High-quality application of shellac requires skill, which is acquired only in manicure courses, and the presence of special equipment (ultraviolet lamp), so this operation is more likely to be a salon procedure. Shellac coating lasts a long time, at least two weeks. But what to do if during this time you are tired of a manicure of one color or if a new image requires an urgent change of nail color? If you know how to remove shellac at home, then such difficulties will not arise. All that remains is to remove the old coating and then apply a new one to the nail.
Is it possible to remove shellac from nails at home?
The answer to the question is affirmative, because such a possibility exists. Removing shellac right at home and saving money and time is a real success, but not all girls know about it. In addition, having never tried the technology of how to remove shellac from nails at home, they are afraid to do it. However, to remove shellac from your nails, you don’t need to have the skills of a pro - you just need to purchase a special kit for removing shellac in the store or use improvised means, the list of which is below.
How to remove Shellac coating yourself
A coating as durable as gel polish cannot be removed with alcohol or cologne: it will require more serious preparations. But don’t be scared - everything you need is on sale, the price of many products is affordable even for beauties with a modest manicure budget. All that remains is to find out how to remove shellac gel at home and what products are used for this.
Professional means for removing gel polish without acetone
Many women avoid acetone because they can't stand its strong smell and believe that the chemical dries out their nails and even causes cancer (the latter claim has not been proven). Therefore, manufacturers are producing more and more non-acetone liquids, replacing the overly odorous ingredient with softer isopropyl alcohol or acetate organic compounds. A set with such a product will be in demand among fashionistas.
Non-acetone liquids degrease and damage the plates and skin, no less than products with acetone. But acetone-free products evaporate more slowly, which is convenient when you need to keep your nails wet for some time - this property is very useful when it comes to removing shellac. The most popular brands of acetone-free liquids right now The most popular brands of acetone-free liquids right now are Product Remover, Severina, Bluesky, CND.
Acetone-containing nail polish remover and foil
If you cannot get rid of shellac using special means, ordinary acetone liquid will help, but you will have to keep it on your nails longer - not ten, but fifteen to twenty minutes. Resourceful beauties have figured out how to remove Shellac at home using foil. The liquid is applied to a simple cotton pad, applied to the nail, then fixed on the finger with a homemade metal cap.
Using special napkins
These are wonderful assistants that help wash off the annoying coating almost on the go. Sold in sets of ten or more. They are oblong paper envelopes, inside of which there is a damp cloth moistened with a gel polish softening agent. The tip of your finger needs to be inserted into the sticky bag, wait the time prescribed according to the instructions, and then wipe off the varnish.
How to replace foil
Foil is the most inexpensive option, but if desired, it can be replaced with reusable devices such as thimble caps. They pour the desired liquid into them and dip their fingertips inside, waiting until the coating softens. Some skilled craftsmen know how to remove shellac from nails at home by fixing wet cotton wool on the nail with cellophane and “swaddled” the entire phalanx in it. But unlike foil, polyethylene cling film does not hold its shape at all, so it is a poorly suited material for these purposes.
How to properly remove Shellac at home: step-by-step instructions
There are two ways to remove shellac coating at home. Both methods are described step by step below. The first method is useful for those who have only the simplest manicure products and accessories at home. To remove using the second method, you will have to buy special sponges in the store. Any other method will be a variation of one of these two.
- Method No. 1: How to remove shellac at home if there is no special kit consisting of chemical reagents and a certain tool (these are used by a master in a salon).
You will need aluminum foil, non-sterile cotton wool or discs, acetone-containing liquid or isopropyl alcohol, citrus sticks (orange or similar).
Subsequence:
- Wash your hands; there should be no traces of sebum on them.
- Separate the cotton pads lengthwise into two thinner parts or cut into four equal parts: crosswise and crosswise again.
- Cut the foil into pieces the size of a matchbox.
- Soak the part of the disc that will then be adjacent to the nail with liquid (it’s more convenient if this is the center of the disc).
