As you may have noticed, Dollar Shave Club sells a handily bundled collection of grooming tools in our Tool Kit, and I would very much like you to buy them so I can remain employed and continue to feed my dog the good stuff. Oh, and also because they’re super useful, providing you know what you’re doing. Yeah, yeah, you know how to use nail clippers already, I know. But even the most basic skills can be improved upon, as we’re about to find out…
The Fingernail Clippers
Before employing the fingernail clippers, take a steamy shower — the hot water will soften the nails, priming them for an effortless clipping. When you exit the shower, though, wait about three minutes before clipping — the water will have expanded your nails, so you might end up cutting them too short if you’re impatient.
As for the actual clipping, leave just a sliver of white on the tip of the nail and shape it like a crescent moon. From there, if you feel the need, smooth out any rough edges with a nail file — just be sure to always file in the same direction, rather than rigorously filing back and forth, as that can cause even more pesky edges.
The Toenail Clippers
I know, you’re probably wondering, Why do I need different clippers for my toenails when I already have some for my fingernails? Well, buddy, the simple answer is because your toenails are quite a bit bigger than your fingernails, and therefore, require a larger, more heavy-duty tool for optimal clippage.
When it comes to making use of these big clippers, much like you would before clipping your fingernails, hopping in a hot shower beforehand can improve your toenail clipping experience. When that’s done, while you might have heard that you should clip your toenails straight across, rather than with a curve, to help prevent ingrown toenails, podiatrist Krista Archer says that might be a bad idea. “I don’t know where that myth came from, and it’s my pet peeve,” she emphasizes. “It makes no sense: Sharp corners of the toenails cause ingrown toenails and injure neighboring digits.” Instead, Archer recommends clipping your toenails much like you would your fingernails, but make sure to avoid cutting them too short — leave a sliver of white on the tips — as this too can result in ingrown toenails.
The Multipurpose Scissors
Hell, you could use these scissors to slice just about anything, hence them being multipurpose. But we recommend using them to groom your mustache, clear away unruly beard strands or abolish excessive nose and ear hair.
To clean up your mustache, simply brush the hair upward using a small comb, and use the scissors to trim any strays hanging over your upper lip. Your beard can receive the same treatment: Give the whole thing a good brushing, and use scissors to remove any hairs longer than the rest of the bunch.
Removing nose and ear hair can be a little more tedious, but the most important thing is to avoid poking around too deep, as you might end up hurting yourself. While you should really only use scissors to remove ear hair protruding from your ear canals, especially since you can’t really see what you’re doing back there, you can go a little deeper into your nose. First, press backward on the tip of your nose to illuminate the nostrils, making it easier to see which hairs need trimming. Then gently circle around your nostrils and clip the hair, being careful not to press too hard to avoid nicks and cuts. But once again, avoid venturing too deep, since the hairs inside your nostrils protect the body from various nasties floating around in the air you breath.
The Precision Tweezers
Tweezers might seem like another, albeit more painful, way of removing ear and nose hair, but the truth is, plucking those babies can lead to infections and possibly worse (click the link for more on that, and we apologize in advance for the anxiety).
Instead, tweezers are best used for eyebrow grooming — namely, turning a unibrow into two independent brows. As eyebrow expert and Rock N’ Brows founder Sarah Agajanian previously told us, “The only way to fix a unibrow is to tweeze the hairs. The beginning of your brows should never extend past your nostrils.”
So there you go! Now you know how to make the most of these tools, and since I know you’re already rushing to add the Tool Kit to your next order, my dog eats well tonight. That’s a good boy!