How to Take off Fake Nails

Fake nails, such as acrylics or gel nails, can instantly take your natural nails from drab to glamorous. However, when you are ready to start over with a clean slate, you might not want to pay someone to take off the fake nails. Fortunately, you can remove fake nails at home using similar techniques that a nail technician would use, and your nails will be ready for a new look in no time!

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Using Acetone-Soaked Cotton and Tin Foil

1. Trim down acrylic nails to reduce the surface area. If you have acrylic nails, trimming them down first will reduce the amount of surface area that the acetone needs to penetrate. This makes it easier for the acetone to loosen your nails. Cut the acrylic nails down to the level of your natural nails.^[1]
   
   
   • Don’t trim your natural nails until after you have finished removing the acrylics.
2. Use a coarse nail file to thin the acrylic or remove the gel topcoat. Use a back and forth motion on the top of acrylics where they meet your natural nails (near the cuticle bed) or all over the surface of gel nails. File until you expose the adhesive under your acrylics or remove the shiny protective coat of the gel nails.^[2]
   
   
   • Do not skip filing your nails! Taking the time to file will make it easier for the acetone to work and loosen your nails faster.
   • Don’t file down too far! You may end up removing part of your natural nail and this can put you at risk of a nail infection.
3. Cut out 10 foil rectangles to wrap around the ends of your fingers. Use a pair of scissors to cut the foil. Each wrap should be about .^[3]
   
   
   • Check 1 before you make more. Ensure that the wraps are large enough to go all the way around your nails and the cotton ball or gauze. The ends of the foil need to overlap so that you can secure the wraps.
4. Soak a cotton ball or gauze with acetone and place it over your nail. Add enough acetone to the cotton ball or gauze so that it is wet, but not dripping. Then, place the cotton directly over your nail.^[4]
   
   
   • For acrylics, make sure the cotton is centered over the area where you filed to expose the adhesive.
   • For gel nails, make sure that the acetone-soaked cotton is covering the entire nail.
   • Keep in mind that you can also use non-acetone nail polish remover, but it will take longer than using pure acetone.
5. Wrap the foil around your nail to secure the acetone-soaked cotton. Place your fingertip onto the center of a foil wrap. Then, wrap the top of the foil over the tip of your nail and bring the sides up over your nail like a tent. Fold the ends over a few times to tighten the foil around your fingertip and the cotton.^[5]
   
   
   • Don’t worry if the foil does not look as neat as the way they do it in the salon! As long as the foil is secure around your fingertips, the acetone-soaked cotton will stay put and do its work.
6. Repeat this for each of your nails. Continue applying acetone-soaked cotton balls or gauze and wrapping your fingertips in foil until you have wrapped all of your nails. The last few wraps might be hard to apply since you will have tin foil on your other fingertips.^[6]
   
   
   • If possible, ask a friend or family member to help you with the last few wraps.
   • Another option is to only process 1 hand or a few nails at a time.
7. Wait 20 minutes to remove the wraps. You will not be able to do much while the wraps are in place, so plan to chill out for about 20 minutes. Watch a show, listen to some music, or just sit back and relax.^[7]
   
   • Because of the foil, you will probably not be able to interact with the touch screen on your phone for the next 20 minutes, so now’s a good time to charge your phone!
8. Use a cuticle pusher to scrape off the remaining adhesive or polish. After the time is up, remove 1 of the wraps. Try to pull off an acrylic by gently inserting the tip of a cuticle pusher between the acrylic and your natural nail. For gel nails, try to scrape off some of the polish using a cuticle pusher. If the acrylic or gel nail polish comes off easily, then remove the wraps 1 at a time and use the cuticle pusher to remove the adhesive or polish from each nail.^[8]
   
   
   • If the acrylic or gel polish will not come off easily, redo the wrap you just took off. Leave the rest of the wraps in place for another 5 minutes, and then check again.
   • Remember, only remove 1 wrap at a time and scrape away the adhesive or gel polish immediately.
9. Buff off any stuck-on bits of adhesive with a small foam buffer. After you have taken off all of the acrylics or gel nail polish, use a foam buffer to remove any remaining bits of adhesive or polish. Rub the buffer over each of your nails using gentle pressure and a back and forth motion.^[9]
   
   
   • You may need to buff a little harder in some spots to remove the adhesive or polish residue.

[Edit]Soaking Your Nails in Acetone

1. Cut down acrylic nails so that they are as short as possible. If you have acrylic nails, this will reduce the amount of surface area and make it easier for the acetone to loosen your nails. Trim your acrylic nails down to the level of your natural nails.
   
   • Do not trim your natural nails yet! Wait until after you remove the fake nails to trim them.
2. File down the surface of the acrylic or gel nail with a coarse nail file. Take a coarse grit emery board or nail file and rub it back and forth over the top of each of your nails. For acrylics, file the area where the acrylic meets your natural nail (near the cuticle bed) until the adhesive is exposed. For gel nails, file the entire surface of the nail until they are no longer shiny.^[10]
   
   
   • Acrylic nails sit on top of your natural nail, so it will be difficult for the acetone to penetrate the nail unless you file them down first. Likewise, gel nails have a clear topcoat that protects the polish. Filing down the acrylic or gel topcoat before soaking the nail will help to make this process quicker and easier.
3. Fill a small dish with pure acetone. Use a shallow glass dish that is big enough to fit all of your fingertips into at 1 time. This size dish will likely have a 2 cup (480 mL) capacity. Fill the dish about halfway with pure acetone.^[11]
   
   
   
   • You can buy pure acetone in the nail supplies section of a drug or grocery store.
   • You may also use a non-acetone nail polish remover if you prefer. It will just take longer than an acetone nail polish remover.
4. Place the dish into a larger bowl of hot water. Warming the acetone will help to make it work faster and remove the nails more effectively. Get a dish that is about 2 times the size of your acetone dish and fill it about ¼ of the way full with very hot water from the tap. Then, place the acetone dish into the water-filled bowl.^[12]
   