- Apply cotton wool to the nail and tightly wrap the phalanx with foil so as to firmly fix it.
- Carry out this operation with each nail plate.
- After a quarter of an hour, release the first finger from the foil and scrape off the softened shellac with a stick.
- Remove the foil, scraping off the shellac.
- If there are areas from which the shellac has not been scraped off, you need to repeat the procedure.
The final part of the procedure will provide care for the nails and skin around them. So, you need to rub restoration oil into the cuticle and nail plates, choosing one to which you are not allergic.
- Method No. 2: How to quickly remove shellac at home using specialized manicure chemicals and devices.
You will need disposable sponges with Velcro for holding, liquid to remove nail polish, scraping sticks, cuticle oil. All of these items and products are sold in beauty supply stores as shellac kits or individually.
- Hands are washed thoroughly with soap.
- Soak the sponge with the product, wrap it around the phalanx, and fasten it with Velcro.
- Place sponges on all fingers.
- Fill the hand bath with acetone and immerse the nails “packed” in sponges inside.
- After ten minutes, remove the fingers and free them from the sponges.
- Remove the varnish with a stick. It is not recommended to use a pusher or remover tweezers for scraping, because metal tools will certainly damage the records.
- Lubricate the cuticle with nourishing fat.
Video: how to quickly and easily wash off gel polish yourself
There is a proverb that tells us that it is better to see once than to hear many times. This is fully confirmed by the video below. The algorithm of action, the opinions of beauties and fashionistas, the available means for removing shellac - you will see all this. Find out how to remove shellac quickly and easily at home!
Shellac makes your nails a little thinner, weaker, and requires special care for some time. After removing the nail polish, the salon technician will offer procedures to restore the nail plates. A miracle will not happen, but your nails will recover faster than with home treatments, and you won’t need a nail file. Experts consider nail sealing and paraffin therapy to be the most effective methods.
If your financial capabilities do not allow you to take care of your nails in a salon, you will have to do it yourself by purchasing the necessary products in a specialized cosmetic or manicure store. It is possible to get by with simple home remedies - olive oil, lemon juice, bath salts, essential oil. Home restoration is carried out in stages.
- Moisturizing and nutrition is carried out using an oil bath. Heat the olive oil until slightly warm and soak your nails for about five minutes. Then blot your fingertips with a napkin and wait about ten minutes until the remaining oil is absorbed. If the nails after shellac are too dry, break and flake, repeat the procedure several more times at intervals of a day.
- Bleaching. After removing shellac, it is sometimes discovered that the nail plates have turned yellow. In this case, they are bleached with lemon juice. Citric acid not only brightens, but also moisturizes and strengthens nails. Make a lemon nail mask as follows: cut the fruit in half and dip the ends of your fingers into the lemon pulp for a couple of minutes, then rinse with water.
- Strengthening. Baths with sea salt enriched with essential oils will help. This salt, designed specifically for hand care, is found in some lines of cosmetics, for example, PRO Manicure, DNC, Blanc Bleu. An analogue of a special product can be ordinary sea salt from a pharmacy, but then you will have to add a few drops of essential oil, preferably orange, to the bath.
Almost any online store that sells kits for applying shellac also offers products for the recovery period. Such preparations contain organic and chemical complexes to restore, strengthen and reanimate nails. Most often on sale you can find restorative compositions for nails of the following brands:
- PN-Nourish Nageloil and Nail Hardener oils (Germany);
- resuscitator “Horsepower” (Russia);
- base coat after acrylic Restoration (USA);
- pencil Talika Nail Regenerator Serum (France).
Where to buy and how much do shellac removers cost?
The easiest way to buy shellac remover at home is by visiting specialized manicure stores. It’s very easy to find them - every self-respecting retail outlet of this profile has at least an online page, or even an entire online store. These can be either stores with a wide assortment, selling products for all types of manicure, or specialized ones, aimed only at selling products for shellac.
