Afternoon beauty fix: How to keep your cuticles happy and hydrated between manicures

I got a pretty inexpensive “express” manicure over the weekend and, though my expectations weren’t too high, the outcome is fairly sub-par. Do I need to start over? Nah, there’s no need to. You’re probably half way to a good manicure—a few simple at home tweaks will surely take it the rest of the way. Take a look at the prep work to see if your cuticles are intact and moisturized. It’s important to massage cuticles with a nourishing cream or oil to keep them soft, not cracked, and therefore less prone to infection. We like Cake Beauty Milk Made Smoothing Hand & Cuticle Buffer ($18, cakebeauty.com) because it’s packed with avocado, coconut, and milk proteins to strengthen nails and moisturize cuticles, and contains a sugar scrub that instantly softens hands. And if that’s not enough, it also smells like a delicious candy factory. We also suggest keeping a mini bottle of CND SolarOil ($3, cnd.com) in your purse—apply it to the skin around your nail bed whenever the mood strikes (or your dry cuticles become distracting). The sweet almond oil in it also smells like a dream, and will help seal in moisture while also giving your manicure a shiny boost that will prolong your next salon visit.

In need of an afternoon beauty pick-me-up? Email us at beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com.