Knowing how to remove gel nails at home will save you time and money in salon visits, and also keep your nails healthy and happy. If nothing else, learning a proper removal technique will stop you from picking and peeling them off *looks away guiltily*
Whether you're mastering how to do gel nails at home, or getting BIAB nails in salon, it's so important to safely remove your gel manicure. You can obviously do this in the salon for an extra cost (usually under $10/£10), but doing them yourself at home is easy when you know how.
Ok, it's not as super-simple of a process as regular polish, which you can usually sweep off with nail polish remover, but we can help you get the hang of it. We spoke to celebrity manicurist Roxanne Campbell for her expert take on how to remove gel nails at home. She advised that this process works for all types of gel, including BIAB, Bio Sculpture nails and shellac (wondering what are shellac nails? Our guide can help with that) If you're not sure, double-check with your manicurist when you're getting the color done.
How to remove gel nails at home, in 4 easy steps
Step 1: File away the shine
"Start by filing off the gel top coat using a 100-grit nail file," says Campbell. "Make sure you don’t file off too much to the point where you could see your natural nail underneath. You're just removing the shiny top coat so that the acetone can penetrate the color. Do not use an electric nail file unless you are a professionally trained nail technician." That way trouble lies.
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Step 2: Soak & wrap
Once you've got matte-looking nails, then it's time to bring in the acetone. Is acetone bad for your nails is a common question at this stage, but we say as long as you're not using it too often, you'll be fine. "Apply acetone to a cotton pad and place the cotton pad onto your nail plate," instructs Campbell. "Then, wrap foil around your nails and fingertips, this will speed up the process of dissolving the gel color."
Wrapping foils around gel nails should look a little like this
Now one of the key lessons in how to remove gel nails at home – patience. "Leave your nails to soak for a minimum of 10 minutes," advises Campbell. "Then remove the foil off one of your nails to see if it is ready. If the gel has melted and it’s lifting then it’s ready. If it hasn't, soak your nails for longer. Do not force off the gels because this could potentially damage your natural nails."
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Step 3: Remove & buff
It should be easy to lift off the gel polish if you've allowed it to soak for long enough –
if not, soak for another five minutes. "Once they've soaked for long enough, take the foils off, and use a manicure stick or a cuticle pusher to remove the gel. Go in one direction, gently down the nail bed," instructs Campbell. Then, use a file or nail buffer to smooth out any uneven patches.
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Step 4: Care
Even the best application of gels can harm nails. With all the filing, chemicals, and acetone, you may find your nails start to feel weaker if you're getting a mani regularly. Campbell advises using a nail strengthener after removal, then being consistent with the use of cuticle oil. This will keep your hands and nails nourished and content enough to try out new nail trends, (I've enjoyed jumping on the glazed nails bandwagon, myself) at your next salon appointment.
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