Learn proper cuticle care

If cuticles are dry and torn, any manicure will look old, says L Oreal Paris global nail artist Tom Bachik. However, cutting cuticles can open you up to infection and make them look worse, warns Illamasqua manicurist Fleury Rose. Exfoliate hands with a body scrub, then nip only hangnails that you can wiggle. Soften other cuticles weekly with Be Natural Cuticle Eliminator ($6, sallybeauty.com), says manicurist Miwa Kobayashi, of L.A. s Sally Hershberger salon. Then push them back with an orange stick.