An Expert Guide to Caring for Men's Nails At Home

Celebrity manicurists share their favorite products and top tips for ring-ready hands.

Photo: maxpetrov / Shutterstock

Updated Nov 14, 2023

The nail industry is having a major moment, with endless nail art inspo on social media, countless new press-ons and custom nail products hitting the market, and celebs donning impractically long tips. And though there's less variety when it comes to men's nails, they shouldn't be neglected in the frenzy. Caring for men's fingernails is just as important—and never more so than leading up to the wedding day, when one finger, in particular, will get extra attention as it earns a new accessory.

For men and women alike, the engagement period is the perfect time to build up strong healthy nails and clean up your nail grooming habits. So, for more info on how to take care of your nails, we turned to industry experts Betina Goldstein and Chaun Legend, two LA-based manicurists who count major celebs as clients—and have mega followings of their own. Here, they offer some do's and don'ts, while sharing their favorite products, and more.

Meet the Experts

Betina Goldstein is a nail artist for Chanel and a manicurist to A-listers like Shawn Mendes and Regé-Jean Page. She's also the owner and designer of her own jewelry line, Doublemoss, a collection of jewelry and rings perfectly primed to showcase your tips.

Chaun Legend is the nail artist for celebs like Karol G—but with more than 1 million followers on Instagram, he's also a celeb in his own right. He has his own line of press-on nails sold at Walmart and other retailers.

In this article:

Nail Care for Men: Top Tips
Men's Cuticle Care
How Long Should Men's Nails Be?
Men's Manicures: Do or Don't?
Best Men's Nail Clippers & Products

Nail Care for Men: Top Tips

Legend has a simple seven-step process for at-home nail care: "Soak hands, clip nails, clean underneath, push cuticles back, clip hangnails, buff and moisturize!" he says. Here, he and Goldstein break things down a bit further with their five top tips for tips.

Start with a scrub.

"On my [male] clients, I use Osea Malibu Salts of The Earth scrub on dry—not wet—hands," Goldstein says. "I massage into the hands, cuticles, nail beds, knuckles and any other dry areas on the hands. Men particularly love this scrub because it has a soft spa-like scent and leaves your hands incredibly soft."

Use the right tools.

"Get a good set of tools that has the essentials like a cuticle pusher, cuticle nipper, and nail clipper. My favorite ones are from Navy Professional Tools, but Tweezerman makes a good all-in-one traveling kit," Goldstein says. You'll also want to have a buffing block handy. "It's an easy way to get rid of cuticles on your nail plate and buff off any white spots on the nails. You can also use it to round out any edges after clipping the nails," she says. For more of Goldstein and Legend's favorite tools, keep reading.

Be gentle.

Legend's most notable 'don't'? "Never bite your nails or pull hangnails," he warns. "You can do a lot of damage. Use proper tools to clip them off instead." Even when using the proper tools, go easy. "Make sure to be extremely gentle with tools," Goldstein says. "If you injure yourself, it may cause trauma and make your cuticles grow over trying to protect your nails."

Moisturize twice a day with vitamin E.

"Incorporating a pure vitamin E oil is going to be a game changer," Goldstein says. "It is very thick, so you can use it as a cuticle oil and mix it with your favorite hand cream to moisturize your hands. The key is that it is 100% pure and natural vitamin E oil. There are a lot of synthetic vitamin E oils or ones that are mixed with other oils, and I find they are not as effective." Her favorite is RejuveNaturals (available on Amazon for $19!). "A little goes a long way. Plus, I always try to use unscented or lightly scented hand creams for men, and my favorite one is Augustinus Bader's The Hand Treatment." Apply before bed at night and again first thing in the morning.

Supplement.

It's a common question: can men take hair, skin, and nail vitamins? The answer is yes, surely, and both of our experts recommend biotin in particular as the supplement their male clients love for strong, healthy nails. As always, consult your doctor before taking any supplements and to ensure proper dosage.

Men's Cuticle Care

Both experts agree that cuticle care is paramount for healthy men's fingernails. Pushing back and trimming the cuticles should be done regularly and with care. "Push back with a cuticle pusher or have a professional manicurist trim the cuticles and any hangnails," Legend advises, adding that Vaseline around the cuticles works great to reduce dryness.

How Long Should Men's Nails Be?

Nail length for men is a matter of personal preference, of course, but the experts have some opinions. "I personally prefer very short nails for men, with a velvet sheen," Goldstein says. (To achieve said sheen, she recommends a single coat of Boy De Chanel in Natural. "It gives the perfect amount of natural shine to your nails, making them look healthy and manicured.") She recommends trimming nails one or two times per week, depending on how fast they grow.

Legend agrees, with a warning. Healthy men's nails should look "neatly trimmed and moisturized," he says. "Nails shouldn't pass the fingertips … but be careful not to trim too short as it will cause irritation. I usually trim to where the white part—the free edge—starts."

Men's Manicures: Do or Don't?

Manicures are definitely a do for healthy, well-groomed men's nails, but they don't have to be often. Legend recommends once a month. "[Getting] hangnails trimmed and a little hand massage will help enhance blood flow and circulation, and overall improve joint mobility in the hands," he says. "And, if you're feeling adventurous, ask for a little nail art."