This Painless Nail Exfoliator Works Like Magic To Melt Away Dry Cuticle Skin

One of the most overlooked steps in an at-home manicure is cuticle care. But as anyone who’s ever gone to a nail salon can attest, having your cuticles gently pushed back (and yes, they should always be pushed back and never trimmed or cut!) makes a world of difference. That’s where Butter London’s Melt Away Cuticle Exfoliator comes in. The clear formula may look like a base coat, but it’s actually a prep step designed to soften dry, overgrown cuticles so that you can push them back for a smoother, cleaner-looking finish. There’s no trimming involved with the exfoliating product, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally clipping your skin and winding up with an infection, and there’s no complicated routine to follow either — just paint it on and let it work its magic. Like the rest of Butter London’s line, the cuticle treatment is also cruelty-free, vegan, and 10-free (the latter being an abbreviated way to inform customers that the nail product in question is free from 10 ingredients that are potentially harmful).

The Melt Away Cuticle Exfoliator is the easiest step in your at-home manicure routine, and it should also be your first (after removing any old polish you may have been wearing, that is). You’ll want to concentrate the formula around your cuticles and nail beds, painting a thin, even layer onto each finger and giving the treatment about 60 seconds to get to work. As the treatment sits, the potassium hydroxide in the formula helps to gently exfoliate the cuticles, while Irish moss softens cuticles by moisturizing dry, rough skin so that all you need to do is gently push them back — it’s as simple as that. After you’ve pushed your cuticles back and removed any excess product, you’re ready to start painting your nails. (Pro tip: you may also want to add a moisturizing cuticle oil into your post-manicure routine to not only hydrate your cuticles and prevent dry skin from coming back, but to help improve the long-term health of your nails, too.)

Technically, you don’t need any extras with the cuticle exfoliator, but if you don’t want to push your cuticles back with your own thumbnail, you’ll need a cuticle pusher to help you out. You’ll also want to have nail polish remover or a small hand towel on hand to remove excess product following the cuticle treatment.