How To Take Off Acrylic Nails At Home
Taking off fake nails on your own can seem almost impossible. When all the nail salons closed down due to the Coronavirus pandemic earlier this year, many women were seemingly trapped with no way to fill or remove their fake nails! This is because most types of fake nails need to be removed by a professional at a nail salon.
The most common way to remove fake nails is by using acetone. Acetone is a powerful chemical solvent thats quite potent and isnt exactly beneficial for your nails .
Even though acetone is the most common and effective way to remove fake nails, there are other methods that you can try that dont involve using this strong chemical.
How To Remove Acrylic Nails
This article was co-authored by Kristin Pulaski. Kristin Pulaski is a Professional Nail Artist and the Founder of Paintbucket, a self-owned and operated nail salon based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has over five years of experience running Paintbucket and is licensed as a nail technician. Paintbucket offers nail art manicures, pedicures, and soft gel extensions along with customized packages for wedding and bridal parties. She holds a BA in Managerial Science from Manhattan College.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 25 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 8,519,662 times.
Removing acrylic nails can be challenging because of how strong the adhesive is. Fortunately, there are a few tricks you can use to get your acrylic nails off without making a trip to the salon.
Easy Steps On How To Remove Acrylic Nails At Home Without Damaging Your Nails
Acrylic nails are known for their durability and strength. These are possibly its best qualities. Logically a product that is so sturdy and strong should not come off of the nail easily. So youll soon be faced with the issue of how to properly remove the product without seriously damaging the natural nails.
I think that every person whove worn acrylic nails can honestly say that theyve pulled at, and tried to remove the acrylic product the easy way, by ripping it off. This can be very tempting, especially if the product started to lift. The natural nail underneath will always be left damaged and feeling brittle and soft. This is where the misconception that acrylics damage the natural nail more than any other system comes in.
I will discuss in detail how to properly remove acrylic nails using a soaking bowl, foils and when filing. This removal should not leave your nails feeling damaged and brittle when done correctly.
Removing acrylic nails include a few steps. Trimming the nails, removing the topcoat, soaking the nails, scraping off the acrylic and cleaning up the natural nails.
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The Aluminum Foil Method For Removing Acrylic Nails:
This method can be great if you arent wanting to just sit with your nails in a bowl and need to have some use of your hands.
The 5 Fastest Ways To Remove Acrylic Nails At Home
Acrylic nails add beauty to your hands, but they can be expensive when it comes to the removal process as salon experts charge lots for this service. The good news is you can take off acrylic nails at home quickly without spending money. First, you should know that what are acrylic nails and how much acrylic nails cost? They are normally called fake nails which are easily available in lots of different shapes and colors. The price range of acrylic nails differs according to the shape, quality, and country. Want to know how to remove acrylic nails fast? In this article, I will let you know the different methods on how to remove them at home.
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Option #: Acetone Soak
One of the most common and foolproof ways to remove acrylic nails is to do an acetone soak. This is typically the same process thats used at salons. As for what it entails, exactly, simply follow the steps below.
What youll need: Nail clippers, nail file, acetone nail polish remover, petroleum jelly, cotton balls and aluminum foil.
How to execute: Use a nail clipper to cut your acrylics as short as possible. The less nail you’re left to work with, the better! Then file and buff the tops of your nails to remove any nail polish that was applied on top of your acrylics. Prep your cuticles for your acetone soak by applying some petroleum jelly to the base of your nail beds and your fingers. Next, saturate a cotton ball with acetone nail polish remover and place it on top of and around your nail. Then wrap the nail with a piece of aluminum foil and let the soaking begin. Repeat for each nail.
Let your foil-wrapped nails sit for about 20 minutes or so . Once time is up, gently lift the aluminum foil on one of your nails. If the acrylic doesn’t start to come off easily, leave your nails to soak for an additional five to ten minutes or until the acrylic flakes off without force.
What You Will Need
This cordless drill is amazing and is perfect for personal use. I recommend an electric nail file to everyone, it is a very handy tool even if you dont do your nails as often. Small body that makes it easy to store where it doesnt take up a lot of space and that it is fully cordless makes it easy to use. The body is aluminum resulting it high heat distribution allowing for longer use. Check the price on melodysusie they usually have great discounts up to 30%.
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She starts by adding warm water to the bowl and then adds a generous amount of fairy liquid dish soap and a big glug of vegetable oil.
