How to Remove Shellac Nail Polish at Home

How to Remove Shellac Nail Polish

There’s a good chance that if you wear Shellac nail polish, you’ll find this article useful. Whether it’s because you went a bit bananas picking a tiny chip in your otherwise perfect manicure, or because you don’t have time to go to the salon to have the polish removed or redone. This article is a short guide on how to remove shellac nail polish at home.

What You Need to Remove Shellac Nail Polish

Acetone – pure acetone, not a regular nail polish remover which is only acetone-based.
Five round cotton pads.
Cuticle stick.
Tin/kitchen foil.
Scissors.
Nail & Cuticle Conditioning oil/balm.

Preparing to Remove Shellac Nail Polish

Cut off a strip of tinfoil approximately twice the length of your fingertip.
Fold it in half lengthwise with the shiny side inside.
Cut into sections about three inches long.
Make ten of these.
Cut each of the five cotton pads in half to make ten half circle cotton pads.
Fold each in half.

How to Remove Shellac Nail Polish

Ensure you have everything prepared.
One at a time dampen a pad with acetone, and then apply it to a nail.
The pad must be firmly against the entire nail. If it isn’t touching the nail, it isn’t going working.
Hold the pad in place by wrapping a pre-cut piece of tinfoil around the fingertip. The tinfoil does more than just securing the pad to the fingernail, it helps slow the evaporation of the acetone – giving it more time to work at removing the shellac from your nail.
Leave the acetone and foil in place, on each nail for ten minutes each only.
When the ten minutes is up remove the tinfoil from the nail.
Slightly rub each nail with its cotton pad.
Then using the cuticle stick, very gently push the shellac nail polish off. It should come off easily. Do not scrape or scrub your nails because you’ll damage them.
Both the Shellac and the acetone will dry your nails.
So be sure to rub a good nail and cuticle oil or balm into your nails and cuticles once you have removed the polish.

Please Note:

Timing is very important. Even with the foil, the acetone will evaporate. And after ten minutes it won’t have the loosening effect on the shellac. Meaning the shellac on your nails will start to adhere to your nails again.
If the shellac does not come off easily with the cuticle stick, then try rubbing it off gently with a fresh cotton pad soaked in acetone.
If this doesn’t work, then start from the beginning.

Further Reading: The Life of Stuff Health & Beauty