Manicure pusher: what is it, how to choose and use?

There is practically no time left in the current rhythm of life to spend it on personal care. Modern girls try to create a manicure with minimal waste of time and money, because the hands should always be well-groomed. Today, the fair sex at home produce various procedures for the care of hair, face, and nails. Manicure plays a big role, because the more carefully it is performed, the more elegant the nails look. To create a beautiful manicure, you should initially put your hands in order, and for this you need to purchase special tools. The cuticle pusher deserves special attention. It is worth considering what it is, how to choose it correctly, and how to use it.

A pusher is a special tool that should be like every professional manicurist, and for use at home. This tool is designed to work with cuticles. With its help, you can give the nail bed a beautiful symmetrical semicircular shape. The main task of the pusher is to push back the cuticle, because the name comes from the English word push.

Modern models of the pusher have basically two sides, each of which is designed for specific purposes.

• One side is represented as a scapula. It can be of two varieties: flat or beveled. This tool allows you to easily push the cuticle off the nail surface, without damaging it.
• The other side is called a hatchet. It has another purpose - the removal of cuticles and burrs, as well as the removal of dirt from under the nails. With this tool, the marigold is often prepared for further building.

It is worth noting that some girls prefer the orange stick to work with cuticles, but it is the pusher that is more convenient and effective to use.

Modern manufacturers offer a wide range of pushers, where each buyer can choose a manicure tool depending on personal goals. They differ not only in purpose, but also in size, as well as in the materials of which they are made. It is worth considering in more detail several varieties of modern pushers.

• Unilateral. This model has a blade at one end. It is designed specifically to move the cuticle; with its help, nothing can be cut off.
• Bilateral. This tool already has more functions, since on the one hand there is a scapula to move the cuticle, and on the other - a sharp tip that allows you to remove dirt from under the nail plates. The second end of a double-sided tool can be equipped with a trimmer that allows you to cut off dead skin.

The tip made of silicone is ideal for those people who have capillaries close to them, because this material can not damage the skin. If we consider environmentally friendly materials, then it is worth paying attention to wooden models, in addition, they are quite cheap. And, of course, professional tools are made of metal.

The shape of the pusher can be different - round, semicircular, pointed and even square. Each buyer decides for himself which form will be most convenient for achieving the goals for which this tool is purchased.

Today, the pusher and the scraper have become almost identical concepts, since modern models usually combine these two tools, which are used for different purposes, and this is their main difference. So, the word "pusher" came from the English push - push, and the word "scraper" was formed from the German schaben, which translates as "scrape". From this it follows that the pusher is designed to move the cuticle, and the scraper - to cut off all unnecessary. These two tools are indispensable for creating a beautiful manicure, so many companies create models that have a pusher on the one hand and a scraper on the other. And how to call such an unusual tool, everyone decides independently.

The cuticle is very important for marigolds, as it prevents bacteria from entering. But unfortunately, the use of detergents negatively affects it, as a result, the skin becomes dry, and eventually bursts, small wounds appear that can become a hotbed of inflammation and abscesses. Therefore, processing the cuticle provides hand hygiene. Of course, to cut the cuticle it is worth using nippers or scissors, but first you should move it away, and in this case the pusher is indispensable.

This is the difference between the two manicure tools.

It is worth summarizing the above, noting that the pusher is a small scapula with a rounded edge to move the cuticle, while the scraper is a device for removing the cuticle attached to the nail plate.Scraper can be used for various purposes, so it is produced in various forms. In appearance, it also looks like a scapula, but one edge is beveled and sharpened, which allows for convenient and quick scraping.

Many manufacturers today make the so-called mix, which is both a pusher and a scraper. Such a two-sided tool is in demand, as it attracts attention with convenience and practicality. It was such a hybrid that made these two concepts interchangeable.

The choice of a tool for working with cuticles is very important, since only a quality pusher can guarantee a good result, as well as safety. It is worth paying attention to several recommendations when choosing such a tool from professionals.

• Material plays a big role. They can be made of wood, plastic and metal. It is better to give preference to a metal tool. It is stainless medical steel that will be a great solution for both professional masters in the nail industry and for beginners. If we consider wooden and plastic pushers, it is worth noting that they break quite quickly, so you need to constantly buy a new tool.
• Wood pushers Ideal for working with soft cuticles, so they are recommended to buy for girls. But for men with hard cuticles, experts recommend using exclusively metal options.