She then mixes the ingredients together to create her solution and dunks her hands in for at least five minutes.
After five minutes has passed she checks to see how flexible the nail is and sticks them back under for a few more minutes.
After a few more minutes, the nails are ready and as she puts pressure underneath the nail they instantly come off with no issues.
Safiya writes in the caption: “No need to rip the off with my teeth anymore!!”
Not only does the hack mean you don’t have to visit the salon every time you want to remove your nail set, it also is a lot better for your nail health then biting and trying to chew them off.
The oil and dish soap work together to break down the glue and acrylic from the natural nail, without tearing it.
People couldn’t believe how well the hack worked so well.
One user wrote: “That must be a press on nail because that stuff is not going to take off an acrylic nail no way.”
Another user responded: “Nooooo just use acetone, hot water and a nail file!”
A third person added: “Actual nail tech here! this is awesome, but make sure you never put yourself in pain pulling them off! Soak them as long as you need to.”
Safiya said you can use any dish soap to recreate the hack and confirmed her nails were acrylic and that they did come off easier and quicker because she had the set on for three weeks.
Two: Remove The Topcoat And Thin Out The Product
I use my e-file with a medium grit sanding band to thin out the product on my clients nails. You are more than welcome to use a rougher sanding band or even a 100/ 180 grit file, I just personally prefer the medium grit, and using an e-file is a lot faster for me.
It is very important to remove the topcoat before you start soaking your nails. I make use of a buff-off gel top coat that will not come off using acetone. It may start to give way if there are some cracks or another sort of weakness in the topcoat, but overall it will take an unnecessarily long amount of time to remove the product if you dont remove the topcoat beforehand.
Furthermore, thinning out the product will save you a lot of time when soaking the nails. I file off most of the product and keep a thin amount of it left on my clients natural nails. It is very important to try and keep filing on your natural nails to a minimum. Especially if you are going to apply a fresh set of acrylic nails after soaking the old one, which will entail you to file the natural nails for preparation.
By removing most of the old product the soaking process will progress a lot faster. You wont have to use so much acetone for the removal and will be able to remove everything in quite a short amount of time. Never try to rush things.
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How To Remove Acrylic Nails With Foil
Many people want to know how to remove acrylic nails with foil but do not want to waste money or try other techniques. They simply want to get their hands on a bottle of foils or a tube of them. It is actually surprisingly easy to remove acrylic nails with foil if you use the right tools. There are two basic ways to remove your nails either filing or sanding.
Filing is very easy to do if you have good fingernails you simply need to wet your finger with acetone and place it over the foil. Then place a small ball of soft wool on top of the nail and cover it in foil, wrapping it in aluminum foil for around ten to fifteen minutes.
To finish the job, remove the acrylic easily with a little cuticle pusher, shape and polish. This process should only take you about ten minutes, depending on how thick your nails are.
How Do You Remove Acrylic Nails With Dish Soap
How can I get my nails off at home without acetone? Try using dish soap mixed with warm soap water.
- Use agrease-fighting dish soap, as this will be most effective for removing the nail.
- Soak your nails in the dish soap and water for 10 minutes.
- Remove your nails and use a nail tip or laminated card to wedge between the real nail and the fake nail.
- Move the tool around the cuticle looking for a spot where the nail will start to pop off. If the nail doesnt start to pop off easily enough, place it back into the soapy water, so the dish soap can continue to break down the bond in the adhesive.
- Then, remove the nail again and continue wedging the card into the gap to remove the nail.
You may also want to try using a dental flosser if the glue isnt dissolved enough for the nail to easily pop off. After removing the nail, buff the nails with a nail buffer and use a manicure brush to remove the dust. Then, use a cuticle pusher or orange stick to push the cuticle back. Finish up by applying nail strengthener to the nails to protect them until youre ready to apply new acrylic nails.
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How Do You Remove Acrylic Nails With Dental Floss
Dental floss is a top choice for individuals looking for how to get acrylic nails off at home. It can be most effective when paired with one of the other techniques listed above, such as soaking the nails in hot soapy water or rubbing alcohol.
- After soaking your nails, pry something under the cuticle end to make a space for the dental floss to get started between your real nail and the acrylic nail.
- Use a sawing motion to move the floss down the nail to cut through any adhesive that remains.
