Method
1
Remove fake nails without acetone
1
Soak your nails in warm, soapy water for 15 minutes. Fill a bowl or basin with warm water and add a small amount of mild hand sanitizer. Place your hands in the bowl or basin and let the nail gel coated fake nails soak thoroughly in the water for about 15 minutes.
The soapy water will soak into the gel and soften them, making it easier for the fake nails to come off.
You can also soften your nails by dipping them in a small amount of pure acetone, although acetone can cause more irritation to the skin, nails and cuticles than soapy water.
You can also soak a few drops of cuticle oil on each false nail for a few seconds to soften the nail glue.
2
Once the gel has softened, gently pry open the false nail. Find the edge that has started to come off and gently pry the fake nail from there. If you can't find the loose edge, then slide the tip of the nail file under the fake nail and carefully loosen the edge.
Do not forcefully pull off the false nail that cannot be easily pried off. If you still need to soften the nail glue further, soak the nail in soapy water for a few more minutes.
3
Use a polishing strip to carefully rub off any remaining nail glue. After the fake nail comes off, dry your real nail and use the rough side of the polishing strip to rub off most or all of the residual glue. Once you feel satisfied, you can rinse it off with water.
If you like, you can also polish your nails afterwards with the "smooth" side of the polishing strip.
4
Remove the glue residue with acetone. Wipe each nail with a cotton ball soaked in acetone to remove any residual nail glue. Wash your hands and nails with soap and water to remove acetone and other residue.
If your nails become dry after rubbing acetone, apply a little nail moisturizer or cuticle oil.
Method
2
Use acetone to remove false nails
1
Cut your fake nails as short as possible. Crystal nails do not require nail glue, but are directly attached to your real nails. Use nail clippers to trim your fake nails to a comfortable length, being careful not to cut into your own nails. The shorter the cut, the less fake nails will need to dissolve and the quicker you can remove them.
Do not cut down to the nail bed or it will be painful.
This method is suitable for removing powder gel nails and crystal nails.
2
File off the smooth surface of the fake nail. If the crystal nail is still stuck to your real nail, use a nail file to file off the smooth surface. Rub the file back and forth on the nail until the smooth surface is removed and the fake nail looks dull. Try to rub each part of the fake nail as evenly as possible to remove them faster and more effectively afterwards.
If you can see the real nail underneath through the fake nail, stop rubbing the part in question immediately to avoid rubbing off the real nail.
3
Wipe off the dust with a clean, dry cloth. Microfiber wipes are cheap and effective, but you can also use other types of wipes. Wipe the dust off the nails to facilitate the penetration of acetone into the remaining crystal nail.
4
Apply petroleum jelly to the skin around the nail. This will protect the skin from acetone irritation. Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the nail bed, around the nail and the skin underneath.
If you have dry or sensitive skin, apply a generous amount of petroleum jelly.
5
Wrap all the nails on one of the hands with an acetone-soaked cotton ball. If the acetone comes in a dropper bottle, just gently squeeze it onto the cotton piece. If the acetone comes in a regular bottle, you will need to pour it into a small disposable bowl and then wrap one of the nails with a cotton pad dipped in acetone.
If you don't have a cotton pad, you can also use a cotton ball instead.
You can buy acetone and cotton pads at pharmacies or supermarkets. If your skin is sensitive, you can choose an acetone nail wash for sensitive skin.
The fumes released by acetone are toxic, so be sure to use it in a well-ventilated area.
6
Wrap each nail and cotton pad with aluminum foil. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil about 2.5x5 cm and make sure the cotton piece is still tightly attached to the nail after wrapping the nail and the cotton piece in aluminum foil.
The aluminum foil will muffle the heat and moisture and prevent the acetone from evaporating so that the glue has a chance to soften and speed up the removal of the fake nail.
Do this for all the nails on one of your hands first, and then repeat on the other side. If you have a hard time doing both hands, ask a friend to help you or wait until you have removed the foil and cotton on one hand and then repeat on the other side.
7
Remove the aluminum foil and cotton sheets after 20 minutes. Set a 20-minute countdown and wait for the acetone to work. When the time is up, remove the foil and cotton sheet. You should notice that the glue has dissolved and the false nail has become wet and soft.
If the first nail is still covered with glue or the false nail is still firmly attached, wrap the foil and cotton back on and wait another 15 minutes.
Do not place the acetone-soaked cotton sheets on a wooden or plastic table as this may damage these surfaces.
8
Push away the wet and soft fake nails with a tea towel. Use a clean tea towel to wipe off any residue from the fake nails. Use a little pressure when cleaning your nails with the tea towel, but if your real nails are hurting, you have to stop immediately.
If the fake nail does not come off easily, then replace it with a new cotton ball and aluminum foil. The cotton balls should be soaked in acetone first.
9
Use a nail file to rub off any remaining glue or nail polish. You don't need to grind the whole nail, just focus on rubbing the part with glue residue. Try not to press too hard to avoid filing off the natural nail.
You can buy nail files or polishing strips at the drugstore.
Method
3
Care for your nails after removing fake nails
1
Wash your hands with warm soapy water. Acetone residue can cause dryness on the skin, so be sure to wash it off with warm, natural soap. Natural soap will not wash away the natural oils on the skin.
If you don't have natural soap at home, you can also use regular soap.
2
Rub natural skin oils on your hands and nails. The process of removing nail polish often leaves hands dry. Rub a generous amount of natural skin care oil on your nails, cuticles and hands for good hydration and moisturization.
Almond oil and olive oil are great for moisturizing real nails and can be found at natural health and beauty product stores or pharmacies.
3
Don't do manicures too often, give your nails a chance to breathe. If you put on fake nails often, let your real nails rest for a while before putting on new ones each time you remove them. After removing your fake nails, let your real nails rest for a few days to a week before applying new nail polish or putting on new fake nails.
Give your real nails a 1-week break after each 8-week manicure.
Next time, consider putting on fake nails without nail polish to see if it would be better than using nail polish.