The Salon Method, Step by Step
Break the seal
Lightly buff the surface of each nail until the shine is gone: you're opening the top coat so acetone can reach the gel, not filing into color.
Soak, wrapped
Saturate cotton with 100% acetone, press onto the nail, and wrap with foil (or use soak-off clips). Wait 10–15 minutes; warm hands work faster.
Push, don’t pry
The gel should look wrinkled and lifted. Slide it off gently with a wooden cuticle stick. Any spot that resists gets re-wrapped for five more minutes; resistance means ‘soak longer,’ never ‘push harder.’ Finish with cuticle oil.
The Four Ways Gel Removal Goes Wrong
- Peeling it off in the parking lot (it takes nail layers with it)
- Picking at lifted edges all week
- Metal tools plus force
- Skipping the buff, then blaming the acetone
DIY Is Fine. Sometimes the Salon Is Smarter.
Come in instead when it's a thicker product that's harder to safely soak at home, your nails are already thin or sore, you're heading straight into a new set anyway, or you've peeled before and your nails are still recovering. We'll remove gently and talk repair.