How To Remove Gel Nail Polish At Home

You may not have had reason to wonder How to remove gel nail polish at home before, but if you’re currently avoiding your salon and going the DIY nail route instead, it’s important to learn how to do it properly.

To avoid screwing up your nails, we asked celebrity manicurist Patricia Yankee how to remove gel nail polish at home. Her professional advice to ensure the health of your nails is to head back to your salon for proper removal when it’s safe to do so. But if you can’t or don’t want to make the trip right now, there are a few easy-to-follow steps to get similar results at home.

We have mentioned the most trustworthy DIY approaches that help you to remove your gel polish effectively— without even damaging the health of your nails in the method.

Step 1: Protect your cuticles.

Dermatologists say there's no good reason to cut the cuticles.

Cutting them could open the door to infection or irritation. "If you remove the cuticle, that space is wide open, and anything can get in there," Scher says.

Cutting your cuticles can also lead to nail problems, such as ridges, white spots, or white lines.

If you get a bacterial infection in that area, it can hamper that fingernail's growth."That's not particularly aesthetic, as well as being uncomfortable," says Ella Toombs, MD, a Washington, D.C., dermatologist.

Step 2: The store-bought jar

You'll need: Whatever product you pick up in the nail polish aisle at the drugstore.

If you can swing by your local drugstore, there a lot of "over-the-counter" gel removal options to try. The frustrating part is that you can't know how they work until you get them home.

Step 3: Soak your nails in acetone using cotton balls and aluminum foil.

The steps are pretty simple, and if you've ever gotten a gel manicure removed at the nail salon, this one will seem familiar because it's typically what the nail techs do.

First, buff your fingernails with a nail file, removing the shiny coating of the gel polish.

Then, soak a cotton ball in acetone until it's saturated. Put the soaked cotton ball on top of your buffed nail, and wrap your finger in a small square of aluminum foil to keep the cotton ball in place. Repeat for all of your fingers.

Set a timer for 10 minutes.

Remove the foil wraps, and use the cotton balls to wipe off any leftover polish on your nails.

Step 4: Gently scrape away the layers and soak again if needed.

Then, fill a large bowl with hot water and place a smaller bowl inside. Pour acetone nail polish remover into that bowl. Soak your fingers in the small bowl for 10 minutes. Then, use an orange stick to push off the remaining polish.

Step 5: Wash up and moisturize.

wash your hands and moisturize so that they can look good. Because 

many soaps can strip the skin and cause them to be dry and cracked, Xu says to wash your hands with soap that’s moisturizing.

“For example, a soap with a creamy consistency. You should also look out for soaps with ingredients such as glycerin and lanolin. Also, try to avoid soap bars,” Xu told Healthline.

Renée Rouleau, skin care expert and aesthetician, also suggested staying away from bar soaps.

“The binders that hold a bar of soap together naturally have a high pH, which will cause unnecessary dryness. Instead, choose liquid soaps since they are generally less drying to the skin,” Rouleau told Healthline.

Xu adds that no matter what type of soap you’re using, try not to be too aggressive when it comes to cleaning your hands.