3 Ways to Remove Gel Nail Polish
Gel nail polish is famous for its durability and if properly applied, you cannot get rid of it like normal nail polish. With the amazing glittery features and refined finish, gel nail polish is perfect for any special event. Although you are getting all the spotlight at any event, you might find gel nail polish annoyingly difficult to remove. It is recommended to remove gel nails from a salon but that does not mean you can’t do it at home. Of course, you need to know the little tips and tricks and then you are all set to proceed.
Items needed for removing gel nail polish
The people are looking to get their gel nails removed for the sake of comfort. The technicians at nail salon Westside can get it done for you with professional tools but it can get a little painful even if you are a frequent customer. Removing gel nails at home can be a lengthy process and you need to have certain tools in the bag to get the process started.
- Nail file. The nail file is essential to roughen up the edges as gel nails are smooth and trying to remove them without filing can turn into a troublesome task.
- Acetone nail polish remover. With gel nails, non-acetone nail polish removers are not enough. The professionals at nail salon Beverly Hills recommended using acetone-based nail polish remover for more effective results.
- Orange stick or cuticle stick. Cuticle stick is ideal for picking off the gel nail residue by peeling off the entire polish.
- Cuticle oil or petroleum jelly. Cuticle oil is crucial in protecting the cuticles and nail bed while you are using acetone nail polish remover to get rid of gel polish.
- Cotton balls. Cotton balls can soak the nail polish mid-removing process. It is optional but the little trick can come in handy for more finesse.
- Tinfoil. To hold the cotton balls against the nail, tin foil comes in handy. The cotton ball in return absorbs the nail polish remover and protects the cuticles from exposure.
- Nail buffer. After you are done with the removing process, you can use a nail buffer to smoothen the nails.
Do this first
- Roughen the surface with a file. The file is used to take the shiny layer off so the complete polish can be removed easily. Never try to scrape off the entire polish with the file. You will end up hurting your nails. Just soak the nail in polish remover and use the file to take the top layer off.
- Protect your cuticles and skin. Acetone can leave some adverse effects on cuticles and nail beds without any precautions. So, try to apply some petroleum jelly before exposing your nails and skin to acetone.
Methods to try
Soaking method
The most simple and convenient method to remove gel manicures is soaking your nails in acetone. Although the process sounds easy acetone can leave your skin dry and nails brittle if you are careless during the process.
A few of the simple steps are:
- Pour the nail polish remover into a bowl.
- Dip your fingertips in the bowl and let the nail polish remover does its magic for 10 or 15 minutes. The acetone will start to work in getting the nail polish off.
- Keep on checking the nails. The acetone will lift the gel layer and you can easily lift it using a cuticle or orange stick.
- After getting rid of all the gel polish from the nails, buff your nails for a neat and clean look.
- You can either use petroleum jelly or cuticle oil to keep your nails hydrated after the acetone treatment.
DIY with tinfoil and cotton balls
The tinfoil method is almost similar to the soaking technique but you don’t have to dip your fingertips. Only the fingernails will be getting in contact with the acetone so the tinfoil method is more secure than the soaking technique.
This method is safer but you might some assistance by the time you are on your last finger as the rest of your fingernails will be covered in acetone.
For the tinfoil method you need to follow the following steps:
- Make square cutouts from the tinfoil. The size needs to be perfect as they will be going on your nails with the cotton ball dipped in acetone.
- First, you need to file the top layer and edges so the gel polish can be taken off easily. Now dip the cotton balls in acetone and place them carefully on your nails and cover it with tinfoil. It is preferred to do it on a non-dominant hand first so you can get the hang of the procedure.
- Soak your nails for at least 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes you will notice that the nail polish will start to lift and you can take it off using a cuticle stick and gel polish will be removed at home conveniently.
- If you feel like your skin is getting dry, you can apply cuticle oil to keep it moisturized.
- The same procedure can be used for gel pedicure as well and if you are not confident you can always Google nail salon near me or nail salon LOS ANGELES to get the gel polish removed by professionals.
Premade kit
If you are not confident in both the soaking and tinfoil method, you can always get a premade kit for the removal of gel nails. The kit includes perfectly cut tin foils and cotton pads with professional clips to hold the acetone. The assistance from the plastic clips ensures the fingernails are soaked properly.
While purchasing a premade kit, always look for the one that has a nail file included along with scrapping tools and buffer. So, after you are done with the removal procedure, you can get smooth natural nails.
What to do for uneven nail surfaces afterward
After removing the gel nail polish, your nails might get uneven, and edges around the corners and the edges can get tangled and can hurt you. So, you need to buff your nails so edges can be taken care of and you can get a smooth surface.
You need to be careful if your nails are thin and brittle. Always be careful when filing or buffing the surface and you can damage the nail bed in the process. When you are done with the procedure, resist the urge to apply gel polish again. Give ample time to your nails to recover for at least a couple of weeks.
Make it easier to remove
Here are a few pointers to further ease the process of removing gel nail polish:
- Resist the urge to peel off the polish: Although removing the gel nail polish using acetone is simple and easy but too much use of acetone can damage your skin and damage the nails as well. Reapplying gel polish and removing with acetone can lead to nails related medical conditions in which nails start to get lifted from the nail bed.
- File your nails before soaking them. Filing the nails beforehand might seem a useless step but you will have to soak the fingertips for a longer time if you are skipping the filing.
Try using a different brand of gel polish. You might think some nail polish gets off easier than others. It can be due to different brands but the nail polish that gets off easily might not last long. You can ask your nearest technicians in nail salon Santa Monica about the brands and their durability
Why it’s so hard to remove gel nail polish
While applying gel nail polish, you need to get several layers of coatings with the proper base and desired color. Each layer goes through UV light from LED to harden the layer before applying the next one. So, removing becomes relatively tough as a lot of effort and UV treatment goes in to get the perfect gel nail look.
Nail Club LA provides premium services at the best rates for the customers to enjoy a different look at every event. Your nails are treated by professionals and everything is taken care of in a way that you will do at home only 10 times better.