Gel manicures are awesome…until they're not. Until you're three weeks in, your nail beds are grown out, and you're forced to either trek back to the nail salon to get them removed or—and it hurts us to think about this—painfully pick and peel the polish off yourself, resulting in hardcore damage.
But trust us when we say it *is* possible to remove your gel polish at home, if you've got the proper know-how. So to save your nail beds (and your sanity), we rounded up the five easiest gel-removal tutorials from the experts. Check them out, ahead.
1. With Cotton Balls and Foil Strips
2. With a Polish-Removing Steam Machine
3. With Disposable Rubber Glove Soaks
4. With Foam Pads and Finger Caps
5. With Gel Acetone and Reynolds Wrap
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
Chloe Metzger is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, overseeing the editorial content and growth strategy of the hair, makeup, and skin space on digital, while also obsessively writing about the best hair products for every hair type (curly girl here; whattup), and the skincare routines that really, truly work (follow her on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes pics of that magazine life). She brings nearly a decade of writing and editing expertise, and her work has appeared in Allure, Health, Fitness, Marie Claire, StyleCaster, and Parents. She also has an unhealthy adoration for Tom Hanks and would like to please meet him one day, if you could arrange that. Thanks.
-
Olivia Rodrigo Finds the Perfect Spring Dresses at Reformation
She's worn the brand twice in the past week.
By Julia Marzovilla Published
-
Curiously, Just as Meghan Markle Sends Samples of Her New Strawberry Jam Out, the Buckingham Palace Shop Starts Promoting Its Own Strawberry Jam on Social Media
The clip promoting the Buckingham Palace Shop’s product—we cannot make this up—is set to Mozart’s “Dissonance Quartet.”
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Zendaya's Latest 'Challengers' Serve Is Nearly a Century Old
The 1930s-era dress may have been pulled months ago.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
The Bar Soap Boom Is Here
Despite endless body wash options, the art of luxury soap making hasn't slipped away.
By Sophia Vilensky Published
-
The 13 Best Products for Rosacea That Fight Redness and Irritation
Flare-ups are a thing of the past.
By Samantha Holender Published
-
The 32 Best Hair Growth Shampoos of 2024, According to Experts
Rapunzel hair, coming right up.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
The 20 Best Hair Masks for Damaged Hair, According to Experts and Editors
Healthy strands, here we come!
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
Selena Gomez Just Shared Her Entire Morning Skincare Routine on TikTok
The most giving girlie.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
How Often You Should Wash Your Hair, According To Experts
Keep it fresh, my friends.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
The 11 Best Magnetic Lashes of 2023
Go ahead and kiss your messy lash glue goodbye.
By Hana Hong Published
-
Beauty Advent Calendars Make the Perfect Holiday Gift
The gift that keeps on giving.
By Julia Marzovilla Last updated