Gel nail removal at home...

Prepare in advance before soaking off your gel nails and make sure you have everything to hand to do the job properly. Set up in a well ventilated room and protect fabric and furnishings from potential acetone spills.

Ideally you should have the following:

• small non-plastic bowl/cup and a larger bowl
• acetone (approx 50-100ml)
• coarse grit file
• fine grit file/buffing block
• cuticle pusher, orange stick or hoof stick
• cuticle oil
• ORLY Nail Defense or another good quality nail hardener

The quickest method of removing gel nails at home:

• Buff top coat slightly with a coarse file to allow acetone to penetrate easier
• Pour acetone into the smaller bowl/cup, enough to cover nails
• Warmth speeds up the process, place the smaller bowl/cup inside a larger bowl of warm (not boiling) water
• Soak for 20-30 minutes, occasionally scraping off gel as it softens
• Keep returning nails to the acetone until all remnants of gel can be eased off

IMPORTANT - do NOT pour acetone down the sink, toilet or drain. Instead soak it up with kitchen roll or an old rag. Pop it into a carrier bag and put it straight into the wheelie bin.

• Wash hands thoroughly to remove all traces of acetone and use a soft buffer to lightly smooth roughness
• Apply a coat of nail hardener such as ORLY Nail Defense and allow it to dry before tidying and shaping length
• Finish with a second coat of nail hardener and cap the free-edge of nail tips
• ​Apply oil to cuticles and massage up to the first knuckle to combat drying effects of the acetone. If you have no cuticle oil, coconut oil or olive oil are adequate substitutes.