How to Get Gel Nails Off Without Acetone
If it’s time to have your gel nails removed, it’s best to do it at a salon. But you may prefer to do it at home, especially if you’d like to avoid acetone. Acetone can be very harsh because it removes natural oils from your skin.[1] Try peeling or filing your gel nails off without acetone. You can also soak your nails first to make the process easier. Remember to always moisturize your hands and nails afterwards no matter what method you use.
Method1Peeling Them Off
Method1
1Lift up part of the gel nail. Wait until the nails are already chipped. Find a loose spot and lift up part of the gel nail with your fingernail or a pair of tweezers.- Waiting around a week or two before trying to peel off the gel nails will reduce the damage done to your natural nails, since the gel will have had time to loosen and chip off.[2]
2Pour water over the lifted edge and push the gel polish off. Put your finger under lukewarm running water. Using your free hand, place a finger underneath the lifted gel nail and gently push it off your natural nail. Be patient and go slow so you won’t damage the natural nail underneath.
3Use olive oil or cuticle oil if the nail won’t come off with water. If you are finding it difficult to peel the nail off under running water, try using olive oil or cuticle oil instead. Cover the gel nail and the fingernail you are using to push the gel nail off with oil. Then, slide your nail under the gel nail and gently push it off. Apply more oil as needed.- You can also use an orangewood stick instead of your fingernail to gently push the gel nail off.
4Buff off any remaining gel residue with a nail file. Even after you have pushed off the gel nail, there may be some gel left on your fingernail. Dry the nail and use a nail file to buff it off with gentle back and forth movements. Be sure to only buff off the gel residue and not your natural nail.- Most nail files have a coarse side and a smooth side. The coarse side is best for shaping your nails. This side will look and feel a lot bumpier. For buffing the surface of the nail, use the smoother side of the file.[3]
5Nourish your nails with cuticle oil and your hands with hand cream. The process of taking off gel nails can leave your natural nails and hands quite dry and cracked. Once you’ve finished, cover your natural nails with cuticle oil. You should also moisturize your hands with hand cream.
Method2Filing Off the Nails
Method2
1Trim your nails. First, trim your nails as short as possible. This will reduce the surface area that you will have to file down.[4]- If you nails are too thick to cut with a nail clipper, you can file the tips with the coarse grit side of your nail file until they are thin enough to clip off.
2File down the surface of your nails with the coarse grit side of your nail file. File gently, making crosshatches across the surface of the nail to keep it looking even and smooth. Continually move the file around your nail so you never feel a burning sensation. Move slowly and be patient: it will take some time to file down all the gel nail polish. Wipe away any dust that gathers on the nail as you file.- You may want to use a metal nail file for this step because it is stronger and able to file down the gel faster.
- If you file the nail too quickly or roughly, you may damage the natural nail underneath.[5]
3Switch to the fine side of the file when you see your natural nail. Once you see your natural nail under the gel, stop filing with the coarse grit side of your nail file. Carefully file off the remaining gel with the fine grit side.[6]- You will know you are close to the natural nail when you notice the amount of dust is decreasing or you start to see the natural ridges of your nail
4Condition and buff your nails. Once you have filed off all the gel polish, it’s important to add moisture and nourishment to your nails. Use a nail buffer on your nails to make the surface of your nails clean and smooth. Apply lotion or oil to your nails and hands.[7]- No matter how careful you are, filing off your gel nails will cause some damage to your natural nails, so don’t skip the buffing and conditioning.
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