The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Safely Removing Gel The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered people’s lives. The things you used to do when you’d regularly leave the house to accomplish have become exclusively at-home activities—including your frequent trips to the nail salon—even if you and your loved ones are fortunate enough not to be directly affected by COVID-19.
So what should a lover of manicures do when their dip powder, gel, or artificial nails grow out? Generally speaking, you shouldn’t attempt nail removal at home. However, be aware that there are safe techniques to remove polish at home before giving in to the need to bite or pick at it. Here’s how to securely remove your artificial nails and take matters into your own hands (hehe).
What you will require:
- 100 or 180 grit nail file
- Clipper for nails
- 100% acetone nail polish remover
- Cotton spheres
- Aluminum foil
- Sticks or cuticle pushers
- Lack of a nail buffer
- Cuticle oil
Trim your nails The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Safely Removing Gel
Using a coarse nail file, gently file the nail bed. You just need to take off the glossy top coat if your nails are gel or dip powder. You can file down acrylic nails a little bit further, being careful not to damage the real nail underneath. When you soak the top layer of acrylic in nail polish remover (our next procedure), the thinner the coat of acrylic on your nails, the easier it will come off. Take extreme caution so as not to overdo it and harm your nail bed.
If you have extensions, trim the tips off with a nail clipper before you begin.
Let them soak (and soak again)
Next action: Use 100% acetone nail polish remover to soak your nails. You can either soak cotton balls in acetone, place them on your nails, then cover them with tiny squares of aluminum foil, or you can fill a small bowl or mug with acetone and dip your nails in it.
Examine your nails after ten or so minutes. The polish will have become gummy and sticky, softening. Any loosened polish can be lightly scraped off with a wooden stick or cuticle pusher; not much power is needed. After removing any easily removable gunk, give your nails another five to ten minutes to soak. Continue doing this until your nails are mostly free of polish.
Buff off any residual bits
After you’ve removed the majority of the polish, you’ll probably still have little bits of product adhering to your nails. Use a nail buffer to carefully buff away any remaining product, paying sure not to over-buff your natural nails.
Put on some nail oil
Your natural nails have suffered a lot by now. Trim and file the edges of your nails if necessary. Next, give your cuticles and nail beds a good massage with a liberal amount of cuticle oil. If you have hand cream, use it afterward as your skin is likely quite dry from all the handwashing you’ve been doing lately.
Removing gel, dip, or acrylic nails at home can be done safely with a few simple steps. Start by gently filing the top layer of the nails to break the seal. For gel and dip nails, soak cotton balls in acetone, place them on each nail, and wrap them in aluminum foil. Let them sit for 15-20 minutes. For acrylics, soak nails directly in a bowl of acetone for 20-30 minutes. After soaking, use a cuticle pusher or an orangewood stick to gently push off the softened product. If needed, repeat the soaking process.
Finally, buff the nails to remove any remaining residue and apply cuticle oil to moisturize. Always avoid forceful prying to prevent damage to the natural nails. With patience and care, you can safely remove your nail enhancements at home, maintaining healthy nails.
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