Lady Victory is a large company selling beauty products wholesale and retail. It has representative offices in the Russian Federation and several online stores. The Moscow brand store is located in the Dubrovka shopping complex on Sharikopodshipnikovskaya St., 13. Addresses of Lady Victory online stores:
- shop-lady-victory.ru;
- lady-victory.com;
- shebeauty.ru;
- profcosmetic.su.
Shilak.rf is an online store of beauty products, with an emphasis on selling shellac products. Sells shellac products from almost any brand. The store's online consultant will explain how to remove shellac at home. Equipment (UV lamps) and materials for nail repair are on sale. The store is located at Moscow, st. Letnikovskaya, 6a. Delivery works throughout Russia.
The summary table will help you decide on prices.
Shellac is increasingly replacing nail extensions.
This type of manicure does not spoil your nails, and if you choose the right coating, it promotes their growth.
It is simple, convenient, takes little time, and stays on your nails for at least three weeks.
The procedure for creating a shellac manicure is very simple. You need to apply the so-called base to the surface of the nail, dry for two minutes in an ultraviolet lamp, then apply gel polish, dry this layer, the last layer is the top top coat, which should also be dried for 2 minutes.
After two to three weeks, shellac should be removed from the nails and get a new manicure. In order not to damage the surface of the nail, you should treat the process of removing shellac with full responsibility. Choosing a reliable means for removing shellac and correctly carrying out the entire procedure is a simple matter, but it requires the appropriate knowledge.
How can you remove shellac?
On the Internet you can find many different ways to remove shellac yourself using improvised means, but it is best to use a product designed specifically for this purpose.
In addition to the specialized liquid, you need to prepare other necessary tools. We will need a nail file with an abrasive of up to 180 grit, cotton pads, and foil.
A file is needed to file the top coat. It is very strong, and it is not always possible to remove it with the help of a product. Then place a disc well soaked in the product on the nail and wrap it with foil on top. The nail should be kept in this form for 10-15 minutes.
It is not always necessary to cut off the top layer. It all depends on what gel polish you used to create your manicure, and what company you are using to remove it.
Severina shellac remover
Severina shellac remover costs about 350 rubles for a 500 ml bottle. and about 700 rubles for a 1000 ml bottle. This is considered a budget price category.
Severina is widely known in the nail industry as a manufacturer of high-quality and professional nail cosmetics. The company specializes in liquids for removing manicure and shellac.
Severina shellac remover does the job perfectly. It easily and non-aggressively removes gel polish from the surface of the nail without damaging it. It is used quite economically. The smell is unpleasant, like all nail polish removers.
CND product
The CND company offers shellac remover in a different price category. Bottle with a capacity of 236 ml. costs about 1000 rubles.
This product has a very pleasant floral smell, which is far from the smell of acetone. Does not dry out nails or harm them. After removing the manicure, the nail plate looks healthy and tidy. It only takes about 7 minutes to remove gel polish from your nails.
The CND shellac remover is suitable not only for removing gel polishes from the same company, but also works great with gel polishes from other brands.
The quality of CND is always excellent and, if you look for reviews about this product on the Internet, the vast majority will be simply enthusiastic. The nail looks healthy and undamaged. You can immediately begin a new shellac coating.
Regular nail polish remover to remove shellac
You can also remove manicure using regular acetone. Before you begin the process, you should take care of the skin around the nail.
To protect it, you can use a rich cream and lubricate all areas of the skin where the product may get.
Then cut the cotton pad in half and generously soak one half in nail polish remover.
Now we put a cotton pad with the product on the nail plate, wrap it with foil tape on top and secure it with tape or adhesive tape. Keep your nails like this for about 20 minutes.
Then we remove everything that is wound on the finger.
We quickly begin to clean the shellac from the nail using a cuticle stick and treat the nail with a nail file. We can say that we completed the task.
