Gel nails are one of the hippest nail trends right now, but with this, chic chicks now face a new problem: Gel nails are extra difficult to remove. Sure, you have your go-to nail salon, but sometimes it’s either you can’t find time or you just don’t want to spend moolah to have them removed. Luckily, there are easy ways of removing your Gel nails at home.
Method 1
Materials:
- Dental floss
Place the dental floss under a part where there is visible lift. Slowly pull the floss back and forth until it moves across the entirety of the nail.
It’s advisable to wait until the nails are mostly chipped away to reduce damage to nail surface.
Alternatively, a cuticle stick is usable. However, you do run the risk of overdigging.
Method 2
Materials:
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- Acetone
- Petroleum jelly
- Cotton swabs
- Aluminum foil
- Cotton balls
- Nail file
- Nail buffer
Start by filling half a large bowl with warm water followed by placing a small bowl filled with acetone inside. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Afterwards, remove the smaller bowl from the warm water to prevent overheating. Don’t forget that acetone is extremely flammable, so stay away from any direct heat. Prep the skin around your fingernails by coating it with petroleum jelly. Use cotton swab to coat petroleum jelly around your nails’ edges. Do not apply on the nails themselves. Dip fingers in the bowl of acetone and soak for 30 minutes. Use cotton balls to rub the gel off of your nails. Once satisfied with the removal, file your nails to your desired shape and buff nail surface to remove rough edges.
For people with sensitive skin, this next method requires less acetone exposure.
Method 3
Materials:
- Acetone
- Cotton balls
- Aluminum squares
- Cotton swabs
- Petroleum jelly
- Cuticle sticks
- Nail file
- Nail buffer
In this method, you do the same prep and finishing, but instead of having fingers soak in a bowl of acetone, you dip cotton balls in acetone and put them on your nails. Proceed to covering each nail with aluminum squares and soak for 30 minutes. Remove the loosened gels with cuticle sticks. Finish off with nail filing and buffing. Don’t forget to moisturize!
In the absence of aluminum foil, use masking tape as an alternative.
Method 4
Materials:
- Nail Mates
- Acetone
- Cuticle stick
- Nail file
- Nail buffer
“NailMates” are caps with foam pads used to saturate with acetone and placed atop the fingernails. They are much like method 3, but they are better at preventing the acetone from evaporating and best of all, they are reusable.
After NailMates have soaked nails completely, proceed to rub the softened gel off with a cuticle stick followed by filing, buffing and moisturizing.
Method 5
Materials:
- Small jar
- Sponge
- Acetone
Stuff the sponge around the jar’s interior. Do this in such a way that it spirals from the top view. Completely soak it in acetone and use it to dip and rub your nails. This also works great on glitter polishes.
Method 6
Materials:
- 2 Nail files: 1 “coarse-grit” file (150-180 grit) & 1 “fine-grit” file (240 grit)
This method, like method 1, doesn’t involve the use of acetone. However, you might damage your nail surface if you don’t pay attention and end up overfiling. Start by evenly filing down the gel’s surface using a coarse-grit file. Avoid trying to do this quickly. Frequently wipe dust away to avoid filing actual nail surface by mistake. Once you have filed most of it off, you may now use the fine-grit file. Buff and moisturize to top it all off!
With this many choices, removing unsightly damaged gel nail manicures doesn’t have to be as tough as nails—pun intended, obviously. Just follow any one of these methods and you’re on your way to nailing do-it-yourself diva status. We guarantee it, hands—erm, nails down!
