How To Remove Gel Or Acrylic Manicure At Home

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

This article was originally published on PEOPLE

Now that social estrangement and isolation are becoming the new norm in the face of the growing coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), many are Googling solutions and home remedies for beauty treatments they used to do away from home. We have spoken with the experts on the subject to share their solutions that you can do in your own home.

Schools are closing across the country, postponed or canceled Broadway festivals, sporting events and Broadway shows and restaurants and bars forced to close due to never-before-seen restrictions in response to the disease spreading at breakneck speed. For their part, beauty centers are following the regulations and many spas and hairdressing and manicure salons are temporarily closing to join the social distancing measures recommended by the CDC. As the service sector continues to close, many are looking for homemade ways to continue caring for themselves at home, which may include removing nail polish from a gel manicure on your own.

Several nail salon experts have explained to PEOPLE exactly what is the best way to take care of your nails, whether you have a gel manicure or acrylic nails during this period of soial distancing. Fortunately removing it is not as complicated as you might expect.

"Removing your gel manicure is entirely feasible, even if you've never done it before," says Rachel Apfel Glass, founder and CEO of Glosslab, in New York. Although it is tempting, don't peel off layers of the gel. It really weakens the nail.”

"The steps are simple, but the most important thing is patience!" Adds Deborah Lippmann, the famous manicurist.

Start by simply filing the top coat of nail polish with any nail file you have at home. Better than using traditional acetone, in the Glosslab salon they use a gel polish remover, faster and easier to use that is applied to the nails like a nail polish and is left to act for 5 to 10 minutes.

"Once you see the gel start to bubble, you can now remove the nail polish remover very easily and without scraping [your nail]," he explains.

If you already have acetone, you can also use that to remove gel polish, says Lippmann. "Dampen your fingers in acetone, cotton, and aluminum foil for about 10 minutes. I recommend doing one hand first and then the other if you are going to do it by yourself”, she explains. Once you're done, use a metal scaler to gently push the gel polish to the end of the nail, "he says.

“If you don't get up directly, let your hands rest again with cotton wool soaked in acetone and covered in aluminum foil. Resist the temptation to file the gel polish until it is removed, this is how you can damage your natural nail, adds Lippmann.

For acrylic manicure, although it is best to go to the salon to have one or a professional remove them, Rita Pinto, founder of the Vanity Projects salon in New York, says that you can do it yourself if necessary. "It doesn't have to be a challenge, although it takes longer than you think," she says.

The first step is to cut the excess acrylic, "as close to the natural nail as possible," according to the expert. To do this, use a nail clipper and a nail polisher to remove the most superficial layer of the enamel. "Then put your nails in a container with pure acetone for 5 to 10 minutes," says Pinto. “To finish, use a cuticle remover and push the gel polish to remove it from the nails. You may need to repeat the last step until the acrylic is completely wet.”

When you see that it's already wet, Pinto recommends using a nail polish again to soften the nail and finish with a cuticle oil for extra hydration.