How To Remove Acrylic Nails: If you’ve ever worn acrylic nails, you know hard they can be to remove. You can either pay someone else to do it or you can try to do it yourself-which should you choose? If you are trying to remove your own acrylic nails, here are 10 tips that will help get the job done right, without causing damage to your natural nails or cuticles.
Tips and Tricks on How to Remove Acrylic Nails
1. Soak The Fingers
If you want to remove acrylic nails as quickly and painlessly as possible, it’s best to soak your fingers in warm water with lemon juice or baking soda. This will soften up your nails so they’re easier to remove without damaging your real nail underneath. If you don’t have lemon juice or baking soda handy, simply stick your hands under hot running water for about 10 minutes. You can also use a hair dryer set on low heat to help melt away your acrylics; just make sure you hold it at least six inches away from your fingertips-the heat is what softens them.
2 Get Rid of The Glue
The best way to get rid of stubborn acrylic nails is with little patience and warm water. The first step is to give yourself time; removing acrylic nails takes a long time-maybe even as long as 24 hours! The next step is simple; soak your hands in warm water for about ten minutes, three times per day. The heat helps loosen up and soften the glue used to affix your artificial nails, making them easier to remove when you’re ready. Never use nail polish remover or acetone on your nails-these substances are harsh and can irritate the skin around your fingers and could even lead to chemical burns. Instead, let warm water do all of the work for you!
Using Fake Nail Tools to Remove Your Acrylics: In addition to soaking, there are several products that can make removing fake nails easy. First, you’ll want to apply some nail polish remover or acetone to your fingertips and massage it into your cuticles for about two minutes. Next, use a small manicure tool (the skinny metal kind) or wooden stick / tooth pick under your nail-try different angles until you feel like one is working more effectively than others. Keep in mind that acrylic nails may be thicker than you think! It could take some work before they start lifting up and away from your own fingernails.
3 Push Back The Cuticles
Remove your acrylic nails gradually by pushing back your cuticles. This will remove a small amount of nails each time you push, taking about 3 months to remove your entire nail. If you’re in a rush it is possible to use an acetone-based polish remover to weaken and dissolve the acrylic-but be careful! Make sure that any acetone-based remover you use doesn’t contain chemicals that will eat away at your natural nails as well. For those concerned with their appearance during removal, group on a few layers of clear polish before removing; when you remove your acrylics, they’ll peel off with them.
Don’t Cut Them: The other big question when it comes to removing acrylic nails is whether or not to use nail clippers or scissors. It’s possible, but be careful! If you cut too close to your natural nail, you can easily damage your natural tissue and make things worse than they were before. The best way to remove a piece of acrylic that is attached by only a thin layer of tip is with an orange wood stick. Dab a little bit of acetone on your fingertips, then slide them under the edge of your artificial nail. You should immediately see bits flaking off. Use your stick to remove as much of your remaining fake nails as possible without breaking through-you may have to repeat a few times if you have thick tips (this also makes removal easier). Again, don’t worry about damaging your natural nails while doing so-as long as you don’t go too far down into fleshy parts; you won’t really hurt yourself.
4 Use A base Coat To Prevent Breaking
Before removing your acrylic nails, you should apply a base coat to protect your nails from breaking. There are plenty of organic base coats that you can use at home. You may also be able to find clear nail polish at most beauty stores that will work just as well for protecting your nails. Once you’ve applied your base coat, you’re ready to remove your acrylic nails! Remember that patience is key when removing fake nails—it may take some time and you might even get frustrated along the way. However, if you stick with it and follow these tips, your natural nails will soon have room to breathe again! As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure… Or in our case, less breakage = fewer headaches!
5 Use a Buffing Block For Smoother Result
While removing your acrylic nails, do not be tempted to use an emery board or a nail file. Using these methods will result in irregular edges and can damage your natural nails. Instead, use a buffing block with high-quality polishing rouge (essentially very fine sandpaper). Buffing helps get rid of any excess glue that may be left on your nails after soaking them with hot water. This reduces chances of getting rid of healthy nail. Buffing also results in smoother edges. The process is simple: rub a small amount of cuticle oil on your nails before you begin buffing; it’ll make your work much easier! After you’ve finished buffing, coat your nails with another layer of cuticle oil (this acts as both a protective barrier against fungus and bacteria and prevents dryness/cracking) and allow them to dry for 15 minutes before applying another coat of polish or going bare-naked.
6-Clean the Nail Surface
The first thing you need to do is clean your nails to remove any dirt or residue, which could make removing your acrylic nails more difficult. Use a nail brush and nail polish remover to create a smooth surface on your nails. Avoid harsh soap, as it will be difficult to get off once applied. If there are rough edges, use an emery board or nail file to soften them up a bit. File away any cuticles that have grown over your natural nail and haven’t been trimmed back yet. It makes removing acrylic nails easier if there isn’t a layer of skin growing around them.
7 Use An Orange wood Stick
If you’re attempting to remove acrylic nails using only items found in your kitchen, an orange wood stick can be a cheap and effective alternative to costly chemical removers. Before you give up on your nails completely, make sure you try prying them off with an orange wood stick. These sticks aren’t as effective at removing acrylic nails when compared to professional chemical solutions, but they are cheaper and environmentally friendly.
8 Warm Up The Water
Before you begin, be sure to warm up some water in a saucepan or kettle. You’ll want it to be hot enough that it feels very hot when you dip your fingers into it, but not so hot that you can’t keep your fingers under there for at least 20 seconds. Find a bowl big enough to fit your hands into and fill it with warm water, then use a towel or oven mitts to remove your nails from boiling water before dipping them in there. Once they’re wet, scrub away until most of your nail is off—you don’t need to do any detailing while doing this step as long as you get most of it. Go Slow: Take things slow when using tools like knives or razor blades to cut off excess acrylic; if you go too fast, you could end up cutting yourself!
9 Buy A Good Quality Remover
Whether you’re trying to remove acrylic nails yourself or have a professional remove them, start by getting a good quality remover. Avoid commercial nail polish removers; they are harsh and contain acetone. Your best bet is a non-acetone, non-solvent remover from your local beauty supply store. This type of remover uses chemicals like glycolether or ethyl acetate to dissolve synthetic polymers used in acrylics and gels.
10 Exfoliate Between Coats
Before applying a new coat of nail polish, you should always make sure to scrub your nails clean with an exfoliating gel. This way, any excess oils will be removed from your nails and won’t interfere with your new layer of color. You can find exfoliators at most drugstores or big-box retailers, including Target or Wal-Mart. If you don’t have time to go out, look for a basic gel cleanser and foot peel in your local pharmacy. It may sound excessive (after all, one layer of polish shouldn’t need that much maintenance), but it prevents unwanted bumps or breaks in your manicure.