Nail Bites - Can I remove Gel Polish at Home?

Key workers, home workers, people in self-isolation - none of us can get out to a beauty salon, and beauticians cannot get to you for your regular manicure appointment. 
But you have a gel manicure which looked fantastic when you had it done, and still looked great 10 to 14 days later. But after that? You might have some chips at the ends of the hardest working fingertips, or some growth at the base of your nails. My nails grow very quickly so any re-growth becomes apparent pretty quickly! 
So can you remove the gel at home? The good news is: yes you can! You will just need a little patience.

For each nail:

1. Using a coarse nail file, gently buff the gel surface - you just need to remove the shine and break the surface down, don’t file to the nail itself.
2. Soak a cotton ball or lint-free wipe in acetone. This isn’t regular nail polish remover, it needs to be pure acetone. (Nail polish remover contains acetone, but it is very diluted.)
3. Place the soaked cotton wool firmly on your nail and secure with a square of kitchen foil. This might take some practice to get it right - fold the foil over the nail, and wrap the ends around the nail, ensuring the cotton wool is secured against the nail.
4. Some people say that you can soak the whole finger tip in an acetone bath, which is fine, but remember that acetone is extremely drying so you will need to  treat your fingers to replace that lost moisture.
5. You will need to leave the nail in acetone for around 15 minutes, so take some time to read, or watch something on TV, with a cuppa ... 
6. When you remove the foil and cotton wool, the gel should slip off. If it is stubbornly sticking to your nail, push off as much as you can (without scraping the nail itself) with an orange stick, and reapply the acetone soaked cotton wool and foil - leave for a further five minutes. 
7. Once the process is complete, all the gel will be removed. It is worth noting that this process can take longer if the gel has been on for more than two weeks. 
8. Now you will need to give your nails some TLC! Apply cuticle oil, massage it all around each nail. Apply hand cream. You should apply cuticle oil at least twice a day, whether you have gel polish on or your nails are natural. You can apply your own polish immediately, but your nails will benefit from a day or two’s rest and plenty of luxurious TLC.

Amazon, eBay, and other online stores are invaluable right now, and they are the perfect places to find the essentials you need for you home manicure. There are plenty of products out there - but read the reviews before making your choice! If you can’t make up your mind which to go for, please contact me and I will be able to advise you.

I hope this has been helpful ... 

Proud to be a Nail tech

www.nailstoyou.uk 
Info@nailstoyou.uk
07727 110413