5 Steps for Easy Gel Removal

It is important to remove your gel manicures properly to keep your natural nails healthy.  Here's 3 mistakes to avoid when removing gel at home...
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1.  NEVER peel off your gel manicure.  Layers of your nail will peel off with the gel leaving them thin and brittle.
2.  Filing the gel off is a bad idea. You risk filing too much and damaging the natural nail.
3. If it doesn't flake off, just wait longer! 

​​ Keep reading to see how to properly remove your gel manicure at home!

**This post contains affiliate links. That just means that if you purchase products using my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you**

 You will need:
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• A rough grit nail file 
• Cotton balls
• Tin foil cut into squares 
• 100% pure acetone -Regular nail polish remover (even with acetone in it) is not strong enough to remove gel.
• Cuticle pusher 
• Cuticle oil 
• Buffer block

 You can buy tin foil squares with a cotton pad already attached to it. It saves time.  

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Step 1:

File off the top coat (the shiny layer) of your gel polish. Use your thumb to pull back the skin on the sides of the nails to avoid filing the skin. 

It is important to use light pressure. Let the file do the work. 

You can also use an electric nail file with a sanding bit as well if you have one. It's much faster but requires more skill not to file too much and damage the natural nail.  If it's your first time, operate on a lower speed until you're comfortable using it. Only use it to file off the top coat, not all of the polish. When you're done, the gel should look dull.

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Step 2: Apply the acetone to the cotton ball and place it on the nail. Wrap the nail in aluminum foil and set a timer for 15 minutes.

​Step 3:

Remove the aluminum foil and the cotton ball. The gel will look flaky. If it's still solid, add more acetone to the cotton ball and leave on for 10 more minutes. Never scrape it off!

​Step 4: 

Now that the polish is ready to be removed, use a cuticle pusher and GENTLY remove the flaky gel. ​

Step 5:

Use a buffer block to gently buff the surface of the natural nail. Use light pressure, and use your thumbs to pull the skin on the sides of the nail back while you buff. Apply cuticle oil to re-hydrate the cuticles and a little hand lotion couldn't hurt either!

That's all there is to it. 5 simple steps to remove your gel manicure and keep your nails strong and healthy.