• If you want to purchase double sided tool to work with the cuticle, then you should definitely evaluate each side. The pusher should be smooth and rounded, and the scraper, on the contrary, perfectly sharpened, since it is with its help that you can cut off the keratinized cuticle.
• Of great importance is the handle of the pusher. It should be comfortably held in the hand. If the handle slips out, it is impossible to work with such a tool. It is worth giving preference to that device that is equipped with a ribbed handle or has an anti-slip coating.
• Do not forget about the shape of the scraper blade itself. So, a pointed tool is suitable for a narrow nail bed, but the round, semicircular or square option is an excellent choice for wide nail plates.

• It is worth evaluating the very work of the pusher. It is worth taking a spatula and holding it on the palm of your hand or, as an option, just feel it with your fingers. The metal should be smooth, without burrs, because they will definitely lead to wounds on the skin.
• If you need to buy a pusher with a curette, which is used to eliminate dead skin, which usually accumulates between the cuticle and the nail, then you should pay attention to its sharpening. However, it should not be very sharp to avoid damage to the skin.

It is worth considering the ranking of the best manufacturers of pushers to know what tools are characterized by excellent quality and are in demand among consumers.

• Stark. This is a well-known company that produces a wide range of tools and equipment for the nail industry. To create pushers, the brand uses excellent quality medical steel. These models are equipped with a practical and comfortable handle that has an anti-slip effect. Each model is characterized by functionality. Among the proposed assortment, models that on the other hand have a curette are very popular. If you choose quality, then it is worth getting a pusher from the Stark company.
• Yoko. This is another well-known brand that offers high-quality manicure and pedicure equipment. This company offers a choice of glossy and matte pushers. And also they can have different lengths and can be used for a variety of purposes.The length of the tool usually varies from 12 to 14.8 cm. Many women are preferred to this particular brand due to its affordable cost. So, a one-way pusher usually costs from 100 to 150 rubles, and a two-sided pusher - from 250 to 300 rubles. It was the excellent quality and reasonable price that made the products from the Yoko company in demand among both professionals and ordinary users.

• Zinger. This company is known to many thanks to various devices for creating beautiful and high-quality manicures and pedicures. They include not only pushers, but also scissors, trimmers, scrapers, nail files and so on. Many models are equipped with two tips, while one of them is presented in the form of a spatula, and the second is characterized by subtlety and sharpness, so that it can be used to clean the sides of the nail plate. You can choose a pusher with different sizes and shapes of the scapula, depending on personal preferences. Buyers can even purchase a tool that, in addition to the pusher, also includes a nail tip. Such a device will become indispensable in front of every manicure, while its average cost is 370 rubles.
• Metzger. This company is known in many countries as a quality manufacturer of equipment and tools for cosmetic procedures. Compared to the above brands, Metzger products are characterized by better quality and high cost. Such a tool can usually be seen in the hands of a professional nail industry. Such a pusher costs about 550 rubles. Both volumetric and flat options are presented for consideration by customers. The manufacturer uses exclusively high-quality stainless steel for the production of pushers. Practicality and durability are the strengths of the pushers from the Metzger brand.

• Essence This brand is also in demand, especially if you need to buy a pusher. The company offers a tool that guarantees a fairly easy and accurate removal of the cuticle. The pusher is equipped with a special tip made of ceramics, with the help of which the work with the cuticle occurs rather gently and painlessly. The product range even includes rubber-tipped pushers. They are specially designed for sensitive and delicate skin. All Essence products are professional, and this is the best guarantee of quality.
• O. P. I. Many beauty salons purchase manicure tools from this particular company. For home use, such devices are rarely purchased, because the cost of one pusher is about 2000 rubles. Excellent quality is the main advantage of brand products. Tools do not need sharpening for a long time. A wide selection of models, a variety of tips allow you to choose the option depending on personal wishes.

• Mertz. Many masters of the nail industry work precisely with equipment and devices of this brand. They are characterized by excellent quality, so they guarantee safe operation even when adjusting the cuticle. All tips are perfectly sharpened, so you can easily cut off the keratinous skin, while eliminating the occurrence of scratches on the marigold plate. The company offers its fans double-sided pushers, which are equipped on one side with a sharp arrow to eliminate the cuticle on the sides, and on the other with a rounded shoulder blade to work at the base of the marigold. Users of brand products leave mostly positive reviews. Quite often, a pusher is used to remove shellac or gel polish after soaking in a special tool to remove such a coating. Mertz often ranks first in the ranking of manicure and pedicure equipment.

