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How to Remove Gel Nail Polish at Home Safely And Easily
Get rid of stubborn gel polish with our ultimate guide on how to remove gel nail polish at home.
Gel nail polishes have become a cult classic because they last longer as compared to traditional manicures and give a bold, vibrant appearance to your nails. For the unversed, gel nail polishes are made up of acrylic monomers and use strong ingredients that are bonded together and locked into your nails under a UV lamp.
Gel nail polishes are cherished as they give a beautiful appearance to nails, protect them, and last longer than other manicures. Besides, once you know how to remove gel nail polish using the right technique, you can experiment all you want with different colors and glam up your nail look without having to worry about damaging your nails.
Let’s check out the steps!
How to Remove Gel Nail Polish Without Causing Any Harm to Your Nails
Mostly it happens that when people wish to remove your gel nail polish, they feel the urge to peel it off and get done with it quickly — but remember, doing so can do more harm than good. With the right steps and techniques, you can easily remove a gel manicure safely at home.
Follow the steps mentioned below to remove gel nail polish at home:
1. Apply Petroleum Jelly to Your Cuticles
The temptation to remove gel nail polish can make you want to do things in a hurry. But be patient and follow the proper procedure. The first step in the guide on how to remove gel polish from your nails is to protect your cuticles from the drying effects of acetone.
Take a thick layer of petroleum jelly and rub it all around the skin surrounding your nails. You can also use cuticle oil instead of petroleum jelly. This will make up for any loss of natural oils that occur during the gel nail polish remover process.
2. File Your Nails
Use a nail filer to buff the top coat seal of your nails to get rid of the shine. This step will help acetone to get deeper into the nails and do its work effectively. Don't skip this step as doing so will make it difficult for acetone to work.
3. Apply Acetone on Your Nails
Take fresh cotton pads and soak them in acetone for a few seconds. Place a cotton pad dipped in acetone on your nails and use plastic wrap to wrap each finger. You can use any type of foil to wrap your fingers, but it's advised to use plastic wrap as it holds onto the fingers tightly and seals them properly to let acetone do its magic.
Keep acetone on your nails for about 10 to 15 minutes — if the gel is hard, it might take up to 20 minutes to make it softer. When you see the polish being lifted from the nail, understand that the gel nail polish has been removed.
Alternate to Acetone
While the best way to remove gel polish is to use acetone as it is the most effective, there are many people who don't want to use it due to its drying effects. If you feel the same way, you can try another method to get gel nail polish off your nails.
Here’s a different method you can try — take two cups of warm water and add a teaspoon of salt, a few drops of dish wash soap, and two drops of cuticle oil in it. Pour this solution into a bowl. Soak your hands in this solution for about 30 minutes to soften your gel.
4. Remove the Foil
Remove the foil from your fingers gently, without applying a lot of pressure as doing so can harm your nail cuticles. If you see that the gel nail polish is still there, you can re-wrap it to let all the gel come off your nails. If you are still not able to get rid of the gel the first time, you can repeat the process of applying acetone on your nails again. If it has come off mostly, take a warm, wet washcloth and rub off the remaining nail polish. Do not rub vigorously and rub only on the nails and not the skin surrounding your nails.
5. Buff Your Nails
After you have removed the foil, grab a nail filer and softly scrape toward the top layers of your fingernail to remove any remaining gel from your nails. The gel nail polish will come out easily, but if it doesn't, you can soak them with acetone once again, and then scrape.
6. Clean Your Hands
After you are done with the process of gel manicure removal at home, you should wash your hands thoroughly to eliminate any residue left behind.
7. Moisturize Your Nails
Using acetone on your nails can make the skin surrounding them dry and flaky. After you have used acetone to remove gel nail polish at home, you should nourish and hydrate your hands with the help of a moisturizer.
Humectants such as hyaluronic acid, honey, and glycerin are best known for providing nourishment to the skin and keeping dryness at bay. Use moisturizers that have humectants to keep your skin nourished. Apply a generous layer of moisturizer on your hands. Removing gel polish at home can be easy and fun when done right. So the next time you get your favorite shade of gel nail polish done, don't worry about removing it.
Conclusion
Gel nail polish looks similar to real nails and doesn't look fake at all. But still, many people are scared to apply gel nail polish as it can be a hassle to remove them. But now that you know how to remove gel nail polish at home, you can get a gel manicure done without worrying about anything. Apply petroleum jelly to the skin surrounding your nails to protect them from the harmful effects of acetone, buff your nails, place acetone-soaked cotton balls on your nails and wrap your fingers with plastic wrap, remove the wrap after 15 to 20 minutes, file your nails again, wash your hands, and finish with a moisturizer.
ALSO READ: How to Remove Acrylic Nails at Home Easily?
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