How to Remove Gel Polish at Home

How to remove gel polish

As much as I love the convenience of Gel Polish, it can be a bind to remove and not removing gel properly can cause damage to your nails, so it's essential you remove correctly, whether you go to the salon or remove yourself. There's a couple of ways to remove gel polish, so I thought I'd share with you the correct way to remove gel.

STEP 1
Gently buff the polish on each nail a little with a buffer to break the seal.

STEP 2
Saturate a small, cut up cotton pad or pre-made remover wraps with gel remover or acetone. I am testing out these foam pads by Cuccio, but you can also purchase a remover kit from your local salon, Sally's, Amazon or you can make your own by cutting up small pieces of cotton wool and foil.

STEP 3
Place the saturated pad over the top of the polish and wrap neatly and securely around the finger. Leave for around 15 -20 minutes, you'll know if there ready as the gel should just come away from the nail easily. I often find heat helps speed up the removal time, so try running a hair dryer over for a couple of seconds at a time or wear some flannel gloves as mitts, to keep the heat in or if all else fails,,you could always sit on them!

STEP 4
Once your ready to remove, make sure you have a bin to hand, as this can get messy. Gently twist the foil and cotton pad off and with a cuticle stick, carefully remove the remainder from the nail.

STEP 5
Once all gel is removed, rinse your hands and then go over each with a anti-bacterial spray or nail polish remover on a cotton pad to ensure the nail bed is clean.

STEP 6 & 7
Replenish the nails with a good moisturizer and cuticle oil all of over the nail.