It should be added that there are special pads for removing shellac, which should be used instead of cotton pads.
A set of ten such overlays costs approximately 300 rubles.
Remedy for Letual
Letual did not stay away from the nail industry and offers customers its nail polish remover. This product can also be used to remove shellac from the surface of the nail. The product is called Maestro. It costs about 100 rubles for a 100 ml bottle.
Maestro has a sharp, unpleasant odor. The manufacturer himself in the product description says that the product is soft and acts gently on the surface of the nail.
The nail really looks healthy and undamaged after using this product. But it takes much more time to remove regular varnish than if you remove it with regular acetone.
As for removing shellac using Maestro, you may have to make more than one attempt and very carefully cut off the top layer. The consumption of this product is quite large even when removing regular varnish.
How to remove shellac?
If you have the necessary shellac remover on hand, then it is better to use it. Products containing acetone can have a negative effect on the nail, which is undesirable, especially after a shellac manicure.
Shellac is considered a safer way to decorate nails than nail extensions, but it still causes discomfort for nails. A thick layer of gel polish does not allow the nail to receive oxygen.
You can remove shellac at home, or you can go to the salon and entrust this procedure to a master. Professionals will make the process safer for your skin and nails. In addition, if you remove shellac yourself, it will take much longer.
If you nevertheless decide to remove shellac yourself at home, then it is better to do all the necessary procedures on one hand and then proceed to the other.
You can use available tools, such as cotton pads, a cuticle stick and foil, or you can purchase a special kit for removing shellac in the store.
After you have removed the shellac, it is better to give your nails a rest for a couple of weeks, and then you can do the shellac manicure again.
During this period, you can strengthen your nails with various strengthening oils with vitamin E and salt baths.
What is the best shellac remover?
In this article, we have listed the most popular shellac removers. The best, of course, can be called a professional product that has a beneficial effect on the structure of the nail, removes shellac quickly and without difficulty - this is a product from the CND company. But many people cannot afford it.
Severina is a product for the masses. It does the job perfectly and is a little off-putting with just a pungent smell.
Healthy and beautiful nails are a woman’s calling card. They should not only be decorated, but also taken care of, nourished with oils and not subjected to the merciless influence of products with a suspicious chemical composition.
The new nail coating technology - shellac - is gaining more and more fans due to its incredible durability and strength. Today, shellac is not only a revolutionary, fashionable trend in the nail industry, but also a guarantee of long-lasting manicure. Simple and easy application, quick drying - and the coating will last for two to three weeks in its original form.
So, you have created a flawless manicure with your own hands, but you will soon have to remove it, and this process is one of the most difficult. It is important not to damage the nail plates and carefully remove all remaining polish. But how to do that? In today's publication we will tell you how to remove shellac at home and what tools you will need for this. First, let's look at what shellac is.
Shellac: benefits and popularity
The revolutionary gel polish is a mixture of regular nail polish and gel coating used for extensions. Shellac is distinguished by its high strength and resistance to external factors, has a rich palette of shades and is difficult to remove from nails. That is why many women have a question: “How to remove shellac yourself, and in general, is it possible?”
The popularity of shellac among women of all ages and professions is explained by its following advantages:
- The varnish stays on the nails for several weeks without losing its original appearance.
- The technique of applying shellac is used not only on extended nails, but also on regular ones. In addition, gel polish does not destroy the structure of the nails, but quite the contrary, it restores the nail plates and treats brittle nails.
- Shellac is hypoallergenic and has no unpleasant odor.
- Removing the coating does not require cutting down the plate, which means that the risk of injury is neutralized. Women who are puzzled by the question of how to remove shellac at home are advised to be patient and have the necessary tools. The procedure is not that complicated.
- A wide selection of colors and shades will not leave any woman indifferent. In addition, you can cover both fingernails and toenails with this varnish.