- If you encounter too much resistance, return your nails to the soapy water or vinegar to continue soaking, then try again.
After the nail pops off, remove any remaining adhesive using a nail file.
You can try this technique yourself using a dental floss pick, or have someone else use a string of regular dental floss to help you.
How To Remove Acrylic Nails With Floss
Heres how to take off acrylic nails with the floss if you dont want to use both acetone and rubbing alcohol. You will need a partner to help you while performing this method.
Since this method is pretty tricky and most experts will suggest you not try this DIY method if your nails are already damaged, as it may chip the rest of your nails off. But, if you still want to try, here are a few things that you will need:
Nail TrimmerA partner to help you
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When To Wear Acrylic Nails
If youre new to the world of acrylic nails, you might be thinking of experimenting with them for a special occasion. Acrylic nails are the perfect investment before a vacation or when you have a big event on your social calendar. As they typically last for a few weeks, its a great opportunity to treat yourself before a special event. You wont have to worry about your nails chipping or carrying an extra bottle of polish with you.
Soak Your Acrylic Nails Off With Acetone
When soaking your acrylic nails off with acetone, you can do so one of two ways. You can soak your fingernails in a bowl of high acetone nail polish remover or pure acetone, which will essentially melt off the acrylic nails.
The other method involves soaking a cotton ball in the acetone or nail polish remover, placing the soaked cotton ball on your fingernails and securing them to your nails using foil. In either case, soaking the acrylic nails off will take at least 20 minutes. Here are the steps:
- Step 1: Remove your nail polish. The color can cloud the liquid, making it difficult to judge how much the acrylic nails have disintegrated, and the color can also redistribute on the cuticles.
- Step 2: Wash and dry your hands and under your nails.
- Step 4: Apply Vaseline or coconut oil to your cuticles and the skin around your nails to protect them from the acetone.
- Step 5: Fill a small bowl with acetone or soak your cotton balls in the acetone.
- Step 6: Start the soaking process either by using the soaked cotton ball and foil or holding your fingernails in the acetone in a small bowl.
- Step 7: As the acetone melts off, push it off with a craft stick or an orange cuticle stick.
- Step 8: Continue removing the acrylic until there is just a thin layer left on the nail.
- Step 9: Let your hands dry, then use a buffer to remove the remainder of the acrylic.
- Step 10: Moisturize your hands and use a nail strengthener afterwards.
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Five: Clean Up The Natural Nails
This step should be done no matter if you are only soaking or getting a fresh set applied.
- Using a cuticle pusher of your choice gently push back the cuticles.
- Use your e-file and a cuticle bit or a cuticle trimmer to clean any dead skin remaining on the nail plate.
- Cut off any hangnails.
- Using the e-file and a medium grit sanding band gently buff the nails at the slowest possible speed, you can also use a hand file with a medium to soft grit. If you are not getting a new set, you can gently buff the nails.
This will remove any remaining product residue and smooth out the nails. Be cautious never to over-file your nails. Shape the nails according to what you want. Once you are done you can use a nail brush and sanitizer to clean up all of the dust from the nails. Go over using a lint-free wipe and sanitizer to make sure no dust remains.
If you are not getting new extensions you can simply apply cuticle oil to the whole of the natural nail, and massage moisturizer into your hands. Acetone is extremely dehydrating so it is very important to replenish the natural oils found on the nail plate.
How Often Should You Use A Nail Polish Remover
This question has been bugging your mind because you are dying to find out the answer. So, let me jump right into it and give you my personal opinion about whether or not you should use nail polish remover regularly.
I think the answer is obvious enough you should not. The reason why is that every time you remove nail polish, you risk doing some damage to the polish in your fingernails.
As I said, I am biased here but I am going to tell you my personal opinion anyway nail polish remover should be used as little as possible.
That may not make a lot of sense for some of you, but if you ask me, I think it makes a lot more sense. In fact, when I use a nail polish remover, I usually use it only once and then I do not bother with it anymore. There is no reason to use it over again if you do not have to.
The reason why I say that I do not like to use it very often is because I tend to be very careful about what I apply on my nails.
Sometimes, I even think about what I am going to apply before I do it so I know exactly what product I am putting on my nails and what effect it will have. This way, I am less likely to hurt myself accidentally when removing nail polish from my fingernails. It is just a simple thing really, isnt it?
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