How to take off acrylic nails without damaging real nail

If you've had acrylic nails, you're likely aware of the number-one cardinal rule: If you're going to remove them, either do it safely or turn to the pros. And if you can't get to a professional, the latter may be your only option. So, if you're wondering how to remove acrylic nails at home, we have good news: It's not difficult, as long as you arm yourself with a few tools and techniques to make sure your natural nails underneath stay strong and resilient.

"One of the most commons mistakes when removing acrylics at home is not being patient enough and peeling or popping off a stubborn acrylic," says Sally Hansen Brand Ambassador Hannah Lee. "This can cause damage to the natural nail." If you can't make it to the salon, follow the expert steps below to remove your acrylic nails easily and without damage.

Step One: Remove Excess Length

The first step is to remove most of the length. "Make sure to not clip your actual nail. The best way to clip is with an acrylic nail cutter but if you don't have that, you can use large toenail clippers which typically provides more strength," says Lee. "Start clipping at one side and work your way to the other, never clipping straight on."

Step Two: Buff The Acrylic

Next, grab two nail files, a rough one for the top layer of acrylic, and one with higher grit as you make your way closer to your natural nail. "Keep gently filing until the shine of the nail is gone. This may take some patience," says Lee. Just beware of buffing too much. "Over-buffing the nail to try and get the remaining pieces off can thin out and weaken the nail," she adds.

Step Three: Grab the Acetone

The next step involves, you guessed it, acetone. There are two ways to go about this, says Lee. The first involves warming a bottle of acetone under the faucet, then pouring it into a bowl, and soaking your fingers for 30 minutes. But if you would prefer to have less acetone-to-skin contact, "You can also use the foil method, which is what is typically seen at salons," adds Lee. "Soak a cotton ball in acetone and place it on top of your nail, then take a piece of tin foil and wrap it around your nail and part of your finger, making sure to fold over the tip to seal in the cotton ball."

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Step Four: Check Your Progress

Check your nails after 30 minutes. If enough of the acrylic has dissolved, you can gently buff away the excess with the finer grit nail file. "If there is still product that can't be buffed off, soak for five more minutes and try again," she says.

Step Five: Hydrate

Pro tip: Have a bottle of Sally Hansen Vitamin E Cuticle Oil nearby, because "acetone is very drying" for your nails and skin. "I would start by applying it once a day, or if you notice your skin is extra dry, up the applications," says Lee.

How to Care For Your Acrylics and Nails

"To care for your acrylics, make sure to not use then as tools like opening cans. You can also get a gel overlay to help them last longer. If you prefer, you can also use a regular top coat, and apply it every two to three days," advises Lee. "Try to avoid water, so when you are doing the dishes, make sure to wear gloves." We love the Sally Hansen Double Duty Base and Top Coat.

Oh, and because acrylics can weaken the natural nail over time, it's never a bad idea to add a nail strengthener to your beauty routine, too.

Jenna Rosenstein is the Beauty Director at BAZAAR.com. While attending NYU, she held internships at Women’s Wear Daily, Bloomingdale’s, Harper’s BAZAAR (as Glenda’s intern!) and Allure, the latter of which she parlayed into her first job as the Beauty Assistant. She left Allure three years later as the Senior Beauty Editor, spent a few months at Refinery29 in the same title overseeing branded content, before finally landing back at BAZAAR to oversee all digital beauty content. When she's not testing every lipstick known to mankind, getting zapped by new lasers, or interviewing experts and celebrities, you can find Rosenstein re-watching Star Wars movies, reading books about new discoveries in science and health, and playing with her Bombay cat named Maddie.

Need to get your acrylic nails off, but don't have the time or patience to go to the salon? We've all been there — but it pays to remove that manicure correctly instead of, say, prying them from your natural nails (ouch!) or mindlessly biting them off while absorbed in a TV-watching session. If you're wondering how to take off your acrylic nails quickly at home, we've got you covered — and we've even got an acetone-free option.

