bacteria from getting in—if you cut your cuticles, you could get a bacterial infection. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 2 Helpful 12
• Question Can I use Vaseline to soften my cuticles? Community Answer Yes! Be sure to rub it in a bit and allow it to sit on your cuticles for some time before trying to push them back. Vaseline is what I use for my cuticles, and they look quite nice! Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 4 Helpful 36
• Question Why is a metal cuticle pusher less recommended? Community Answer The metal cuticle pushers can hurt if you push too hard or if you slip while pushing. The rubber tipped cuticle pushers are more gentle, but still get the job done. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 23

See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Tips

• Apply hydrating oil to the cuticles regularly.[5] In case the cuticles become overly dry, you really have to do this. For example, you can use olive oil on your cuticles to make them smooth and healthy. Massage each nail for better absorption. Even a short massage will do. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Instead of using cuticle remover or cuticle oil, petroleum jelly is also an effective cuticle softener.[6] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Make sure to cut off any hangnails as closely to the base as possible without causing injury to the nail or the skin. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 4

Show More Tips Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

• Whichever type of cuticle pusher you choose to use, always remember to never push too hard. Thanks Helpful 45 Not Helpful 9

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Things You'll Need

• Cuticle pusher
• Cuticle cutter
• Cuticle remover
• Cuticle oil – optional
• Cuticle hydrating oil
• Small bowl – filled with warm water
• Small towel

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References

1. ↑ Kristin Pulaski. Salon Owner & Nail Specialist. Expert Interview
2. ↑ https://glowsly.com/how-to-use-a-cuticle-pusher/
3. ↑ Kristin Pulaski. Salon Owner & Nail Specialist. Expert Interview
4. ↑ https://glowsly.com/how-to-use-a-cuticle-pusher/
5. ↑ Kristin Pulaski. Salon Owner & Nail Specialist. Expert Interview
6. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/caring-for-your-cuticles#2
7. https://www.nailpro.com/cuticle-guide/
8. Videos provided by JauntyJuli

About This Article

Co-authored by: Kristin Pulaski Salon Owner & Nail Specialist This article was co-authored by Kristin Pulaski. Kristin Pulaski is a Professional Nail Artist and the Founder of Paintbucket, a self-owned and operated nail salon based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has over five years of experience running Paintbucket and is licensed as a nail technician. Paintbucket offers nail art manicures, pedicures, and soft gel extensions along with customized packages for wedding and bridal parties. She holds a BA in Managerial Science from Manhattan College. This article has been viewed 335,931 times. 6 votes - 100% Co-authors: 17 Updated: June 14, 2025 Views: 335,931 Categories: Nail Care Article SummaryX

To use a cuticle pusher, start by applying cuticle remover to your nails, and leave them for 2 minutes. This helps soften your cuticles and makes it easier to compress them. After 2 minutes, soak your fingertips in a small bowl of warm water for another 3 minutes. Use a small towel to gently dry them. Once your nails are soft and dry, hold the rounded part of your cuticle pusher at a 45 degree angle. Gently slide it towards the base of your nail while pushing away the softened cuticle. Use the pointed, sharp side to push down the cuticles at the corners of your nails. Then, repeat the process for each of your nails. For more tips, including how to choose a cuticle pusher, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

• 

  Gloria Groll

  Dec 13, 2018

  "I want to start taking better care of my nails and cuticles. This article gave me lots of ideas. I especially like..." more

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Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Kristin Pulaski Salon Owner & Nail Specialist Co-authors: 17 Updated: June 14, 2025 Views: 335,931 100% of readers found this article helpful. 6 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote

Gloria Groll

Dec 13, 2018

"I want to start taking better care of my nails and cuticles. This article gave me lots of ideas. I especially like..." more

Lisa Belle

Nov 21, 2016

"I now know how to use cuticle pusher thanks to the simple explanation."

Anonymous

Jul 28, 2016

"Very informative article. I never used cuticle pusher properly."

Anonymous

Apr 11, 2017

"Visuals & highlighted area are very helpful." Rated this article: Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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