How To Soak Off Acrylic Nails

This is a "How To" on getting rid of your acrylic nails. I've struggled with this so much and have made my nails so brittle doing this the wrong way.

You don't need to go to a salon to get your nails soaked off.

First here's some tools you need to have to start this process:

1. 100% Acetone ($3 or $4) at Walmart, Shoppers, or other drug stores or department stores.

2. Metal Cuticle Pusher/Scraper

3. Nail File (rough grit or electric nail drill)

4. Cotton Balls

5. Aluminum Foil

6. Cuticle Oil


These things are ESSENTIAL to get this done quickly and properly. And it's still not a fun process.

In my previous post I was saying how I used to soak my nails in a bowl of acetone for 15-20 mins. This is just not the way to go...trust me. Its hard on your nails and your skin and the smell will give you a headache.

What you want to do first is cut your tips as short as possible and file the top of the nail down as much as possible. Be careful to file down your actual nail. The purpose of this is to physically remove as much of the acrylic as possible before using the acetone.

Then take the aluminum foil and tear them into thin strips that can easily wrap around your fingers.

Have a bunch of cotton balls at hand (I tear each cotton ball into smaller parts, just big enough to cover each nail) and soak the cotton balls in the acetone, place it on top of your nail and wrap your finger with aluminum foil (this prevents the acetone from evaporating).

This is a way better way of doing it because your skin is left alone, although if you want you can put some petroleum jelly on the skin surrounding the nail to protect it even more.

And you just wait.....for 15 mins or so.

After 15 mins remove the foil (only one finger at a time) and take your metal cuticle pusher and scrape away the acrylic. It will be mushy and should scrape away fairly easy. If not, replace the cotton ball and foil and soak for awhile longer.

Only remove the foil one finger at a time. If you remove all of the foil at once, the acrylic re-hardens and you will have to replace the foil and soak again. So work with one finger at a time.

If you have soaked your nail long enough the acrylic will be mushy and will scrape away. You have to be fairly quick because the acrylic will harden.

After you have removed the acrylic from your nails, wash your hands and apply cuticle oil. Your nails might be very brittle after having acrylic on them. You might choose to put on a nourishing top coat then applying cuticle oil afterwards.

Be good to your nails for a bit because they will need a little TLC.

I know I'm not the biggest fan of acrylics. I like how they are durable and very long-lasting but I definitely prefer gel to acrylics...which I will talk about in another post.

~Gwen S~