Remove Gel Nail Polish at Home with These Tips!

If you like gel nail polish, you know that awkward moment where your nails grow out, and the nail polish is perfectly in place. You probably also know the urge to start peeling your nails, rip, and pick at your gel nail polish until it is out. If you do that, you are guaranteed to damage your nails- which will require you to get a professional recovery treatment, either in a salon or in your home. Luckily- that doesn’t have to happen! While it may seem difficult to remove gel nail polish at home, it is actually pretty easy when you do it properly. The following steps will teach you how to remove gel nail polish at home without damaging your nails or going to a salon and paying for the removal.

Step 1: Give yourself some space

When removing gel nail polish, you need to be in a well-ventilated room; the process requires the use of a larger than usual amount of Acetone, and we all know that inhaling the chemical toxins of this nail polish remover is a big NO-NO. So, when you want to remove gel nail polish, go to a well-ventilated room in your home to avoid chemical fumes.

Step 2: Start with a thorough filing session

Removing get nail polish requires thoroughly filing the upper layer of the gel polish that protects the nail polish from cheeping. So, to get through to the inner layers of the nail polish and remove them, you need to start at the top layer. Get a coarse nail file, and file the top layer of the gel nail polish. Sand the top layer slowly, and move on to the following steps. Avoid filing much of the color, and stick to the topcoat when filing the top layer.

Step 3: Protect your cuticles

As mentioned, removing gel nail polish requires the use of a larger than usual amount of acetone, so you need to protect your fingers when you remove gel nail polish. To do so, run a thick cream on your cuticles or cuticle oil. This will protect your fingers from the acetone or the gel nail polish remover of your choice.

Step 4: Soak cotton balls with acetone/gel nail polish remover

The key to thoroughly removing gel nail polish is to soak your nails in acetone or gel nail polish remover. To do so, you can fill a small ball with nail polish remover (plus a few drops of cuticle oil) and soak your fingertips in the bowl. Another way to go is to soak cotton balls in acetone or gel nail polish remover and put the balls on your nails. To hold the cotton balls in place, cut Aluminum foil, and wrap it around the fingertips. A pro tip is to use cotton balls and not cotton pads. Why? Because cotton pads are thin, and they might dry out before effectively removing the gel nail polish. So, saturate cotton balls in the nail polish remover of your choice, and put them on your nails, wrapped with foil.

Step 5: Remove the gel nail polish

After a good 10-15 soak, check the progress of the nail polish remover on one finger. If you see that the gel nail polish has chipped or loosened, you can remove the aluminum foil and cotton balls from your fingers. Rub the nail polish when you do so to remover as much gel nail polish as you can. Then, use a nail stick, and push the gel polish upwards to remove it from the nail plate. If you use a wooden nail stick, throw it out after use because bacteria tend to flourish on wooden tools. Remove the gel nail polish carefully when using a nail stick so as not to remover the top layer of your nails along with the nail polish.

Step 6: Give your nails some moisture

Gel nail polish removal leaves the nails dry, so you need to hydrate them after you clean them from gel nail polish. To restore moisture to your nails and fingertips, soak them in coconut oil for a few minutes followed by cuticle oil. You can also use a strong moisturizer and rubbing your hands together while making sure your fingernails get a rub as well.

To remove gel nail polish, you do not necessarily need to go to a salon; you can get rid of gel nail polish right at home in less than half an hour by following the steps mentioned here. To protects your nails and skin as much as possible, use quality gel polish remover and quality tools. You will be able to use them time and time again, so even if you splurge on the tools you need, it will be a long-time investment. To complete your at-home salon session, pamper yourself with a manicure right at home, and enjoy healthy and strong nails every day!