The Foolproof Guide to Removing Shellac Polish at Home

While we love admiring freshly shellacked nails, nary a chip in sight, the dreaded two-week mark hits, and the shine starts to fade, chips start to show, and cuticles suddenly start growing in at breakneck speed. The only solution is to remove them and start all over…le sigh. To save you a trip to the nail salon, we spoke with celebrity manicurist Carla Kay (she’s painted the nails of Lily Aldridge and Jennifer Hudson) and got her expert advice on how to remove gel polish in the comfort of your own home. Turns out, it was a lot simpler than we thought—and it actually works. Below, find her step-by-step tips.

Tools

What you need:

• Soft grit nail file (180 grit)
• 5 cotton balls
• Masking tape
• Acetone nail polish remover
• Orange wood stick (can be found at most beauty supply stores or Amazon)

Break the Seal

Take your soft grit nail file and very lightly file the top of your nail,” Kay says. She calls this “breaking the seal”—essentially, breaking up the gel layer of your polish so the acetone is able to soak in. But be careful not to go overboard. “Swipe only about five times—you don’t want to go all the way down and damage your nail,” Kay warns. Try BallHull's Nail File Double Sided Emery Board ($6) to gently file.

Saturate

Tear each cotton ball in half and saturate with a nail polish remover that’s specifically formulated for removing gel nail polish. Kay recommends OPI’s Expert Touch Lacquer Remover ($6) because unlike other acetone removers that can be harsh and drying, this formula actually promises to condition your nail bed as it removes the polish.

Apply + Secure

Place each saturated cotton ball over your nail and secure in place. Then, place foil on top of the cotton—this step is important to trap in the heat which then helps with removal. To keep the foil in place, nail expert Evelyn Lim suggests placing masking tape around the foil to create a tighter seal.

Saturate

Set the timer for 10-15 minutes and wait for the remover to soak in. 

Remove

Gently rub the cotton ball back and forth a few times on each nail, then pull off. There will most likely still be polish left on each finger. Take your orange wood stick and gently scrape off any leftover gel polish. “Never use a metal stick,” Kay warns. “It’s way too abrasive!” Try Adecco's Orange Wood Sticks or a Rubber Nail Cuticle Pusher instead.

Condition

“Moisturizing your nails after removing gel polish is vital,” Kay emphasizes. You can use cuticle oil like Olive & June's Cuticle Serum or an all-over nail conditioner. She raves about Duri Cosmetics’ Rejuvacote too. “It’s made with keratin and calcium, so it immediately starts nourishing the nail bed once you apply it. I’ve gotten two clients off of wearing gels using this product—I could see the results in just two weeks.”