A Step-By-Step Guide to Easily Remove Your Acrylic Nails at Home

With a nationwide lockdown in place, salon visits have been impossible thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. Even now, with certain states allowing salon services to resume, there are many who would prefer not to step out of fear of exposing themselves to risk.

While such choices are personal and defer based on where you are living, one thing is for sure, time, tide and nails growth waits for no man (woman). Especially for those who have acrylic nails, lack of regular upkeep or professional removal may result in breakages and damage to your natural nails and cuticles. And, while it is tempting to try and rip them off, this is a big NO and can cause some permanent damage to your digits. 

You should always get your acrylic nails removed at a salon by a professional who's trained in minimizing nail damage (i.e., not you). In fact, VLCC, who provide expert acrylic nail services, advise against removing them at home. But sometimes, doing the "right" thing isn't possible, especially when you quite literally cannot go to a salon or leave your house. In those rare, annoying times, we must resort to DIY methods. 

Here is a 7 step guide to removing your acrylic nails at home. Before you try this, do consult your regular nail-artist or professional if possible.

Try warming up your acetone before starting as it helps it work faster and more effectively on your nails. CAUTION: Acetone is highly flammable, so don’t microwave it AT ANY COST. Just run the bottle under warm water for a few minutes

1. Carefully clip off your excess acrylics, cutting them as close as possible to your real nails.
2. Using a nail buffer,  rough up the surface of the polish until the shine is completely gone. Removing the top layer helps the polish to soften faster in the acetone.
3. Pour the acetone into a tray or bowl and soak your nails in it for five minutes.
4. With a metal cuticle pusher, gently push the polish off your nails, pushing from your cuticles downward.
5. Re-dip your nails for five mins, then gently push again. Repeat until your acrylics have completely soaked off.
6. Buff off the rest of the smaller pieces with your nail buffer.
7. Massage cuticle oil into your nails to rehydrate them, then buff it into your nails with the soft side of a buffer. Finish with another layer of cuticle oil.

For a visual step-by-step guide, watch the video below.

So there you have it, a DIY tutorial for removing your acrylics at home ( if you don't have any other options). You (and your digits) are welcome!

(Story contains inputs from Cosmopolitan.com)