Have you ever went to a salon or nail chain and got a set of acrylic nails that you absolutely hate? Ever wonder how to get them off without completely damaging your natural nail? Have you ever asked for acrylic nail tips to be removed before and the tech totally wrecked your natural nails? Well I'm going to give you some "tips" on how to get those nails off at home and keep your natural nails as healthy as possible. Just follow my instructions and have a little patience because if you try to rush it will not work. So make sure you have an hour to do this.(It may not take that long, it depends on the acrylic brand that was used.) This is what you'll need to round up before you get started:

1.  Pure acetone (the kind like you get at the hardware store not in the beauty aisle).

 2. cotton pads for removing nail polish

3. wooden manicure stick

 4. paper towels

5. glass bowl( not metal or plastic) large enough for both hands to fit in to submerge upto first knuckle

 6. shallow glass dish lower than first bowl and bigger around

 7. gentle nail buffer ( you can find these at Sally or other beauty supply, you can also find the pure acetone here) fine texture range ONLY

 8. cuticle oil or olive oil

9. lotion

10. PATIENCE 

 Lets get started! 

 First, heat some water to very hot but not boiling and pour about 1 inch into shallow dish.

 Second, pour 2 to 3 inches of acetone into bowl. Then place bowl of acetone into dish of hot water making sure water doesn't or can't splash into acetone. Also make sure you have plenty of paper towel under your bowls and around your work space.(A large terry towel folded under that will help incase of spillage.)

Third, remove polish and lightly buff nails to dull finish( this removes the top layer of acrylic to allow better acetone penetration).

 Fourth, place both hands in acetone just up to first knuckle so that it just covers cuticle. Soak for atleast 20 minutes. (You may want to watch your favorite television program to pass the time).

Fifth, remove hands from acetone and gently scrape don't pry with the wood stick. If acrylic appears gummy instead of smushy, saturate a cotton pad with acetone and rub vigorously over nail.

 Sixth, keep repeating steps until all acrylic is removed.

Dry hands with paper towel and lightly buff with buffer board or block being careful not to buff your natural nail. Apply oil and massage into cuticles. Wash hands thoroughly with mild soap and apply lotion.

To polish, remove oily residue from lotion from nail and apply base coat, two coats of polish and top coat. If done with patience, your nails should be the same as they were before you had acrylic applied! Hope this was a big help, adbh7