How to Take Off Acrylic Nails At Home - Without Acetone

How to Take Off Acrylic Nails At Home - Without Acetone

Taking off acrylic nails on your own can seem almost impossible. When nail salons closed down due to the Coronavirus pandemic, many women were seemingly trapped with no way to fill or remove their acrylic nails! This is because most types of fake nails need to be removed by a professional at a nail salon.

The most common way to remove acrylic nails is by using acetone. Acetone is a powerful chemical solvent that’s quite potent and isn’t exactly beneficial for your nails (or your health).

Even though acetone is the most common and effective way to remove acrylic nails, there are other methods that you can try that don’t involve using this strong chemical.

1. Warm Water

If you don’t want to use harsh chemicals to remove your acrylic nails, another option is to try using warm water.

• Steps:
  1. Add a few drops of soap into warm water.
  2. Soak your nails in the warm water for 20 minutes.
  3. Move the nails around while soaking to help them loosen.
  4. After 20 minutes, use an orange stick to help peel off the nails.

If the nails still aren’t budging, soak them again for an extra 10 minutes and repeat the process until they are loose enough to be removed.

2. Acetone-Free Nail Polish Remover

You might assume that all nail polish removers include acetone – but that’s not necessarily the case!

Many non-acetone nail polish removing products include solvents like ethyl acetate, isopropyl alcohol, and propylene carbonate. While these are still chemical solvents, they are less harsh on your nails. Even though this means that you will have to work harder to remove your acrylic nails, these products aren’t as drying on your nails and are less harsh than acetone.

3. Cuticle Oil

Another way to avoid using harsh chemicals like acetone or isopropyl alcohol is to use cuticle oil instead.

• Steps:
  1. Soak a Q-tip in cuticle oil and hold it against each nail for about five minutes, making sure to get the oil under any areas of the nail that have already started to come up.
  2. For a faster approach, soak an entire cotton ball in the oil and either hold it there or wrap it with tape or tin foil for a few minutes until the nail is loosened and can be removed with an orange stick.

4. Dental Floss

If you’re looking for a creative way to remove your acrylic nails, then check out this method that uses dental floss!

• Steps:
  1. Loosen the nails using warm water or cuticle oil methods.
  2. Lift the edges of the fake nail with a cuticle stick.
  3. Slide some dental floss under the fake nail.
  4. Have a friend move the floss back and forth along your nail until the entire nail is loosened and eventually pops off.

This method may cause some damage, so make sure to buff your nails, apply some cuticle oil, and put on some lotion afterward to help heal and nourish your nails.

How to Repair Damaged Nails

Even if you do everything right during the removal process, certain types of fake nails can leave your natural nails weak and damaged. Here are some steps that you can take to help repair your damaged nails in no time:

1. Trim Your Nails: Keep your nails trimmed relatively short to prevent breakage.
2. Buff Your Nails: Even out the surface that might contain bumps and ridges due to damage from the acrylic nails.
3. Apply a Strengthening Top Coat: Use a strengthening top coat for the first two weeks after removing your acrylics.
4. Moisturize: Religiously moisturize your entire nail area and cuticles with cuticle oil, Vitamin E, or aloe vera.
5. Avoid Acetone: Avoid acetone as it can further weaken your nails.

How to Avoid Damaged Nails

There’s nothing worse than dealing with damaged nails. Not all fake nails cause damage to your real nails. Acrylics are the most popular type of fake nail but also one of the most damaging. Gel nails are a more natural alternative but still require salon removal which can cause damage.

Press-on nails, however, do not have to be applied or removed in a salon.

Press-on nails are a great option for those looking for a less expensive and less damaging alternative to fake nails like acrylics or even gel nails. Applying them on your own is super easy and all you really need is a bit of nail glue and you’re good to go!

Many people think that press-on nails are cheap-looking and flimsy, but high-quality ones from companies like Clutch Nails can look just as good as acrylics and can last up to two weeks if you really take care of them.

Tips to Get Press-On Nails to Last as Long as Acrylics:

1. Clean Your Nails: Wash your hands before applying your press-on nails.
2. Apply Nail Glue: Apply a bit of nail glue both on the fake nail and your natural nail as a backup to the adhesive strip that comes on the nail.
3. Press Down Firmly: Press down on each fake nail for at least 30 seconds while the glue is setting.
4. Avoid Water: Avoid contact with water for at least two hours after applying the press-on nails.
5. Apply a Top Hardener Coat: Apply a top hardener coat to your finished set of fake nails to help seal any gaps and harden the surface of the nail.

Conclusion

There are several different ways to remove acrylic nails without using acetone. However, even if you don’t use acetone, your real nails can still experience damage from acrylic nails and gel nails.

If you are looking for less damage in the first place, you should definitely try out press-on nails from a specialty company like Clutch Nails. These nails can look just as good as acrylics and last just as long, but with none of the damage or salon visits! Worry less about acrylic nail removal with our easy-to-remove press-on nails that are delivered right to your doorstep.