Once or twice a week, massage your cuticles with oil after bathing, when the skin is soft. (In lieu of a shower, put a few drops of hair conditioner on them to make them supple, then soak them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.) Next, use a damp washcloth to push them back gently.

Don't cut your cuticles. "They protect your nails from bacteria that can lead to infection," says Anjeni Starr Strothmann, a manicurist at the Neroli Salon & Spa, in Milwaukee. Remove hangnails with a clipper.