How To: Remove fake nails

Find a good work area where you can sit down and be comfortable. A kitchen table works perfectly for this. Be sure to cover the surface of your table with a plastic garbage bags and a thick layer of newspaper to soak up spills and prevent damage to your table's surface. Get all your supplies ready at hand. You don't want to be hunting for them mid nail removal. Have them all spread out in front of you on the table. Using a pair of nail clippers, cut the acrylic nails down as short as possible to make the removal easier. Fill a glass bowl with nail polish remover (the type with acetone in it). This will be used to soak your nails in and dissolve the nail glue which attached your acrylic nails to your natural ones. Before dunking your nails apply a coating of petroleum jelly to the skin surrounding your nails. This will help prevent the skin from drying out while soaking in the polish remover. Just be sure you don't get any on the nail or it will block the polish remover from loosening the glue. Dip your fingers into the bowl of nail polish remover and continue to soak them for 15-20 minutes. Remove your hands and try to gently peel the acrylic nails off. If you are met with resistance and any or all of the acrylic nails do not easily peel off, submerge your fingers in the polish remover again and soak for another five minutes. Never force a nail to come off if it's not ready. After re-soaking you should be able to remove any stubborn acrylic nails and will now be left with only your natural nails. Thoroughly was your hands in order to remove any polish remover residue and the petroleum jelly. If any of the nail glue remains on your nails, simply buff this off with a nail buffer. Be gentle and use a light touch to avoid damaging your natural nails. Apply a moisturizing hand cream to your hands and massage in well. This will help replace any lost moisture from the acetone polish remover.