How do gel nails come off

If you use something else, like an orange stick, to scrape off the leftover polish, this method is pretty effective. You'll need: Two bowls, hot water, a nail file, acetone nail polish remover and an orange stick. I love a double boiler when it comes to baking — hello, melted chocolate!

Here's how it works as a nail polish remover. Then, fill a large bowl with hot water and place a smaller bowl inside. Pour acetone nail polish remover into that bowl. Soak your fingers in the small bowl for 10 minutes. Then, use an orange stick to push off the remaining polish. The verdict: Success!!! This method was the hands-down winner. The polish just pushed right off. We know too well the temptation that comes with wanting to pick and peel off your gel polish. That moment of satisfaction will be fleeting, but the damage you inflict on your nails could take weeks to repair.

Don't overthink it: removing gel nails at home is the same exact process as the salon. First, you're going to want to grab a fresh nail file we love ones from Tweezerman at any drugstore. Tuttle says if one nail breaks or chips, file it down to a shape that you want and to leave it alone after if you can.

If you want to take the entire manicure off completely, start by carefully filing away just the topcoat seal. Cut into small squares and wrap each finger to secure the cotton ball in place. This takes a bit longer, but works wonders if you don't have any foil or cotton balls on hand. Grab two bowls from the kitchen, one slightly larger than the other. Fill the larger bowl with warm water, place the smaller one inside as you would with a double-boiler, and pour in some acetone. Because acetone is highly-flammable, you should not heat it in the microwave or stove.

Allow to heat for a minute or two, then place your hand inside the acetone and allow the gels to gradually soak off. Red Carpet Manicure's kit includes ten foils with a cotton pad attached, while Ciate's comes with conditioning acetone and a gel remover pot in which you pour the solution and dip your hand in. Cue up some Netflix and let the acetone to do its job. If you used foils and cotton, the gel manicure should slide off with the cotton ball when you remove the foil.

Here, we talked to the nail experts about how to remove your gel polish at home without totally wrecking your nails. Give yourself plenty of time for the removal process and most importantly, do it in a well-ventilated area so you're not breathing in all that acetone, says nail expert Jenna Hipp. The process can't really be done in a rush — you'll need about 30 minutes.

Consider this a good time to catch up on your Netflix queue. The point here is not to sand all the polish off. You're really just roughing up the topcoat, so take it slow.

Basically, you just want to remove the shine," says Hipp. Next, coat the skin surrounding your nails and fingertips with a cuticle oil or a thick cream. The key to removing gel polish is to soak your fingertips in acetone. You can do this in a small bowl filled with acetone and a drop or two of cuticle oil, Saulsbery says, or you can use a soaked cotton ball on each nail.

Tracylee prefers cotton balls to pads because they're closer to your nails' size and shape.