Choosing A Nail Polish For Your Needs
A few months ago, a girlfriend and I upgraded our cosmetics bags to limited-ingredient natural makeup products that better fit our eco-conscious lifestyles. One beauty product on my list was vegan nail polish.
As I shopped, I discovered many of the polishes that fit my personal criteria were also water-based. This means they can be removed with just water! Amazing, right? After a twenty-minute lingering soak in the bathtub with my hands submerged in warm water, the colorful water-based paint peels away like a sticker. So easy!
If you want to make your nail care routine even more natural, consider water-based polishes when you’re ready for a new hue.
You can also visit the Naturally Inspired Solutions board by on Pinterest for more ways to make eco-conscious decisions with your routines.
Image Sources: Pexels | Angela Tague | Angela Tague
The views and opinions expressed in any guest post featured on our site are those of the guest author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Tom’s of Maine.
Bonus: A Few Products To Make Your Life Easier Next Time
The process of removing gel nail polish isnt exactly the hardest thing in the world, but hey, sometimes you want to streamline the whole ordeal even more. There are sets with everything you need to take off your gels, as well as handy products to troubleshoot some of the more annoying parts of the process. Below, find our recommendations for taking your gel removal to the next level.
Hydrogen Peroxide And Hot Water
The handy brown bottle is just as fab at removing polish as it does the occasional clothing stain. Although, you should always use a diluted version and apply moisturizer immediately after. As board-certified dermatologist;Hadley King, M.D., told us about using hydrogen peroxide on the skin, even a diluted version can cause dryness and sometimes irritation; it even has the potential to bleach the surrounding skin on your nailbeds .;
While many online tutorials might recommend soaking your fingers in two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part hot water, you might want to soak a cotton pad in the solution instead and rub it on your nails . Know your limits here, and maybe steer clear if your skin runs sensitive.;
Don’t Miss: Can Toenail Fungus Live In Nail Polish
Stay Clear Of Obtaining Back
We understand that as soon as youve made use of to a #flawless claws, it can be hard to take a break. Dr. Adigun motivates people to stay clear of back-to-back gel visits to protect against enduring damage. I constantly tell my individuals to go on a gel honeymoon,’ claims Dr. Adigun. This break will certainly enable their nails to rehydrate and repair.
Hairspray Or Hand Sanitizer
These items work for the same reason that rubbing alcohol is so effective at removing polish: alcohol cleanses and strips away nail polish with ease. Both hand sanitizer and hair spray commonly contain a significant enough alcohol content to serve this purpose as well. You can use either of these products in the exact same way.
1. Soak your fingertips in warm water for 10-15 minutes. This helps soften up the polish and make for easier removal. 2. Apply hairspray or hand sanitizer to a cotton ball or cotton round. 3. Hold the cotton ball or round to the fingernail for 30 seconds, allowing the alcohol time to break down the polish. 4. Use swiping motions to clear away the polish. 5. Because alcohol is very harsh and quite drying, wash and moisturize your hands. Following up with a cuticle oil also isnt a bad idea.
Also Check: How Much Does Nail School Cost
The Add More Nail Polish Method
Removing your nail polish without remover can be as easy as painting your nails in reverse. A fresh coat of nail polish on top of the coat you’d like to remove will soften it up, melding the two polishes together. Then, when you wipe it off with a cotton ball or cotton pad, the dried bottom layer will actually come off along with the top layer. You can do this easily with a basic top coat, clear polish, but it will work with any nail polishjust make sure you wipe it off before it begins to dry, or you don’t use fast-drying polish, adding one more layer to try to remove. That is, of course, unless you’re going for one of these four nail art designs that literally anyone can do. We recommend you use all fresh nail polish for this type of application though.
Apple Cider Vinegar And Lemon Juice
Using apple cider vinegar and lemon juice can be very effective in removing nail polish from your nails. At first, soak your nails for 5 minutes in warm water.
Now pour the mixture of vinegar and lemon juice on a cotton ball and hold it on your nails for 10 minutes. Then rub the cotton and remove the nail polish from your nails.
Also Check: How To Get Child To Stop Biting Nails
Get Rid Of Polish Using Toothpaste
If you havent made the switch over to natural toothpastes yet, you can use conventional toothpaste as a way to remove nail polish without using acetone! This is because of the ethyl acetate contained in most commercial toothpastes.
What If Im Pregnant
You can still paint your nails and remove polish if youre pregnant.
Youll want to limit your exposure to chemicals, so try to reduce the number of times you get a manicure or pedicure throughout your pregnancy. Make sure you paint and remove nail polish in a well-ventilated room.
Try not to use gel polish as theres not a lot of research available on whether that type of nail treatment is safe during pregnancy.
