How to Get Rid of Gel Nail Polish at Home
Kseniya Ovchinnikova Getty Images
Whether you're a seasoned nail salon goer or you like to DIY your gel nails at home, when it comes to removing gel nail varnish, things can get tricky. Do it wrong and your nails are left weak, brittle and prone to peeling and breaking. But, learn how to remove your gel nails at home and you can save yourself time, money and a trip to the nail salon.
While there are gel nail polish removal kits you can buy, you can also remove your gel nail polish at home without necessarily having to fork out on removal kit. With just a few key tools, (many of which you'll probably have lying around the house,) you can easily remove gels at home.
Below nail expert and owner of Treatwell Salon Partner, Selfish, Ksenia McAnulty breaks down how to remove gel nail varnish at home – without causing damage to your nails.
An expert's guide: How to remove gel nails at home
What you'll need:
- nail varnish remover containing acetone
- round cotton pads
- a cuticle pusher
- tin foil
- a nail file
- cuticle oil (coconut oil also works)
1. Break the top layer
'Gel polish is notoriously tough (that's why we love it), so in order to remove it, you need to break the "seal" so that the remover can properly penetrate the gel and do its thing. Use a file – on the flat of the nail, not around the tip – to buff off the shiny top layer.'
'It's best to use a really coarse nail file and file down as much of the topcoat and colour as you can. Don't file all the way down to the natural nail, though as this will damage your nail.'
2 Soak them off
'Cut the cotton pads into quarters and the tin foil into squares – you'll need 10 of each. Soak the cotton pad segment with the nail varnish remover, place it against the nail and wrap the tin foil around the tip of your finger to secure it. Leave them for 10-15 minutes.
'I recommend doing one hand at a time to prevent leaving the acetone on your second hand for too long. It will take a bit longer, but it will be less harsh on the skin.'
3. Scrape away the gel
'Once they've soaked, remove each foil. The leftover gel should now be gooey in texture and can be carefully scraped away using your cuticle pusher. If there's still some gel left on the nail, soak them for an extra five minutes.'
'Remove the foil every 5 minutes to check if the gel polish is lifting. Some brands of gel polish lift easier than others.'
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4. DIY mani
'Soak your hands in warm water to soften the skin. Gently push back your cuticles with the pusher (leave the cutting to the pros), apply some cuticle oil and then finish with hand cream. For a pro-finish, use a soft buffer to remove any residue on your nails and apply a strengthening nail polish to nourish the natural nail.'
Everything You Need to Remove Gel Nails At Home
Boots Nail Polish Remover 200ml
OPI Prospa Nail and Cuticle Oil (Various Sizes)
OPI lookfantastic.com
£9.60
Boots double faced round cotton wool pads 100 pack
L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, 150ml
L'Occitane johnlewis.com
£14.02
Champneys Miracle buffer
champneys boots.com
£4.50
How do you remove gel nail polish quickly?
The quickest way to remove gel nail polish is by following the method above. It can be a timely process (thanks to the soaking) but trying to remove gel nails any other way will end in damage to the natural nail.
Can you remove gel polish with regular nail polish remover?
Gel polish can be removed with regular nail polish, but the nail polish you use will have to contain acetone, and nails will have to be soaked (as above). Gel nail polish can't be removed like regular polish – if you've ever tried, you'll know it doesn't end well!
How do you get gel nail polish off without acetone?
Don't have acetone? There are ways to remove your gel nail varnish without acetone – but these often require soaking and peeling off the varnish. This can cause damage to your natural nail, so isn't advised. The best way to remove gel nail polish is to buff, soak and scrape away the gel – using an acetone-based remover.
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How to Get Rid of Gel Nail Polish at Home
Source: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/beauty/a38101455/how-to-remove-gel-nails-at-home/