How to Remove Gel Polish at Home

The gel polish manicure has never been easier to DIY at home. Thanks to COVID, more people are trading the salons to try it out on their own. Getting the perfect finish is the easy part: however, learning how to remove gel polish at home has become quite the challenge.

Let’s look at some easy options that will help you ace the gel manicure process from start to finish.

How to Remove Gel Polish: Step By Step

As with any type of nail polish remover, taking off gel polish is a multi-step process. Here is the most effective, straightforward way that won’t destroy your natural nails.

1. Apply a Cuticle Oil

Before you start applying any type of gel polish remover, you should first protect your cuticles with oil. The oil helps to minimize any damage caused by the acetone in the remover and prevents the cuticles from drying out.

2. File the Top Layer of Polish

Using a coarse nail file, start brushing away at the top layer of polish. Scratching the surface will allow the remover to better penetrate the polish “shield” and reduce the amount of scrubbing you’ll need to do later.

3. Soak Your Nails in Gel Polish Remover

Once you’ve prepped your nails, use a dedicated gel polish remover to soak your nails. You can apply the remover to cotton balls or pads, then wrap each nail in aluminum foil and leave for 10-20 minutes.

Another method is to use a nail polish wrap. This is similar to soaking the nail and wrapping in aluminum foil, except it’s a one-step process.

4. Gently Scrape Away the Layers of Polish

After several minutes, remove the foil or wrap. You should notice the edges of the gel nail polish have been lifted and much of the nail polish will be loose enough to wipe or scrape away. For any areas of polish that remain, soak those areas again and repeat the process outlined above.

5. Hydrate Your Skin

Once your gel nail polished is removed, restore your skin’s hydration with a little coconut oil or cuticle oil. This will help protect your skin from the effects of the acetone, which can be harsh on nails.

Other Tips to Get Gel Polish Off

In addition to the above steps, you’ll want to keep the following tips in mind when getting gel polish off:

1.Don’t force the gel nail polish off, as doing so may damage the nail.

2.Try to avoid using wooden tools for scraping; these can be a breeding ground for bacteria. A metal scraper is more hygienic.

3.Clean your metal scraping tool after each use.

The whole process can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, so be patient and follow each step to get the fastest results.

Removing Gel Polish the Easy Way

Laguna Moon makes it easy to remove gel nail polish at home. Our gel polish remover is safe and effective, plus it leaves your natural nails with a little shine for a healthy, fresh appearance.

Shop our collection today!