@westbeauty_byharriet

• By theSKIN March 22, 2020

Who doesn’t love gel nails? They’re shiny, smooth, pigmented, and they last over two weeks. But here’s the thing: as soon as they start to grow out, or worse, lift – it’s over and done. There’s nothing worse than running your fingers through your hair and getting strands caught between the gel and the nail (so sorry if we just made you shiver at the thought).

If you can’t make it to the nail salon to get them removed (or you’re like us and peel them off when you’re anxious…we know we shouldn’t!), our resident nail expert Queenie Nguyen has a foolproof solution for you. In six easy steps, you can remove gel without ruining, breaking or peeling your nails. Bonus: Queenie added some ultra-satisfying gifs for your viewing pleasure.

Nail scissors
Aluminum foil
Nail file
Cotton (pads or rounds)
All-purpose nail polish remover
Cuticle stick
Nail oil
Buffing block

1.

Using the nail scissors, trip your aluminum foil into little squares. Make sure they’re large enough to wrap around the tips of your fingers.

2.

File the top of the nail carefully for about 30 seconds, or until the top layer of gel is mostly white.

3.

Place an aluminum foil square below your finger and a cotton round on top of your nail. Squirt a good amount of nail polish remover on the cotton pad and wrap your nail in the aluminum foil.

4.

Patience is key with this step – it’s where the magic happens! Let sit for 3-5 minutes. The longer you wait, the easier it will be to remove.

5.

Remove aluminum foil. Most of the gel should fall off, so we recommend doing this over a sink or paper towel. To remove the remaining gel, gently scrape the nail with a cuticle stick.