Many people find the prospect of giving themselves a haircut at home very daunting, but trying to remove acrylic nails without the help of a nail tech can be intimidating. We’ve all heard (or maybe even experienced) horror stories of painful acrylics cutting and cracked nails, and who wants to see all that? No one. But if you don’t have time to make it to a salon and need the acrylic nails to go ASAP, safely remove them at home is completely possible. It is only about knowing the methods that are really effective and not harmful. We can’t have brittle nails for summer, ladies.
The internet is flooded with different DIY ways to remove your acrylics yourself, from hot water to dental clay to even sticking a credit card under them (sure away from that). So, we are here to tell you the hard truth: you need to remove your acrylic nails with acetone. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! It’s the only way to remove them that ensures no damage to your natural nails. Acetone also works well and makes the process painless. So without further ado, here’s how to remove acrylic nails at home in a way your natural nails will thank you for later:
How to remove acrylic nails
Source: Shutterstock
Trim & Buff
To begin the removal process, you will need to cut off all the length of your acrylics and remove all of the polish (it’s time-consuming, but it has to be done). But, this will make removing the nail easier, allowing the acetone to penetrate it (which we’ll get into in a moment).
What you will need:
Instructions:
Step 1: Using a strong nail tool, cut your acrylic nails as short as possible without cutting off your natural nail and damaging your nail bed.
Step 2: If you always have polish on your acrylics, you can remove it simply by using some nail polish remover (most nail polish removers have acetone in them and work well more, but the acetone remover cannot work). Using gel polish, use the grit side of your dull nail file to remove the top coat of glitter.
Step 3: Continue filing your nails gently until the nail polish is completely gone. Be very careful not to overdo it with acrylic, as it can damage and/or damage your nails. A good rule of thumb is to leave the acrylic layer covering the entire nail, and the acetone solution will take care of the rest.
Source: Shutterstock
Acetone Method #1: Disinfect
Using acetone at home is scary, as it’s a harsh and harsh chemical that can make your nails dull and dry. But as we said before, many methods called “gentle options” are not a good way to remove acrylics and can be painful and ineffective. As long as you approach the process carefully, using acetone is safe and is our best bet.
There are two different ways to remove your acrylic nails from acetone, the first is the foil method. This is a method used in the tent, allowing for minimal physical contact with acetone. Although it is a little complicated, a little time and patience with these steps will make your acrylic finish in no time.
What you will need:
Instructions:
Step 1: Dip a cotton ball in acetone and place it on top of your acrylic coated nail polish. Once it covers the entire area, wrap it tightly in a small piece of parchment paper. This can be a little tricky if you’re not doing it yourself, so take it easy (or, have someone there to help make the process easier)! If you are doing this yourself, we recommend doing one hand at a time for less room for error.
Step 2: Once your nails are finished, give each of them a little to see if a little acetone comes off when you want it – this is a good thing! This is how you know you have enough acetone on the cotton ball. Now, let each nail soak for at least 10 minutes. If the acrylic hasn’t hardened enough in that time, you can let it soak for 20 minutes. To speed up the process, you can place a hot towel over your foil-wrapped nails, as hot acetone works faster.
Step 3: Remove the foil and gently wipe away any remaining acrylic, and use a cuticle remover to gently wipe off any excess that has turned to a gooey finish. If the paper does not come off easily from the nail file, try wrapping the article again for a few more minutes. Patience is key!
Source: Shutterstock
Acetone Method #2: Grind the plate
This other removal method is less active, but it exposes your skin to higher levels of acetone. This isn’t harmful in any way – just make sure to follow the proper care regimen and you’ll be good to go.
What you will need:
Instructions:
Step 1: Take your acetone bottle and run it under hot water. This step is not 100% necessary, but as we said, using hot acetone speeds up the removal process.
Step 2: Pour your acetone into a bowl and put your hands in it to completely dry all your nails, let them soak for about 30 minutes. While they are soaking, gently rub the rest of your nails with your fingers to help loosen the acrylic.
Step 3: You will notice that the gooey consistency in the acrylic starts to melt inside. Take your cuticle remover and gently scrape it off the nail bed. Once most of it is gone and you’re done with the water, clean your nails and use your nail file to remove any small pieces of acrylic.
Source: Olive & June
Keep your nails clean
Once the removal process is complete, your efforts will have an impact very much dry regardless of the method you use. But, there is no need to worry. You can make them look good and feel as good as new by using the right moisturizing products:
What you will need:
Step 1: Once you have removed your acrylic, wash your hands with warm water and a mild soap to ensure that all of the acetone chemicals have been removed from your skin.
Step 2: Apply cuticle oil around your nail bed to help moisturize the area.
Step 3: If your nails are feeling weak or damaged, opt for a nail strengthening treatment and apply it to your nails twice a week. It’s also good to stick with gel nails or press-on nails until they’re strong enough to give acrylics another go.
Tools to make it easy
