Can't Go to the Nail Salon? Here's How to Remove Gel Nails at Home [Video Included]

Removing Gel Nails by Yourself

With the state of emergency declared nationwide,

"My go-to nail salon has closed, so I want to at least remove the gel nails myself."

"It takes too much time to go to the salon just for removal, which is a waste of both time and money."

"I want to eliminate the risk of being served in a salon during this time."

There are likely many people in situations where they feel they "might have to remove their gel nails by themselves...."

(I am one of those people.)

Even though I usually watch the method in the salon, removing them by myself is quite difficult. (I have tried removing them myself before, and it took a long time, plus I ended up damaging my natural nails, making them thinner... > <)

@wedding____25

According to a nail technician, when inexperienced individuals are removing gel nails at home, the key is to take your time and not rush.

In this article, I will introduce how to remove gel nails at home along with reference videos.

Please take your time and do it carefully＊

※ Before Removal ※ Check if it's Soft Gel or Hard Gel!

First and foremost, the method of removal varies depending on the type of gel on your nails.

Confirm whether the nails are "soft gel" or "hard gel."

Most salons will inform you which type was used during the service, but if you don’t know, you might want to contact the salon to find out＊

Often, the top layer may be hard gel.

Furthermore, if they have done a “fill-in,” which means leaving only the base gel layer underneath for art, the adhesion between the gel and the nail is high, making it difficult to remove at home.

If you’re worried, it's best to check with the nail salon about "which gel they used and whether it can be removed at home."

Nail removal removers are usually sold in large bottles that you might not be able to finish (as you typically get them removed at the salon), so some salons offer them in single-use packages＊

How to Self-Remove: For Soft Gel

<Items to Prepare>

☑ Acrylic file or buffer

(For filing the surface of the nails. Choose a file with a grit of around 180-200.)

☑ Acetone remover (gel remover)

☑ Wooden sticks or pushers

☑ Aluminum foil

☑ Cotton

You can purchase a removal set for around 2,000 yen＊

➡ Here is the gel nail removal set＊

<How to Self-Remove>

① Use the file to gently file the entire surface of the gel nails. Be careful not to file too hard to avoid damaging your natural nails; lightly file it. Aim to file until you remove some of the top and color layers, leaving the base.

② Cut the cotton to the size of your nails, soak it in acetone remover, and wrap it in aluminum foil. Leave it on for about 10 minutes.

③ After about 10 minutes, the gel should be lifting, so use a wooden stick or pusher to remove it. For any parts that don’t come off easily, do not forcefully peel them off; instead, file a bit more and reapply the acetone remover.

Here are three popular removal videos on YouTube*. Watch these to get an idea of how much to file before trying it yourself♩

【1】

【2】

【3】

How to Self-Remove: For Hard Gel

Hard gel does not dissolve with acetone remover like soft gel. (Originally, it was used by nail technicians so that the nails wouldn't come off even with a remover.)

Therefore, the hard gel part must be filed off.

<Items to Prepare>

☑ Acrylic file

(Choose a file with a grit of around 100-180)

☑ Buffer

<How to Self-Remove>

① Use the file to file down the surface of the gel nails. Be careful not to file down to your natural nails, and leave a thin layer of gel.

② Once you can see your natural nails, switch from the file to the buffer to remove the remaining thin layer of gel.

Since hard gel cannot be dissolved with acetone remover like soft gel, be cautious and file in small amounts to avoid damaging your natural nails.

<YouTube Videos>

【1】

【2】

Until the Day We Can Go to the Nail Salon Again with Peace of Mind...

I have shared how to remove gel nails by yourself.

The key is to take it slow and be careful. If the soft gel doesn’t come off, repeat the process of filing a bit, re-soaking with acetone remover... be careful not to damage your natural nails.

For hard gel, since it cannot be dissolved with acetone remover, be extremely careful not to damage your natural nails.

@yuih_wd

After self-removal, many people tend to do self-nails, and I recommend "Genius Nail Polish" ♡ (Available at drugstores and Loft!)

It’s an excellent nail polish that provides a glossy finish like gel nails, so be sure to check it out＊

➡ Here is an article about Genius Nail Polish＊