   
   • Make sure that the water does not overflow into the acetone dish! Set the acetone dish into the water dish slowly. If it looks like the water will overflow, then pour some out and try again.
5. Soak your nails in the acetone for 10 minutes. Dip your nails into the acetone up to the level of your cuticles and hold them there for 10 minutes. The acetone will loosen the adhesive holding on acrylic nails or it will dissolve the gel polish if you have gel nails.^[13]
   
   
   
   • To reduce the amount of acetone that contacts your skin, angle your fingers so that just the nails are immersed in the acetone.
6. Remove your nails from the acetone and check to see if they are loose. Once the time is up, take your fingertips out of the acetone and check your nails. Insert the end of a wooden cuticle pusher into the area between your natural nail and acrylic and see if it comes off easily. Use the end of the cuticle pusher to gently scrape off any remaining gel polish. Do this for all of your nails.^[14]
   
   
   • If the acrylics are still hard to budge or if your gel nails are hard to scrape off, put your nails back into the acetone for a few more minutes.
7. Scrape away the remaining adhesive or gel polish with a cuticle pusher. After you have finished soaking your nails and you can remove the acrylics or excess polish easily with a cuticle pusher, continue removing them. Remove all of the acrylics or scrape off all of the gel polish.^[15]
   
   
   • If you have acrylics, then you will also need to scrape off the remaining adhesive with a cuticle pusher.

[Edit]Removing Acrylics with Dental Floss

1. Be aware that this technique may damage your natural nails. This method of removing acrylic nails is not recommended by nail professionals. Using floss to remove your fake nails can result in pulling off part of your natural nail, which can be painful and possibly lead to an infection.
   
2. Purchase dental flossers that are on a stick. These are widely available and they are perfect for removing fake nails. To make the process even easier, you may want to choose a brand that is meant for flossing between tightly-spaced teeth, such as Glide.^[16]
   
   • If you don’t have or don’t want to buy flosser sticks, then you may also use regular floss. However, you might need a friend to help you since you won’t be able to keep the floss taut with only 1 hand.
3. Use the toothpick part of the flosser to loosen the fake nail. The end of the flosser should be pointed. Stick this end under part of your acrylic to create a gap. Be careful not to pry up too much of the nail as you do this. Only lift the end of the acrylic slightly where it meets your natural nail.^[17]
   
   
4. Press the floss against your natural nail and move it under the acrylic nail. Position the floss against your natural nail where the acrylic nail begins. Then, press down and move the floss under the acrylic.^[18]
   
   
   • If you have someone helping you using regular floss, then have them hold the floss taut and press it against your natural nail.
5. Use a back and forth motion to work the floss under the acrylic. Move the flosser back and forth like you would to floss your teeth. Hold the acrylic nail down with 1 finger to keep it still as you do this. Continue working the floss forward until you reach the end of your natural nail and the acrylic nail comes off.^[19]
   
   
   • Make sure that you go slow! If you go too quickly, then you may pull off part of your natural nail.
6. Repeat the process to remove all of your acrylic nails. Continue to take 1 nail off at a time until you have removed all of them. After you are finished, trim, file, and buff your nails to clean them up. Then, do your nails as desired!^[20]
   
   

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Warnings

• Pure acetone is flammable! Keep it away from heat and open flame.
• Pure acetone can stain or discolor surfaces and clothing. Cover your work surface with a towel before you get started and put on an old t-shirt.
• Never try to pull or peel off acrylic or gel nails without loosening them with acetone first! You may end up pulling off part of your natural nail, which can be extremely painful and may lead to an infection.

[Edit]Things You’ll Need

[Edit]Using Acetone Soaked Cotton and Tin Foil

• Coarse nail file
• Pure acetone
• Tin foil
• Scissors
• Cotton balls or gauze
• Cuticle pusher
• Foam nail buffer

[Edit]Soaking Your Nails in Acetone

• Coarse nail file
• Small shallow 2 cup (480 mL) capacity bowl
• Large 4 cup (960 mL) or more capacity bowl
• Pure acetone
• Warm water
• Baby oil (optional)
• Cuticle pusher

[Edit]Removing Acrylics With Dental Floss

• Dental floss sticks OR regular floss and someone to help you

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ [v161381_b01]. 23 April 2020.
2. ↑ https://www.today.com/style/how-take-gel-nails-home-remove-gel-manicure-trick-t108143
3. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/nails/a47362/how-to-remove-acrylic-nails/
4. ↑ [v161381_b01]. 23 April 2020.
5. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/nails/a47362/how-to-remove-acrylic-nails/
6. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/nails/a47362/how-to-remove-acrylic-nails/
7. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/nails/a47362/how-to-remove-acrylic-nails/
8. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/nails/a47362/how-to-remove-acrylic-nails/
9. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/nails/a47362/how-to-remove-acrylic-nails/
10. ↑ [v161381_b01]. 23 April 2020.
11. ↑ https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-remove-fake-nails/slide2
12. ↑ https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-remove-fake-nails/slide2
13. ↑ [v161381_b01]. 23 April 2020.
14. ↑ https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-remove-fake-nails/slide2
15. ↑ https://www.today.com/style/how-take-gel-nails-home-remove-gel-manicure-trick-t108143
16. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zjGPJOMqOY&feature=youtu.be&t=20
17. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zjGPJOMqOY&feature=youtu.be&t=34
18. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zjGPJOMqOY&feature=youtu.be&t=70
19. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zjGPJOMqOY&feature=youtu.be&t=80
20. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zjGPJOMqOY&feature=youtu.be&t=20