Alice adds: “You can tell when you have broken into the colour layer as there will be colour on your nail file.”
Nail buffers to try:
Step 4: Wrap the nails
Put hot water (not boiling but as hot as you can handle) in your soak off bowls and acetone in the finger parts.
“If using Pyrex bowls, place the smaller bowl inside the bigger one,” Alice advises. “Pour acetone in the smaller bowl and hot water in the larger bowl and place the smaller one on top of the bigger one like a Bain-marie.”
Alice also suggests applying cuticle oil to both your cuticles and under your nail. This will help prevent exposure to the acetone drying your skin and nails out.
Soaking pods to try:
Step 5: Let it soak
Let the acetone soak in. This step should takes around 10-15 minutes.
Acetone nail polish removers to try:
Step 6: Buff away the acrylic
“When you take your nails out, the product should have a crumbly or jelly like appearance,” Alice says. “Use a cuticle pusher or gel removal implement to scrape off the product onto a tissue, before filing the nail and repeating the process.”
You should then repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 around three times, depending on the thickness of the product. Alice also advices: “If the water cools in your soak off or Pyrex bowls, replace this with more hot water and fresh acetone to speed up the process.”
Make sure not to over file – it’s always better to leave a bit of product on your nail than over-file.
Step 7: File your nails down
“When you get near the natural nail, stop using the 100 grit filer,” says Alice. “Switch to a 240 grit file, or a glass file, as these will be gentler on the natural nail bed.” Using a wooden orange stick, “push your cuticles back.”
Step 8: Nourish your nail bed and cuticles
Take your buffer and gently buff the nail plate to a smooth finish before working a nourishing hand cream and cuticle oil into the skin. “Regularly applying a nail treatment will help to strengthen the nails while cuticle oil will keep them hydrated,” Alice explains.
Best cuticle oils to try:
What NOT to do when removing acrylic nails from home
- Using force or prying: Avoid prying or forcefully pulling off acrylic nails. This can damage your natural nails and potentially cause pain or injury.
- Peeling off acrylics: Peeling off acrylic nails can strip layers of your natural nails along with the acrylic, causing thinning and weakening of your nails.
- Using sharp tools: Make sure that the tools you’re using are gentle on your nail bed. Do not use sharp tools like scissors or metal implements to remove acrylic nails. These can easily damage your natural nails and cuticles.
- Biting or chew: It goes without saying that you should resist the urge to bite or chew off acrylic nails, as this can lead to significant damage to your natural nails and cuticles.
- Using harsh chemicals for prolonged time: Avoid using strong chemicals such as acetone in excessive amounts or for extended periods of time. These can really dry out and damage your nails and cuticles.
- Skipping aftercare: After removing acrylic nails, don’t neglect your natural nails. Moisturise your nails and cuticles regularly to keep them healthy and hydrated.
We cannot stress enough that removing acrylic nails can be a delicate process, so if you’re not experienced it’s often better to visit a professional nail technician for proper removal.
