Removing acrylic nails without damaging your own nails is safest in a nail salon. But what to do when the nail salon is closed?
There are four ways to remove acrylic nails yourself:
- Remove acrylic nails with acetone
- Remove acrylic nails with nail polish remover
- Remove acrylic nails in a water bath
- Remove acrylic nails with cutter
Remove acrylic nails – with file & acetone
If you want to take off your acrylic nails, start by shortening the nails with the file to about one millimeter above the fingertip. Be careful not to file off the natural nail. This works best with a coarse-grained nail file (nail file 100/180 grit), which is specially designed for acrylic nails.
Next, wear off the top layer of acrylic nails with a polishing file.
A little tip: Be careful not to “saw” and only file in one direction if possible.
When only a thin layer of acrylic is left, the acetone is used. Saturate a cotton ball with the solution, place it on the nail and wrap in aluminum foil. After about 20 minutes, the acrylic layer should have turned into a rubbery mass that can be pushed off the nail with a rosewood stick.
for use. Soak a cotton ball or cellophane in the solution, place it on the nail and wrap in aluminum foil. After about 20 minutes, the acrylic layer should have turned into a rubbery mass that can be pushed off the nail with a rosewood stick.
Tip: If you get stuck at home, don’t try to remove the nails by force, rather go to the nail salon. Acrylic nails do not come off by themselves.
Removing acrylic nails is a procedure that requires a special level of care. Acetone damages nails and skin. Therefore, in addition to hand cream, it is essential to treat your hands with a nail hardener and nail oil.
As careful as you work, the nails look a bit worn after such a procedure. The best way to conceal this is to use a natural-looking nail polish.
Remove acrylic nails with nail polish remover
Don’t have acetone on hand? Then you can also remove your acrylic nails with nail polish remover. It is only important that the nail polish remover contains acetone. Otherwise, the procedure is the same as with the acetone solution. If you want to get rid of your acrylic nails with nail polish remover, you have to reckon with a longer exposure time of about 30 minutes.
Since nail polish remover is harder to control, you should check after ten minutes whether the acrylic is coming off. You should avoid soaking your nails in a bowl filled with nail polish remover out of consideration for your own skin.
Finally, be sure to pay attention to skin care, as acetone severely attacks the skin and nails. Therefore, after removing the acrylic nails, apply a good hand cream to your hands and also use nail oil. If the nails are still a bit soft after removing the acrylic nails, this will happen as soon as the keratin in the natural nail hardens. In addition, we recommend a nail hardener treatment, then the nails will be strong again after a short time and fit enough for the next manicure.
Remove acrylic nails without acetone – in a water bath
Sometimes even warm water can work wonders to get rid of acrylic nails. Especially if you mix it with soapy water.
Simply mix together a bowl of warm water and liquid soap. Soak your hands in the soapy water for 30 minutes while gently shaking the artificial nails. So the soapy water can also get to the glue.
The warmer the water, the more likely it is to work. So keep topping up with warm water.
However, this method does not work with every adhesive and artificial nail. But it’s worth testing because you’re guaranteed to have soap and water at home.
Remove acrylic nails with a cutter or file
If you want to protect your nails and remove acrylic nails yourself without acetone or nail polish remover, the only option left is to file the acrylic down on your nails.
When working with a milling cutter, caution is required in any case, as you can quickly mill too much and thus damage the natural nails. Always use the cutter without pressure and never hold it in the same place for long. Good prior training is advisable.
First, it is best to remove the cuticles at low speed with an appropriate bit by moving quickly and without pressure along the edge of the nail. Then you use a bit to remove material, rotate at a higher speed and always pull the cutter from the edge of the nail to the free end of the nail. Preferably from one side of the nail to the other so that you don’t stay in one place for too long.
The nail cutter should only be used to remove the coarsest material, the rest is better removed with a 100/180 grit nail file.
Of course you can also work with just a file and remove acrylic nails yourself. It should be a 100/180 grit sandpaper file.
100 Grit – Specially designed for artificial fingers. For shortening or shaping tips or nails. Also suitable for pedicures.
180 grit – Suitable for shortening or matting artificial nail layers before modeling. For blending the tip transition. Also suitable for working on natural nails.
Proper care after removing acrylic nails
The acetone dries out the nails and delicate cuticles. That’s why your hands now need particularly good and rich care
Wash hands thoroughly after removing acrylic nails.
A polishing file restores a little shine to damaged nails.
In addition, special oils and creams facilitate the regeneration process for the fingernails.
Nail oil is a very rich care product. It ensures beautiful strong nails and supplies them with moisture. Nail oils are available in the form of a bottle with a brush or as a practical roll-on dispenser.
In addition, it is advisable to use nail hardener, as it contains hardening substances and forms a protective layer over the natural nail. In this way, it seals the nail and immediately makes it more resistant and strong.
In addition, nail hardeners contain special active ingredient cocktails that supply the nail with important substances and thus strengthen it in the long term.
From the acrylic nail back to the natural nail
There are different methods to get rid of acrylic nails. You can also let the natural nail grow out gently. To do this, the transitions between the natural nail and the acrylic modellage must be adjusted again and again by gently filing.
The acrylic layer is not removed, only the transition is adjusted by filing the remaining acrylic layer thinner.
You should make sure that the nails are not too long. There is a risk of these tipping through the acrylic layer that is still on the nails.
However, it takes several weeks to let the natural nail grow out.
