How to remove gel and acrylic nails without damaging them

Getting a manicure is a pampering pleasure many women enjoy. The colours, the textures, the designs, beautifully painted nails can bring immediate joy to many. There is something calming and luxurious about pampering yourself and getting your nails cleaned and painted alone or with your best of friends. However, when you get a gel or acrylic manicure, it is not the easiest to remove and once you notice a chip, you’ll get obsessed and want to peel off the entire polish from your nails. This, of course, is horrible for the health of your nails. If you rip or peel your nail polish, you also rip off layers of your nail bed. Learn how to remove gel and acrylic nails without damaging them.

Gel nail polish

Gel nails are beautiful… until it’s time to remove them. Make sure you have at least 30 minutes of free time when removing your nail polish and that you are in a well-ventilated space. Why not catch up on your favourite guilty pleasure reality tv show. Remove the top layer of your gel manicure with a coarse nail file but don’t remove the entire polish. You only want to remove the shine. Then, cover around the nail with a thick hand cream or oil to protect your nails from the acetone. After, you can either soak cotton balls in acetone and place them directly on your nails and wait or you can wrap your cotton ball soaked with acetone with aluminum foil. Wait 10-15 minutes and then see how your nails look. If the gel seems to lift off your nails, you’re on the right track, if not, keep on soaking. Once your nail polish is loose, remove it gently. Use a nail stick to remove the pesky polish left. Finally, hydrate your nails! Acetone is extremely drying so soak your nails in coconut oil for a few minutes.

Acrylic nail polish

Acrylic nails are fun because they are low maintenance but they do damage your real nails. Before losing your fake nails at the grocery store, remove them without damaging your nails too much. Pour acetone in a bowl and warm it up by placing that bowl in a larger bowl with hot water. Soak your fingers in the acetone-filled bowl for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, make sure you hydrate your nails with coconut oil or rich moisturizing cream to keep your nails from getting brittle.

You don’t have to go around town with ugly half-chipped nails or book a pricey appointment to get your nails removed. Removing gel and acrylic nails can be done at home without ruining your nails forever. Just remember to take breaks between polish coats to let your nails breathe a bit!