So, it’s already been discussed above why a pusher is needed, and now it’s worthwhile to analyze in more detail how to use it properly to achieve the desired result. It is necessary to adhere to a certain sequence of actions.

• Initially, it is worth preparing the nails for working with the pusher - remove the base, gel polish and other coatings if they are present on the nail plate, otherwise it will be impossible to control the tool at the required angle.
• After that, it is worth disinfecting the tool itself, as well as treating the hands with an antiseptic. For these purposes, peroxide, medical alcohol, vodka or chlorhexidine can be used.
• You should give the nails the correct shape - adjust the free edge of the nail, while leaving the required length, make the shape correction so that it is the same on all nails. To prevent delamination of the nails, it is worth working with a glass nail file.
• It is strictly forbidden to push the cuticle dry. It is worth preparing a warm bath with herbs or soap solution, immerse your fingertips into it. This procedure will avoid further cuticle rupture.

• If there are large cuticle growths on the nail plate, then it is worth using a special remover, which is applied to the problem areas and left for 10 minutes to soften them.
• Next, you need to rinse your hands under water, and soften the cuticle with oil, for this it is worth performing massage movements, as if rubbing it into the periungual roller. At the same time, you can push the cuticle a little in the right direction, so that further manipulations are made easier and faster.
• All excess oil should be removed with a cotton swab.
• Now is the time to use a pusher - you need to attach a wide part of the scapula to the nail plate, namely: to the cuticle, which should be moved away, while it is necessary to maintain an angle of 40 or 45 degrees. Gentle actions should be performed to advance the cuticle closer to the base of the nail, the plate should remain free.
• It is strictly forbidden to work with the pusher when it is at an angle of 90 degrees, because a sharp edge can lead to stratification and wounds.

• Further it is worth moving a pusher from the middle to the sides of the periungual roller.
• This procedure should be performed on each nail. If cuticle fragments remain on the nail after the procedure, then it is worth using a scraper, which is usually located on the opposite side of the tool. Movement should be light.
• After the cleaning procedure, rinse your hands, treat the skin, and disinfect the instrument.
• To soften the cuticle, apply any oil to it, while performing a light massage.

So that the process of eliminating the cuticle with the help of a pusher occurs easily and efficiently, It is worth adhering to the following expert advice:

• it is better to put the nails on a hard surface when cutting off the excess cuticle;
• Cutting of the cuticle should be done carefully, slowly, so that the hand does not slip, since then you can damage the skin;
• in order not to cut off the excess cuticle, you should regularly repel it;
• the cuticle should also be regularly moisturized, then the repulsion process will be much easier;
• if the cuticle is very dry, then it is worth moisturizing it with olive oil, while performing massage movements;
• an excellent replacement for cuticle remover is petroleum jelly, as it softens it perfectly;
• if necessary, cutting off a dead or keratinized cuticle should use only high-quality tools;
• trim the excess cuticle is as close as possible to the base of the marigold, but the skin should remain without wounds.

Many girls are interested in how to sharpen a pusher at home, so that the process of removing excess cuticle occurs easily and quickly. If you sharpen the pusher correctly, you don’t have to buy a new one. Professionals say that a quality tool needs to be sharpened at least once a year. If the pusher is poor-quality, or you use it quite often, then it will have to be sharpened much more often.

A special machine is ideal for sharpening a pusher. To begin with, it is worth using an abrasive wheel, because it is responsible for rough grinding. Only then can the polisher be polished. It is imperative to grind its edges every time, because this affects how the work will be done.

When the work with the machine is finished, you should blunt the tip of the tool to prevent possible cuts while working with it, because it will be very sharp. A diamond bar is ideal for this. After that, the tip should be sanded with the help of special devices.

Many girls use a rather original way to sharpen a pusher. The main tool is sandpaper. They stick it on a nail file using double-sided tape and get an excellent device to give the pusher its original sharpness. This method can be used not only for the pusher, but also for other tools for manicure.

See how to use the cuticle pusher properly in the next video.