Has your shellac begun to chip or grow out, and your next scheduled mobile manicure is just too far away? At home shellac removal is not only possible but easy! All you need is a spare 15 minutes and a few ticket items to remove your shellac polish safely.
What you’ll need:
Acetone polish remover
Cotton balls
Tinfoil
Cuticle pusher
Step 1:
Break your cotton balls or pads into ten smaller, nail-sized puffs. Try to keep the size of your cotton balls a size that will cover and sit nicely on the entirety of your nail bed. Also, break up your tinfoil into ten squares that will wrap nicely over the top of your finger.
Step 2:
Gently buff the top of your shellac polish so the surface is slightly rough. This allows the acetone to penetrate and remove your polish easier.
Step 3:
Soak your nail-size cotton pieces in your Acetone polish remover and place them directly onto your nail bed.
Step 4:
Wrap your prepared aluminum squares over each nail tightly to secure your cotton ball in place. Because acetone has a tendency to evaporate when exposed to air, the tinfoil acts as a blockade against the air and keeps your acetone working longer. Now it’s time to relax for 10-15 minutes and catch up on your latest show as your fingers rock the infamous tinfoil hat look!
Step 5:
After allowing your acetone to do its thing, remove the tinfoil and cotton balls. Your polish should be loose and turning up at the edges. Gently use the cuticle pusher to push off the polish from your nails, and voilà! Your nails should be free of that unsightly chipped polish without any damage to your nail beds.
Bonus Tips
• If this is your first attempt at self shellac removal, working on one hand at a time sets you up for success, especially if you aren’t comfortable using your non-dominant hand.
• After removal, applying a moisturizing agent helps keep your nail beds nourished and healthy! We recommend using cuticle oil but if you don’t have that on hand, coconut oil or a moisturizing polish treatment like Nail Envy will help prevent your nails from drying out and cracking.
We hope that our guide helps you keep your nails on point while you wait for your next BeautyDel in-home nail appointment!