How To Remove a Gel Manicure – Skyy Hadley

There are many positives to having a gel manicure – It stays for two weeks without chipping and looks shinier than a normal manicure. However, all good things must come to an end and it’s important to learn how to safely and effectively remove a gel manicure at home. You may not have the time or money to get your gel mani removed at a salon and it’s essential to learn because it can be harmful to your nails when removing gel improperly. By peeling off a gel manicure, you are not only removing the gel, but also the top layers of your nails. This can result in white patches and textural irregularities throughout the nails.

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Skyy Hadley, owner of As U Wish Nail Spa provides tips and a step-by-step tutorial to safely remove your own gel manicure:

  • File – Use an emery board to lightly buff each nail to remove the shiny top coat so you’re left with a powdery finish. Be careful not to over buff so you don’t hit your natural nail underneath the gel.
  • Soak – Next you must soak your nails in 100% acetone polish remover. To do this, take a piece of cotton ball the size of your nail and pour the acetone on it, place it on your nail and cover your nail with a piece of aluminum foil or tape to keep it in place. Do this on every nail and let soak for 15 minutes to relax the gel.
  • Remove – Remove the cotton pieces from your nails and take a wooden cuticle stick to push the gel polish off your nails. If you have trouble, instead of forcing it, soak your nails with a cotton ball for 5 more minutes and try again.
  • Moisturize – After the gel has been removed, wash your hands and apply a cuticle oil to the nail and cuticle. This will rehydrate your nails after using acetone on them to keep them strong and healthy between polishes.
Beyonce $36,000 Manicure
Beyonce $36,000 Manicure

It’s important to take your time when removing a gel manicure yourself as it can be a slow process and you want to treat your nails very delicately and carefully to avoid weakening them.