Unfortunately, removing acrylics forcefully means removing some of the many layers of your natural nail plate,too, according to Savannah Walker, a professional nail artist and owner of Manifest Nail in New York City. "Usually this results in thin, flimsy, damaged nails, which last for months until they grow out," she says. And that's the best possible scenario! So, if you choose to wear acrylics, we suggest keeping this handy tool kit at home for a damage-free removal:

Tools You'll Need to Safely Remove Acrylic Nails

Makartt 100-Grit Nail FileCredit: Makartt

EC Labs 100% Pure Acetone Nail Polish RemoverCredit: EC Labs

Sky Organics Cotton BallsCredit: Sky Organics

Reynolds Wrap Aluminum FoilCredit: Reynolds

Youngever Small BowlCredit: Youngever

Adecco Wooden Cuticle PushersCredit: Adecco

AHIER Nail BufferCredit: Ahier

How to remove acrylic nails at home with acetone

Keep in mind, even if you follow these five steps, you may be left with somewhat compromised natural nails, depending on how the technician applied them the acrylics in the first place and how carefully you execute the removal. However, "if the acrylic process is done patiently, it can be virtually damage-free," Walker says. Now, follow these simple steps from nail pros to take acrylics off fast without damage:

1.File off as much of the acrylic nail as possible

Instead of filing your nails in the usual way (along the top edge of the nail), you'll need to thin out the entire area the acrylic covers. "Using a coarse grit file, file off as much of the acrylic product as possible," Walker says. "You need a really good file for this; an emery board would be useless." Look for a 100-grit nail file, which is coarse enough to file down the surface of the acrylics, or a nail drill.

Pro safety tip: "Be careful not to cut the skin around the nails with the edges of the file," she advises. "Always 'season' a new file by using another file over the edges to soften them."

2. Soak off any remaining acrylic nail

Once the acrylic has been filed down much as possible, Walker recommends soaking the nails in 100% acetone nail polish remover for as long as it takes to dissolve the product.

There are two ways to do this. One method is to place an acet0ne-soaked piece of cotton over each nail, then wrap each fingertip in foil, Walker advises. "This is the superior technique," she says. Otherwise, you can try soaking fingers in a bowl of acetone. It's simpler, but "the bowl technique is very harsh on your skin and takes longer," Walker notes.

If you do go this route, "only dip your nail tips in the bowl to avoid drying out the skin on your fingers and hands," says Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D. "Be sure to only use acetone in a well-ventilated area, because it is very volatile and can easily irritate your respiratory system."

3. Gently scrape or buff off the last bits of acrylic

After soaking in acetone, check nails "every 20 minutes or so to scrape off the softened acrylic using an orange stick or cuticle pusher, repeating this process until all the product has been dissolved," Walker says.

There may be a few small areas of acrylic that remain, but don't get rough with them! "If there are any little bits of acrylic that won't budge, a soft foam nail buffer can be used to buff those little stubborn bits smooth," she says.

5. Protect your nails from future acrylic damage

Acrylic isn't necessarily bad for nails, but it can take a toll on natural nails. For acrylics devotees, try to take a weeklong break from them every month so your nails' health doesn’t completely dwindle. During that time, brush on one coat of a strengthening nail treatment every day to prevent breakage, like this moisturizing oil created by nail artist Deborah Lippmann.

To give them an even more intensive treatment, “cover your nails with cuticle oil and cuticle cream, then wrap each hand in a warm washcloth for five minutes,” says manicurist Deborah Lippmann, founder of Deborah Lippmann nail collection. The result: shinier, stronger nails in no time.

How to remove acrylic nails at home without acetone

You can remove acrylic nails without acetone using an acetone-free nail polish remover as a soak-off solution. But know that "if you wish to avoid acetone, it will take longer to remove acrylics," says Anastasia Totty, a LeChat Nails Educator in Saint Johns, Florida. Here's how:

1. Start by trimming the extra length of the enhancement using nail clippers to cut down on the soaking time, she advises.
2. Use a 100-grit nail file to remove as much product as possible without filing into the natural nail. "This will remove any top coat, gel polish or nail art making it easier for the solution to penetrate the enhancement," Totty explains.
3. Soak a piece of cotton in the remover and wrap your fingertip in a piece of foil about two inches long, with the piece of cotton in direct contact with the acrylic, repeating on each finger. Wait 15 to 20 minutes, then remove the foil and cotton and gently push the soaked product away from the cuticle using an orange wood stick or cuticle pusher. "Be patient and don’t scrape or peel any of it if it’s not soaked enough," she says.
4. If you have acrylic left on nails, wrap them again using more of the remover.
5. Use the file to shape nails, gently buff if necessary, and wash hands to remove any remaining solution.

Marci Robin is a freelance writer and editor specializing in beauty and lifestyle content. With over 20 years of experience, Marci has served as a contributing editor for Allure, senior beauty editor at GoodHousekeeping.com, executive editor of xoVain and senior online editor at NewBeauty. Her writing has also appeared in her writing has also appeared in InStyle, MarthaStewart.com and Refinery29.

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