Yes, You Can Take Off Gel Polish Yourself (Without Destroying Your Nails)

Photo credit: margaret flatley
Photo credit: margaret flatley

From Seventeen

Everyone always says "don't peel off your gel polish." But if you're cheap like me and refuse to waste good money on gel removal, you might just decide to live with the consequences and rip those suckers off anyway.

Before you do that, read this, because you actually can take off your gels at home without leaving your nails flakey, shredded, and peeling. Basically, you can copy what they do at the salon, and believe me, it's easier than it looks.

Step One: File Your Nails

Get yourself a coarse nail file and gently sand down the top layer of gel polish. You don't want to sand off your nail polish, you just want to remove that lair of sheen on the top.

Step Two: Soak it Up

Next, grab your acetone (really intense nail polish remover) and pour some into a small bowl. Place a cotton ball in the bowl and make sure it soaks up lots of acetone.

Step Three: Wrap it Tight

Head to the kitchen and grab the Reynolds Wrap. Tear out ten squares that will fit around your fingers. Place an acetone-soaked cotton ball on your nail, and then wrap one of the foil squares around it to hold it in place. Start with your non-dominant hand and repeat the process on all ten digits. Keep the foil on for 15 minutes.

Once you take off the foil and balls, the polish should lift off fairly easy, or with just a little pressure (try using a cuticle pusher). If that's not working, soak them for a few more minutes and try again.

That's literally it! Your gel polish is off, your nails are looking healthy, and you didn't even have to dish out money for the nail salon!

OK, but what if you need to get your gel nail polish off ASAP and you have none of those products available?! Or, what if you have acrylic nails or gel extensions? Don't worry, no matter the situation, I've got a solution for you.

How to remove gel nail polish without foil:

Maybe your mom has been cooking up a storm recently and she used up all the foil? No worries, there are ways to remove your gel nail polish without the silver paper.

While this method might be a little more difficult, desperate times calls for desperate measures. Start by grabbing two bowls, one a little bigger than the other. Fill the larger bowl with warm water and the smaller bowl with some acetone. Then, place the small bowl inside the bigger bowl and allow the acetone to warm up a little. (Warning: DO NOT place the acetone in the microwave, it is highly flammable and that will not end well.)

While the acetone is warming, buff your nails with a nail file to remove the sheen off the polish. Then, place a hand in the acetone. After 10 to 15 minutes, the polish will start to come loose. While your nails are in the solution, take a wooden stick or cuticle pusher and aid in loosening the polish until it's completely removed. Them, repeat on your other hand.

How to remove gel nail polish without acetone:

Don't have acetone in your house? I don't blame you. Unfortunately, removing gel polish without acetone is a little tricky, but it can still be done.

To start, soak your nails in warm water, this will help to loosen up the polish a little and hopefully result in an easier removal. While your nails are wet, use a cuticle stick to start lifting up the polish. Start in spots where it's obviously loose and peel off as much as you can. (Warning: don't force it too much. If it's not peeling easily, you may start to accidentally peel off your real nail.) For any stubborn parts, use a file to file off the rest of the polish or soak the nail in warm water for a little bit longer until it's ready to peel.

How to remove gel nail polish on acrylic nails:

So, you've got some long, glamorous acrylic nails that you don't want to mess up when you remove your gel polish at home? Don't worry, I've got you.

You're going to have to file off the nails yourself, and Nails By Anona from Youtube recommends a 150 grit file to get the job done. Start by filing around the the whole nail, constantly moving around. The acrylic underneath will start to show through as the gel polish begins to file off. Keep on going until all of the the polish is removed.

How to remove gel nail polish quickly:

If you're good at planning ahead, grab yourself a removal kit when you initially get your gel nail polish done. That way, when you want to take it off at home, you'll have a kit handy. They're super easy to use, and they come with everything you need to remove the polish quickly and easily.

Carolyn Twersky is the Editorial Fellow at Seventeen.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram!

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