Don’t Miss: How To Get Child To Stop Biting Nails
Rubbing Alcohol Or Spirit
Rubbing alcohol is also known as the doctors spirit which is easily available in any chemists shop. Using this sprit on your nails will not only remove the nail polish.
But also treat any kind of nail infection as it contains antibacterial properties. Before removing the nail polish soak your nails in warm water for 5 minutes. Then pour some spirit on a cotton ball and rub it on your nails, to get rid of the unwanted nail polish.
Wrap Each Nail In Foil
Douse cotton balls in 100 percent acetone and place one on each nail. According to Allure, the cotton balls hold more remover than pads and better fit the nail shape to make removing gel polish go faster. Then wrap each finger in a three-inch square of foil. This will hold the acetone-soaked cotton on the nail and keep the solution from evaporating, Soon explains.
Don’t Miss: How Long Do Nail Adhesive Tabs Last
Hot Water And Acetone
Hot water and acetone is a very popular method to remove nail polish, and it is probably the most accessible one compared to the others in the list. All you need is a bowl of hot water and a smaller bowl of acetone.
First, you need two bowls, one smaller than the other, to sit in the bigger one. Fill up the larger bowl halfway with hot water and the second bowl with acetone.
You need to make sure the hot water is bearable for you to put your hands in it; if it is too hot, add some cooler water to it. It ideally needs to be hot water as itll give you better results; if you use warm water, it will work, but it may take longer.
Once you are ready, put the bowl with acetone in the bowl of hot water, and place your hands in the bowl of acetone. You may need to remove some of the water if it is too full, and you can put your hands in without it spilling over.
Place a towel over your hands in the bowls and keep them in the acetone for 5 to 10 minutes. You may need another towel underneath the bowl to protect your surrounding area.
Once the time is up, you should see that the nail polish is coming off. Wipe each nail individually on a towel or paper towel, depending on what you want to use, to remove the excess nail polish.
When you have cleaned all the nail varnish off, you can begin to treat your nails by cutting them and applying cuticle oil if needed.
Ways To Remove Nail Polish Without Nail Polish Remover
·Post may contain affiliate links.
Im a diehard fan of nail polish but I almost never wear it. The biggest reason? That gross nail polish remover that comes with it. My mom always taught me that no polish is better than chipped polish, and nothing gets rid of flaky tips quite like acetone polish remover.
So I stopped using polish altogether in order to avoid the fumes and chemicals that accompany traditional remover. But it turns out you dont really need to go that far.
There are DIY nail polish remover alternativescheap, natural onesthat you probably already have on hand . Heres how to remove nail polish without nail polish remover.
Read Also: How Much Does Nail School Cost
How To Remove Nail Polish From Your Clothes
If youve accidentally wound up with nail polish on your clothes, here are some removal tips.
Try to contain the stain as quickly as possible and make sure it doesnt spread. Then, use an absorbent paper product like a paper towel or a piece of toilet paper to remove as much of the polish as possible.
Finally, dab a cotton swab or a small piece of a rag into nail polish remover, either acetone or non-acetone, and blot out the stain.
Here are some other ways to get nail polish out of your clothes:
- using a stain-fighting detergent product
- adding white vinegar to your washing cycle to lift the stain
- washing your clothes immediately after staining them to ensure the stain doesnt set
- enlisting a dry cleaner to remove a deep nail polish stain
File The Shine Off Your Gel Polish
You know that clear, glossy top coat you get at the end of your gel manicure to seal in your polish? It’s time for that to go. “Removing the top coat of your manicure will help accelerate the removal time,” says Nunez. “Youre essentially giving your remover a head start and one less coat to break down during the soak off time.”
Use a nail file to buff away the surface layer of manicure. When you think you’ve removed the last of your top coat, place your hand under a light and inspect your nails. Any remaining shiny patches will reveal where you still need to file. But heads up: If you start seeing spots of natural nail, you’ve gone too far. “You still want to see some color on the nails before you soak, to ensure you are protecting the integrity of your natural nails,” says Nunez.
You May Like: How Much Does A Nail Tech Make
How To Remove Nail Polish Without Nail Polish Remover
Nail art has become a trend these days. Coloring your nails matching the dress is a must for a women. But the worst part is unable to find time to remove that chipped nail polish on your nails, especially when you are in hurry to attend a party or a meeting.
If you are unable to find nail polish remover and running out of time, then what would you choose to remove it?Thinking! Let me help you with the better solution to remove nail polish on your nails without using nail polish remover.
Here are the best methods to remove nail polish without using nail polish remover.
Ginger Ale And Baking Soda
Baking soda is effective as an abrasive on its own, but when mixed with ginger ale, it makes a powerful cleaning solution. You can use it to get all stains from your carpet.
