During quarantine: how to remove gel polish at home?

What method of removing gel polish is the safest for clients, how to perform the procedure correctly without damaging the nail plate, says our expert Yulia Yakimchuk.

Yulia Yakimchuk , nail service master, instructor Anna Avramenko Studio nails

The main task is not only to remove the coating, but also not to harm the nail plate. I am a fan of removing gel polish from nails using only the hardware method! But what to do when you can’t get into the salon, but you need to remove the gel polish?

One method that our customers can use is to wrap it in foil using nail polish remover.

What will you need for this?

• Instead of special caps, you can use ordinary foil for baking dishes in the oven. Prepare 10 rectangular pieces of foil. The size of each should be sufficient to wrap the outer phalanx of the finger and secure the foil.
• At home, we replace the special remover with nail polish remover.
• Lint-free wipes can be easily replaced with cotton pads. Cut three cotton pads into four pieces. The reference point is the length and shape of the nails. The main thing is that a quarter of the sponge covers the entire nail plate.
• We replace the pusher with an orange stick: we will use it to remove the remnants of the softened gel polish.
• Nail file (180/240 grit).

Procedure:

1. In order for the nail polish remover to penetrate the gel polish faster, we need to cut off the top protective coating (top)! The final fixing layer is removed using a medium-grain file (180/240 grit).

2. Generously soak each prepared piece of cotton pad in nail polish remover, apply it to the nail plate and secure it very carefully with a piece of foil. Make sure that the cotton pad does not move during the fixing process - it must lie clearly on the nail! I recommend removing gel polish one at a time at home - first on the nails of one hand, then the other.

3. Leave the compresses for 10-15 minutes.

4. Remove the foil from one finger and use a wooden stick to check if the coating can be easily removed. If it is not softened enough, put the foil cap on and wait some more.

5. After waiting for the varnish to soften, remove the foil cap from one finger, wiping off the bulk of the coating with a sponge. Carefully remove the remaining gel polish with an orange stick without waiting for it to harden again. In this case, we work quickly and don’t get distracted! Using an orange stick (pusher), we work from the cuticle to the free edge of the nail - this is very important!

6. Repeat the procedure with each nail one at a time, removing the foil cap immediately before removing the coating.

7. Carefully remove any islands of coating that remain on the nails with a file without pressing on the nail plate.

8. Apply oil to nails and cuticles, and nourishing cream to hands.

Methods that can harm!

Sawing. Under no circumstances should you follow advice from the Internet and file off the entire coating on your nails with a coarse file! With this method, a layer of the nail plate is removed along withthe gel polish , which will lead to painful sensations throughout the entire time until the nail is completely renewed.

Removal without softening. If the coating begins to come off at the edge or catch the hair at the base, clients are often tempted to pick out a piece or completely remove the coating from the entire nail. In no case! This method will lead to the removal of a layer of the nail plate, which, again, will cause pain.

Violation of gel polish removal technology. The most common mistake is removing all the foil caps at once. In air, the varnish quickly hardens and you will have to repeat it all over again. Therefore, we remove the caps from each nail one by one before directly removing the coating with an orange stick.

Nail care procedure at home

A salt bath is considered the easiest and simplest procedure available to everyone at home. Dissolve one tablespoon of sea salt in a glass of warm water. Immerse your fingers in the water for 15-20 minutes.

But I’m sure that if you follow the technology for applying and removing the coating, you won’t have to think about restoring your nails after gel polish. Believe me, gone are the days when beauty required sacrifice. If you do everything wisely, then there will be beauty, but sacrifices will not be necessary.

Gel polish coating is not just about beautiful nails. The coating protects against external damage as it “seals” the nails for several weeks. At this time, the nail plate gradually grows and renews itself within a few months.

Health to you and your nails!