Set of tools
Before removing shellac at home, stock up on an arsenal of necessary tools that will make the procedure easy and painless. You will need:
You should not try to file or tear off the coating; by doing this you will damage the surface of the nail plate and the skin around the nails, the recovery of which will take a lot of time.
Preparing tools
How to remove shellac at home? Firstly, for accurate and prompt removal, careful preparation of the tools is important, and secondly, following the instructions. Cut the foil so that you can wrap it around your finger in the nail area. Make 10 stripes. Divide each cotton pad into 4 parts in the form of crescents; if you use cotton wool, divide it into several compact tampons. Cut the adhesive plaster or tape (narrow) into 10 small pieces. Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap and feel free to proceed with the removal procedure.
How to remove shellac correctly: a step-by-step guide
We figured out how to remove shellac at home. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this process. The main thing is to stock up on the necessary tools and follow the detailed instructions.
How to remove the coating without foil
If suddenly you don’t have foil on hand, don’t worry, you can remove the coating without it. To do this, soak a cotton swab generously in acetone, wrap it around your finger and leave for 10 minutes. Once the time has passed, before removing the sticky layer of shellac, lightly pry the coating with an orange stick. If it lags behind the nail plate in the form of a thin film, it’s time to scrape off the entire layer. This method is not so popular and effective, since gel polish is removed much worse and will have to be additionally cleaned with acetone.
Nail restoration: baths and masks
In order to mitigate the consequences of removal, lubricate your nails with a special balm, which will help quickly restore the nail plate disturbed by scraping. Don't forget to moisturize the cuticles that were not left behind during removal. Baths and masks will help speed up the restoration of nails and cuticles. There are many recipes based on folk remedies, let’s look at some of them.
Iodine bath
Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt and a few drops of iodine to 150 g of warm water. Keep your fingers in this bath for 15-20 minutes, and then lubricate them with rich cream. Your nails will become noticeably more beautiful, gaining strength and a healthy shine.
Salt bath
Dissolve a tablespoon of sea salt in warm water, drop a little essential oil of bergamot, pine or incense into it. After the procedure, use a nourishing cream.
Lemon bath
Heat 50 ml of regular oil in a water bath, add a few drops of lemon juice, and soak your fingertips in the mixture for 10-15 minutes. The result will be amazing: your nails will become much healthier, stronger and more well-groomed.
Herbal bath
Take one spoonful of mint and string and dilute them with a glass of boiling water. Leave the mixture for 10 minutes and then keep your hands in it for about 15 minutes.
Beer bath
Pour a tablespoon of chamomile flowers into warm beer and keep in a water bath for 15 minutes. After the broth has cooled, dip your nails in it for a few minutes. At the end of the procedure, lubricate your fingers with moisturizer.
In order to completely restore the nail plates after scraping off the gel polish, it is recommended to take baths regularly, and not whenever you feel like it.
By the way, if the coating does not affect your nails in any way, and the problem of how to remove shellac polish without harming their structure is not your problem, you can apply it the very next day. Gel polish, unlike similar coatings, is absolutely safe, does not contain formaldehyde and is suitable even for pregnant women and nursing mothers.
How to remove shellac in salons
Unlike a long-term and not always safe procedure at home, specialists in salons will remove the coating quickly and professionally, without causing harm to the nails. In addition, they use special means and tools for this. To begin with, a disposable tampon with a sticky base is moistened in a special Product Remover solution and fixed on the nail plate, creating a kind of thimble. This is done so that the product is absorbed and dissolves the gel polish. In addition, its advantage is that the liquid does not drain from the nails and does not get on the skin.
After about 10-15 minutes, the swab is removed from the nails along with the shellac (there is no exact rule for how long to remove the shellac, it depends on the characteristics of the nail plate and the tools used). The remaining coating is carefully removed with an orange stick, and this is it, since another device can damage the nail plate and scratch it. This concludes the procedure.
