The first step to removing gel nails at home is gathering everything you need. These things include;
Once you have successfully gathered all these things listed, you can proceed to remove your gel nails in the following steps;
Before you dive into the actual removal of gel nails, it is of the utmost importance for you to protect your surfaces against acetone and the stripped varnish or coatings. To do this, spread a large towel over your surfaces to be sure that even if you spill some acetone or make a mess, your table will not be ruined forever.
Start filing off the top coat of your gel nails while focusing on removing all the shine and breaking the gel seal so that the acetone can do its work perfectly. Note that filling the nails is crucial to efficient removal, and skipping this stage could make removal a nightmare or almost impossible. The truth is that some gel polish's top coats are so hardwearing that they will only budge if you file them beforehand.
Protecting your skin is not really crucial for the removal process, but doing so will help you a lot, especially against dryness caused by the acetone. Therefore, you must carefully apply petroleum jelly to the skin surrounding your nails to protect them from dehydration. Failing to apply this protective oil won't inhibit the removal, but it will protect your skin against the dryness caused by the harsh acetone.
The next stage is to soak your nails in acetone. So, take a piece of cotton, and cut it into a round ball that is the size of your nails and deep in acetone. Then, place the acetone-soaked cotton on the nail and wrap it around with a food wrap. Wrap it as tightly as possible and let it be for about 10 minutes.
Note: If you don’t like using acetone-dipped cotton and foil to wrap your fingers, simply dip your finger nails to a small bowl of acetone which should have the same effect. We wouldn’t recommend dipping your fingers too deep into the liquid to avoid acetone causing skin dryness.
As soon as you unwrap the foil around your fingers, you will notice the gel is already flaking off. Use a cuticle pusher to push off loose gels, but don't apply much pressure. If any parts of the gel refuse to come off, you should repeat the process of dipping cotton in acetone and wrapping it around the finger. However, never force any product off your nail plate to avoid damaging your nails.
After removing all the loose gel, the next thing is to gently buff the nails before applying cuticle oil to rehydrate your skin. Apply a reasonable quantity of oil because acetone keeps the skin around your nails and cuticles extremely dry.
Peeling your gel nails may cause damage to your natural nails. You may think you are simply peeling off your gel nails, but you’re also peeling off the top few layers of your natural nails. When this happens again and again, the result is always crackling and brittle nails.
Moreover, your nails will get worse and weaker with repeated peeling, resulting in irregular surfaces and textures and dehydrated, flaky nails. If you are a serial nail peeler, consider taking an extensive break from manicures to allow the tips of your nails to recover entirely from trauma before you start indulging in artificial nails again.
If you are still worried about taking off your gel nails at home, go to a nail salon so a professional can handle the process. After all, nail technicians are trained to build and remove artificial nails quickly and efficiently. Feel free to book a nail appointment with us to get your gel nails removed and get a new set of nails while you're at it.
If you can't be bothered removing it yourself or going to a salon, a more drawn-out method is letting your natural nails grow out. But choosing this method means you must clip them weekly to remove the gel polish and prevent the gel nails from catching on objects. Moreover, you should go for this option only if you are sure that you will be able to resist the urge to pick at your gel polish, as this could damage your nails. The downside is that it would take about six months to fully grow out your fingernails, which isn't practical for most of us that want to look glam at all times!