To clean the nail polish out of the carpet with ginger ale and baking soda, you wont need more than 20 minutes.
Things you need:
- Ginger ale homemade or store-bought
- Baking soda
- Sponge
- Bucket of water
To start, sprinkle baking soda on top of the stain. If the nail polish is already dry, you can wet the area with a bit of warm water or ginger ale, to help baking soda penetrate the fibers. Next, pour a fair amount of ginger ale on top of baking soda and let it sit for ten to 15 minutes.
Use a toothbrush to scrub and clean the carpet. Again, circular motions work best as you wont spread the nail polish as much. Moreover, I recommend using a toothbrush for spot cleaning on the carpet because it will give you more precision than regular scrubbing brushes.
Rinse the area with a sponge, clean water, and let it air dry. If you arent satisfied with the results, complete the procedure one more time.
What is especially good about this method is that it cannot harm the carpet, no matter how many times you use baking soda and ginger ale in combination.
Lastly, dont forget to vacuum the carpet to remove baking undissolved baking soda crunches. You can also use a carpet cleaner over the whole carpet to disinfect the area and refresh your space.
Watch this video to know more.
Don’t Miss: How To Get Child To Stop Biting Nails
How To Remove A Gel Manicure At Home
Avoid peeling and picking and try these expert tips instead.
Your mani may not be the most pressing thing on your mind these days. But with nail studios and spas closed until further notice, you will likely come to a point where your gel nails require maintenance that only a pro can offer. Aside from visible regrowth not looking quite as fresh or polished as youd like, letting the polish grow too far can strain the health of your nails, leaving them frail and damaged .
Your best bet: take it all off. We asked a nail industry expert for the safest, simplest way to strip away gel. With a couple key tools and a little patience youll have healthy, naked nails in no time.
The Hair Spray Method
Acetone is generally the most effective nail polish remover, which is why it’s the primary, if not sole, ingredient in most removers. However, if you understand how this process works, you’ll see that many household items can actually work for removing nail polish without remover. The short version is, any household products with sufficient alcohol content will function as a solvent for the nail polish, dissolving the nail color and ingredients in the polish itself, which makes it easy to simply wipe off. If you’re lacking a bottle of remover, check the ingredients on your hair spray bottles. Most of them will contain alcohol, and as a result, should be able to dissolve the polish quite easily.
You May Like: Mitsutomi 42 Professional Acrylic Kit
How To Remove Nail Polish With Nail Polish
No, you didnt read that wrong: You cant fight fire with fire, but you definitely can fight nail polish with nail polish. Best of all, you dont even have to take on the tedious task of carefully painting your own nails for this one since your fresh coat is going to be wiped clean along with the old one.
To use this method, pick a nail polish and, working one nail at a time, paint a thick coat right on top of the chipped polish youre trying to banish. Then, start rubbing the nail with a washcloth or paper towel and watch as both last weeks polish and the fresh stuff disappear.
There you have it, friendsfour different ways to restore your nails to their natural state. Now all you have to do is start thinking about your next shade.
Create Some Loose Spots On The Nails
Using your other fingernails, an orangewood stick, a thin part of a cuticle pusher, or a pair of tweezers to create some lifting spot on the gel polish. The more you create, the faster the gel polish will come off but do this gently and do not use excessive force or you will peel off your own nails too.
If gel polish still sticks very well on the nails, leave it. The heat will loosen it after soaking later
After you finish the above step for all ten fingers, time to soak them in warm water.
Read Also: Dip Powder Nails Reddit
How To Remove Gel Nail Polish Without Acetone
Dont have acetone? Thats no problem. Just soak your nails in warm water with a few drops of dish soap and a teaspoon of salt. According to the Ever After Guide, leave your hand submerged in the water for at least 20 minutes before peeling off the color. However, it is always recommended to moisturize after.
How To Remove Nail Polish With Rubbing Alcohol
If you dont have any nail polish remover on hand, an alcohol-based product will work in a pinch, Brittney Boyce, founder of NAILSOFLA, tells us. The stronger the product the more effective it will be so if you have rubbing alcohol hanging around, thats your best bet.
It’s very simpleapply some rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball or pad and place it on your nail. Let it sit for about 10 seconds and gently rub it back and forth. Your nail polish should come off fairly quickly, she explains. Tip: A washcloth or rag will work too.
Dont have rubbing alcohol either? No problemjust reach for some hand sanitizer instead: Dispense a generous amount of hand sanitizer onto a cotton ball and gently scrub back and forth until the polish is gone. Just remember to moisturize after. Because rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer can by dehydrating, use a cuticle oil to re-moisturize your nail, cuticles, and surrounding skin after removing the nail polish, advises Boyce.
Read Also: How To Get Child To Stop Biting Nails
