The coronavirus pandemic has ravaged our lives like nothing else before. As it is not showing any signs of abating in the future, lockdowns have become the order of the day. Besides, please do not venture out unnecessarily, least of all, for a job as simple as a nail polish removal. Your OPI nail polish kit comes with a nail polish remover that you can safely use at home.
While hundreds of blogs explain how to apply OPI gel nail polish, you should also know how to remove OPI gel nail colors at home independently. Here is how you do it the traditional way without damaging your nails in any way. In many ways, you (quite literally) take the matter into your hands.
Before we start discussing how to remove OPI gel nail colors, here are some strict ‘DON’TS’ to follow:
Though the temptation to pick at your nails will always be present, you should refrain from doing so. You could damage your nails, and it could take weeks to heal.
Do not try to file off your nail polish using brute force, as it could result in chipping of the nail surface.
Here are some things you should be ready with while attempting a nail polish removal at home.
- A nail file to chip at the nail polish gently.
- A lot of ventilated space because acetone fumes can be harmful.
- Your OPI gel nail polish kit with the nail polish remover.
- A plastic or porcelain bowl.
- Cotton balls and aluminum foils.
- Cuticle oil or skin cream.
- A Netflix connection (optional) to catch up with your Netflix queues while you complete the gel polish removal.
The Procedure – As simple as it looks
Choose the most ventilated area in your room
Your nail polish removal can take anywhere between 30 to 45 minutes. Besides, you will be handling acetone, a solution that can cause breathing issues if inhaled. Therefore, you should have a ventilated space to minimize the risk of inhaling acetone. As the process takes time, it should be perfect for catching up with your Netflix queues in the bargain.
Simplify the process
The thicker the nail polish layer, the deeper is the acetone soak. Acetone is a dehydrating agent. The more you soak your nails in it, the more water you stand to lose from your nails and skin. Hence, it makes sense to reduce the soaking time. It entails you to chip off the polish layers gently using a nail file. The purpose is to remove the topcoat shine and make it easy for the acetone to react with the polish. This process requires you to be careful. Chipping away vigorously at the nail can damage it.
Protecting your skin is crucial
As mentioned earlier, acetone can dehydrate your skin if it comes into contact. Hence, it is advisable to apply cuticle oil or skin cream on the areas adjacent to your nail polish. It forms a protective layer and does not allow acetone to penetrate your skin.
Soak the cotton balls in acetone
Your OPI kit contains a nail polish remover solution. Dip cotton balls into the acetone solution that you have poured into the plastic bowl. Some people advise applying acetone with a brush or wiping the OPI gel nail layers with cotton balls soaked in acetone. Both these methods do not yield the best results.
Place the soaked cotton balls on your nails and secure them with aluminum foil wraps. The aluminum foils help keep the cotton balls in contact with acetone. Depending on the polish layer thickness, you can decide the soaking times. Generally, 20 to 25 minutes should be enough.
Remove the foils and cotton balls
After 20 minutes, you can remove the foils and cotton balls. Apply gentle pressure on the fingernails to allow the polish layers to slide off smoothly. You can also use an orange stick to push away the polish layers gently.
Hydrate your nails
After using acetone to remove your OPI gel nail colors, you will find your nails looking dehydrated. You should give them a reprieve by soaking the nails in coconut oil for a few minutes before applying cuticle oil on the nail beds to rehydrate and rejuvenate them.
It is advisable to give your nails a break for a week or let nature take over and rehydrate the nails completely. You can have plenty of fluids and similar food to hasten the rehydrating process.
Final Thoughts
You can see that nail polish removal is not a challenging job at all. Any person with a bit of practice can master the art. It saves you a lot of time. You also remain healthy because you do not venture out and expose yourself to the virus.