In fact, there are no special recommendations on how to remove shellac: at home or in a salon. An independent procedure will help save money, but if removed carelessly, it will ruin your nails. However, the client of the salon cannot be insured against this fact - there are many cases of negligence and incompetence of the master. One way or another, it's up to you.
Well-groomed hands, a long-lasting beautiful manicure that is not afraid of any external factors, such as housework, is the dream of all modern women. Its embodiment was a manicure using a special shellac coating, which is a kind of symbiosis between nail polish and nail gel.
It looks very impressive, and most importantly, it lasts for about three weeks. The process of removing this product also requires time and skill. There is not always time or financial opportunity to visit a specialist in a beauty salon. But one nail color can become boring over such a long period of time.
Since shellac coating is a varnish with a certain gel content, this substance is removed quite simply. For this process, there is no need to mechanically process the nails with a file, as with gel coating. There are several ways to quickly and efficiently remove shellac on your own, without turning to a manicurist for help.
Removing shellac using a professional kit
You can remove shellac from nails efficiently and safely by purchasing a professional kit designed for this purpose. Its cost ranges from 500 to 800 rubles. The kit includes the following items:
- A special remover designed to dissolve this manicure composition.
- Disposable nail wraps.
- Sticks made from orange wood.
- Softening oil for cuticle treatment.
- Professional mechanical file.
Process description
This process takes about fifteen minutes. Clean and thoroughly dry the skin of your hands. Then we impregnate the nail wrappers, reminiscent of strips of medical plaster, with a solvent composition. After that, we attach the adhesive strip to the nail plate with the side that was treated with the solvent liquid.
After a short period of time, remove the stickers. Ultimately, only a thin, translucent film should remain from the coating on the nails, which can be easily and quickly removed with a wooden stick. At the end of the procedure, we polish the surface of the nail with a nail file and cover it with a nourishing composition with moisturizing components.
Alternative (budget) method
A professional set for removing shellac manicure coating is undoubtedly good. However, due to the high cost, not everyone can afford this pleasure. And you can only buy it in specialized stores for nail design. How can you remove the remains of shellac, in the absence of a kit specially designed for this purpose? Let's use the means at hand that can be found in every home. So, you will need:
- Food foil
- Cotton pads
- Acetone (this substance allows you to remove shellac without a special liquid)
- Sanitary sticks or cuticle remover
- Scotch
Process description
So, in order to properly remove shellac at home, use these recommendations.
- Wash your hands with soap. This will remove grease and dirt from the skin and nail surface.
- Cut the cotton pads into a crescent shape. Soak in liquid and press firmly onto nails.
- The next step is to wrap each finger with a strip of pre-cut foil and secure the covering with tape to secure it.
- After about ten minutes, the foil can be removed from the nails.
- Now the softened coating can be quickly removed using a wooden stick or a manicure tool for processing the cuticle. Shellac should come off easily. If you have any difficulty with this process, wrap the foil around your nail again and wait a few more minutes.
- In order to clean your nails from remnants of gel polish, as well as to make their surface smooth and even, treat them with a sanding file or buff. Just be careful not to put pressure on the nail. Otherwise, you can cut down the natural plate, damage the cuticle or cause some kind of infection.
How to remove shellac polish without foil?
To remove the coating without wrapping it in foil, generously wet your feet with acetone (even better, completely immerse the nail surface in the solution using a hand bath).
Wait about fifteen minutes for the gel coating to soften as much as possible under the influence of acetone. If everything was done correctly, the shellac will be removed in the form of a thin film, to remove which the same orange wood stick is used.
It must be said that this method of removing coating from nails is less reliable and takes much longer (on average, half an hour). Shellac may come off unevenly, so in some cases the procedure has to be repeated.
In addition, a layer of ordinary food-grade polyethylene can replace foil when removing the gel coating at home. The end result is approximately the same.
How to remove shellac without acetone?
Using acetone can damage the structure of your nails, making them brittle and dull. Therefore, the question arises: what can replace this solvent when removing the shellac coating?
