How To Remove Gel From Acrylic Nails

For anyone who has trouble making a normal manicure last more iii days, discovering the magic of gel nails (most flawless for three weeks?!) can exist life irresolute. But the worst part about gel nails is that moment when y'all demand to accept them off and yous but can't.

The options are basically stab and scrape and peel your fingernails with various objects for what feels like hours or caput back to the salon to pay someone else to accept them off. With social distancing and self-quarantining for coronavirus, the latter isn't even an option correct now.

So, I tested 3 methods to see if there was a ameliorate way.

Method #1: The shop-bought jar

You'll need: Whatsoever production you pick upwards in the nail polish aisle at the drugstore.

If yous can swing past your local drugstore, at that place a lot of "over-the-counter" gel removal options to try. The frustrating part is that y'all can't know how they work until you get them habitation.

This one was essentially an acetone-soaked sponge in a jar. The instructions told me to stick my finger in the jar and twist, implying that with this simple motion, my nail color would magically come off. So I twisted and twisted and twisted ...

... and, nil. I tried so many times! At that place was no way the shine was coming off.

And after all that twisting, nothing happened! (TODAY)

The verdict: If you go this road, you're taking a risk, and it'southward likely non worth your time, money or free energy. Laissez passer.

Method #ii: Aluminum foil wraps

You'll need: Aluminum foil, a nail file, cotton balls and acetone nail smoothen remover.

The steps are pretty simple, and if you've ever gotten a gel manicure removed at the nail salon, this 1 will seem familiar because it'south typically what the nail techs do.

It's just like how they do it in the salon. — Information technology's simply like how they do information technology in the salon.

Get-go, buff your fingernails with a nail file, removing the shiny coating of the gel smooth.

Then, soak a cotton ball in acetone until information technology'southward saturated. Put the soaked cotton ball on top of your buffed nail, and wrap your finger in a small square of aluminum foil to keep the cotton fiber ball in place. Repeat for all of your fingers.

Set up a timer for 10 minutes.

Remove the foil wraps, and use the cotton fiber balls to wipe off any leftover smoothen on your nails.

Finally, freedom for your fingertips! — Finally, liberty for your fingertips!

The verdict: B+. The cotton wool ball soak left my fingers a disturbing shade of gray, simply the polish had bubbled and puckered during the 10 minutes, so that was encouraging. The actual foil wrap process was extremely unwieldy and annoying, and it was difficult for me to do it on all my fingers. Plus, the cotton fiber ball-swipe method to end removing the shine didn't really work, and that felt crude and kind of painful on my fingers. If y'all utilise something else, like an orange stick, to scrape off the leftover polish, this method is pretty effective.

Method #3: The double banality

You'll demand: Two bowls, hot water, a nail file, acetone boom polish remover and an orange stick.

I dearest a double banality when it comes to baking — hello, melted chocolate! — only I had no idea you could use it in whatever other context. Hither's how it works as a blast smoothen remover.

Starting time, buff your nails with a nail file to remove that shiny polish terminate.

Then, fill up a large basin with hot water and place a smaller bowl inside. Cascade acetone nail polish remover into that bowl. Soak your fingers in the small bowl for 10 minutes. Then, use an orange stick to push button off the remaining polish.

This orange stick is magic. — This orangish stick is magic.

The verdict: Success!!! This method was the hands-downwards winner. It was easy, it was clean, it was super cheap — no real supplies required — and it was *super* effective. The polish just pushed right off.

And then, there you have information technology! Struggling with an old gel manicure? Avoid the urge to pare and go double humid!

This article was published on Feb. 24, 2022.