Confessions of a Cuticle Biter

Beauties, are you guilty of nibbling your nails or cuticles? You are not alone! Beautylish's Cinya used to be a lifelong fingertip biter. She shares her shameful story, plus the quick and easy tricks that helped her stop.

"For years when I was nervous, stressed, or bored I would subconsciously pick, peel, nibble, and play with my fingertips," says Cinya. "Not just my nails, either, the surrounding skin too. I would nibble to the point that the edges of my nails would bleed! It was really gross. Not to mention, the habit made my fingers look completely ragged. Not the best first impression when you are meeting people, especially as a beauty editor!" This compulsion was not only damaging to the appearance of her hands but also extremely unhealthy. Human hands touch and pick up more bacteria than any other body part (think of how many surfaces your hands touch a day—and a lot of them public!). Because of this fact, the fingertips—specifically under the nail and in the surrounding grooves—are a prime spot for germs to stick. When you nibble on your nails or cuticles, you transfer bacteria to your mouth and vice versa. This can cause you to become sick, and the exposed skin can easily become infected. So how can you stop? Check out three easy solutions that worked for Cinya.

1. Apply cuticle oil.

"I figured out the reason my skin would peel so much around my nails was because the area was extremely dry. So every morning and night I started applying Julep Essential Cuticle Oil as part of my beauty routine," says Cinya. "After about a week my fingers had fewer hangnails and less rough spots to pick at."

2. Keep up your manicure.

"After getting a mani, I wouldn't want to mess up the fresh paint job, so I would stop myself before I nibbled,” says Cinya. “Now I constantly keep polish on my nails for this reason. It helps keep me from chewing away at my nails and cuticle area.”

3. Get a helping hand.

"The sour-tasting serums never worked for me, so I got all of my friends, family, and even coworkers in on my plan to quit," says Cinya. "Whenever I would begin to nibble, a friend would say 'Stop biting!'" Although it can be a bit annoying—prepare yourself for constant nagging—it really works!"