Unfortunately, ordinary nail polish remover is useless in this case, since it does not have a strong enough softening and dissolving effect. The manicure will only lose its shine and become several tones lighter, but the coating will remain in place.
You can replace acetone by purchasing a special remover, which is used by professional manicurists. You can order this product at a nail salon. It is not cheap - about 800 rubles. The advantages of the remover include the absence of a strong odor characteristic of acetone-containing liquids, effective removal of gel coatings, and a gentle effect on the nail plate. In addition, the composition of such products usually includes a complex of vitamins and nutrients that provide care for the nail plate.
Some young ladies prefer to use isopropyl alcohol, which can be purchased at hardware stores, to remove shellac. This solvent is very cheap and, indeed, is able to quickly and effectively remove remnants of manicure coating. However, isopropyl alcohol is a very concentrated, caustic substance and can cause skin irritation. Therefore, when using it, be extremely careful and attentive. Make sure that the solution does not come into contact with the skin and do not leave it on the nails for more than fifteen minutes.
How to properly remove shellac - pedicure on feet?
The principle and technique of removing silk polish from toenail plates is identical to the process of removing shellac manicure. However, in this case, a removal method without using foil is unlikely to be suitable due to the technical complexity of the procedure.
The easiest way to get rid of manicure at home is with a professional kit or a classic alternative with foil wrapping. For convenience of the procedure, the leg should be fixed in an elevated position. It is recommended to insert special separating sponges between your fingers.
Safety rules when removing shellac
In order not to harm your nails, but to remove shellac quickly and safely, follow the following recommendations:
- To avoid infection, be sure to wash your hands before the procedure. Disinfect your fingers and manicure tools with an antiseptic.
- Never use force to remove the coating. Do not cut or cut the covering. Shellac can be easily removed using a wooden stick. If all else fails, increase the solvent exposure time.
- Do not use metal manicure tools to remove shellac polish.
- At the end of the procedure, be sure to treat your nails with an antiseptic, such as hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine.
- It is recommended to take a break of a couple of weeks before applying a new coating.
Thus, there are many simple and budget options for how to remove shellac at home. By following the above rules, you can easily cope with this task and can change the color of your manicure coating depending on your mood and the look you want to create!
Shellac is a nail coating consisting of liquid gel and professional varnish. Recently, the number of shellac fans has been increasing. This is due to the fact that with the help of this technology, a bright manicure is obtained, which makes the nails not only beautiful, but also protects them from aggressive factors and helps strengthen the nail plate. But is it possible to remove annoying coating at home?
How long does shellac last?
But nothing lasts forever... This also applies to Shellac gel polish. Although this coating is considered quite durable, sooner or later it should be removed, since the nail gradually grows back and the varnish itself loses its original appearance. Technology developers and material manufacturers guarantee that shellac will stay on nails for 2 weeks.
But life always makes its own adjustments. According to some women, the varnish lasts much longer - up to 3-4 weeks. Others complain that after just a few days not a trace of their luxurious manicure remains: the coating has cracked, peeled off, faded, etc.
There are three reasons that shellac quickly lost its “marketable” appearance.
- The coating application technology was violated (for example, the nails were not degreased before the procedure, the exact drying time under a UV lamp was not maintained, etc.).
- Low-quality, damaged or expired materials were used.
- After application, the gel polish was subjected to rough physical stress or aggressive chemical exposure from “thermonuclear” household products.
- The plates on which the product was applied were already initially thin, weak or even damaged (for example, severe lamination or creases at the tips). Some persistent lovers of their “natural nails” force the master to work with obviously low-quality “source material”. Naturally, complaints about shellac quickly peeling off at the site of damage to the nail are unjustified. And no master will give a guarantee for such “forced work”.
How not to remove the coating
Many women, in order to save money, try to remove shellac themselves at home. It is quite possible to do this. However, the process of removing the coating must be carried out competently, otherwise, instead of the promised strengthening of the nails under the influence of shellac, you can completely lose them or introduce an infection into them.
It is strictly forbidden to cut off the coating mechanically using abrasive materials or, even worse, wire cutters. This can result in the nail plate being subject to severe thinning and injury. Accordingly, the nails will become weak, brittle, and will grow poorly. In addition, inflammation of the periungual bed is possible.
You should also not try to use gasoline, kerosene, acids, etc. as a shellac solvent. Firstly, the effect on the coating will be minimal, and secondly, the skin of your hands and nails will be severely damaged by aggressive chemicals.
When using “barbaric” methods of removing the coating, nails require long-term treatment
DIY Shellac Removal Tools
To remove shellac correctly at home, you can purchase a special kit that includes reusable finger caps, a coating remover, an orange wood stick for removing softened gel polish, and a manicure buffer.
The gel polish removal kit includes convenient caps
However, if there is no such kit in the house, shellac can be removed using improvised means. To do this you should prepare:
- Remover or acetone (nail polish remover).
- A wooden stick made from orange wood or a pusher.
- Soft file (150/180 grit).
- Soft buff for nails.
- Cleaning brush.
- Cotton pads. They should be cut into four parts
- Food foil. It must be cut into pieces measuring 7x10 cm.
To remove shellac yourself, you can use improvised means.
How to remove it correctly: step-by-step instructions with photos
- First, be sure to wash your hands to completely remove sebum from the surface of your nails.
The presence of fatty contaminants on the nail plate will worsen the softening process of shellac
- To make shellac removal easier, you can use a file to remove the top layer of the coating.
Use a soft nail file to remove the top layer of shellac
- The cotton pad should be thoroughly soaked in nail polish remover.
- Apply the moistened disc to the nail plate.
A cotton pad soaked in shellac remover is applied to the nail
If the removing fluid contains acetone, then Vaseline or natural oils can be applied to the cuticle and side ridges around the nail, which will prevent the chemical from penetrating into the pores.
- Then the phalanx must be tightly wrapped in prepared food foil to secure the sponge well. If there is no foil in the house, then you can use an adhesive plaster instead.
The foil allows you to fix the cotton pad and prevents the evaporation of the shellac remover
- All fingers are treated in a similar way. The action time of the product on shellac should be on average 10–15 minutes. If a liquid that does not contain acetone is used as a solvent, the time period can be increased, since the nail will not be subject to severe drying, and the coating will soften more. In order to better remove the shellac, you can warm your fingers a little using a UV lamp or a hair dryer, a heating pad, etc.
Nails on all fingers are prepared for removal of the coating in the same way.
- After this, the foil and cotton pad should be removed. The coating must be removed using a wooden stick or pusher (it is better to give preference to an orange stick - this reduces the likelihood of damaging the nail plate). If acetone was used as a solvent, then the pusher should not be metallic!
You need to remove the foil from your fingers one at a time. Only after the shellac has been removed from one nail can the wrapper be removed from the next one.Shellac is removed from each nail with a wooden stick or pusher.
- Sometimes shellac is not completely removed. Those areas of the nails from which the polish is poorly removed can be cleaned with light movements without pressure with a soft nail file.
Removing shellac residue with a soft nail file
- The next stage is polishing the nail plate using a manicure buff.
- The resulting dust is removed with a brush.
- After the shellac removal procedure, the nails and cuticles look somewhat dried out. To soften and moisturize them, it is recommended to apply a few drops of oil (for example, olive). Each phalanx should be massaged well.
For the laziest, ready-made means for restoring the nail plate have long been invented
This additional care will allow you to quickly get your nails in order. They will become shiny, strong and elastic.
To remove shellac, it is absolutely not necessary to go to a beauty salon. This procedure is quite possible to carry out at home. You just need to follow the basic recommendations for removing coatings, and then your nails will remain in normal condition.