VERY princessy first-world question

[IntermittentParps]

...so don't shoot me!

I have a shellac pedicure on that needs to come off, and obviously I can't go anywhere to get it done professionally. Is it possible to do it at home? I have standard nail polish remover and some kitchen foil. I could order further things, although I don't know how well deliveries are working at the mo.

Any suggestions?

That won't work.

Just take them off and accept the damaged nails underneath.

That's what I did when I couldn't get to a nail place in time (a gazillion years ago, nothing to do with coronavirus).

It will work with what you have. Soak cotton wool, put it over the nail. Wrap in foil and put socks on! You might need to leave it longer than they do in the salon but it will work. I find Shellac comes off much easier than Biogel

Yeah, I didn't think it would work, I was just saying that's all I've got at home.

How do I take them off?

Ah, x-post, Kitkat. Really? Sounds too good to be true! But thank you

File over the nails to break the shell. Soak cotton wool and put on nail and cover with foil. Not sure if it will work with normal remover as usually they use acetone I think, but that's the process

It has to be removed with acetone in it. The non acetone won't work

I've taken shellac off before by soaking it in nail polish remover.

I only seem to have the non-acetone stuff. Arse.

Not so stupid. We all have on-going "treatments". Ive ordered hair clippers for the boys' hair (we've been in lockdown a week already and it'll last at least another 5 in my mind).

For DS1's braces though I'm a bit more concerned as he was meant to start the next stage in April and our last check up was cancelled due to the virus.

Make sure you file the surface off first!

You will need to get some acetone - Amazon is best to find a cheap bottle. (I know everyone will say Amazon are urgent deliveries only but I've been ordering really random stuff recently and its arrived the next day no problem!) Soak cotton wool, wrap with tin foil. If you can get a cheap wooden scraper do that too. Acetone will dry nails out so make sure you moisturise after x

My hair will just grow out badly

I’m just going to let mine grow out. If you must you definitely need acetone

I took it off with non acetone remover in Feb when I was dropping with flu and couldn't go out. Cotton pads soaked and then wrapped with foil. Take off after about 15 mins and file. Had to repeat about three times for every nail though!! But no damage to my nails.

Yes it does work. My DD gave me shellac nails as a treat, but I didn't want to pay heaps to have them redone professionally. I soaked pads in acetone nail polish remover and placed them onto the nails, then covered them with foil. Left them for about 20 minutes, then filed them and the shellac came off easily. Nails were a bit dodgy afterwards but they recovered fine.

I've done it with acetone soaked cotton wool and foil. File the surface, soak the cotton wool, wrap with foil. Use your hairdryer on a low heat about 1foot away for a minute too. And scrape off.

@IntermittentParps I was going to ask a similar question :) Gel nails for me but they need to come off at some point.

I’m just going to let mine grow out.
That actually hadn't occurred to me. [idiot]
Although I do worry that it'll take such a long time to grow out that my nails will be starved of oxygen and I'll get fungal infections or something. True, or paranoia?

Thanks anyway everyone. And on the hair, yes, I'm going to have a full-on 80s footballer mullet by the time we're done...

I think you’ve misunderstood the meaning of the word “need”

It's all here. Just substitute for what you have. Normal nail polish remover will work but might take a bit longer. Make sure to moisturise after

www.orlybeauty.co.uk/pages/how-to-remove-gel-polish

loads of videos on you tube showing you how to do this at home. It’s pretty easy. Good luck!

Just let them grow out. I'll keep my nails trimmed and filed and eventually the shellac will just grow out

my nails will be starved of oxygen

Ummmm nails are 'dead' keratinised tissue (otherwise you wouldn't be able to cut them)

The only bit I'd be concerned about is the eponychium (cuticle) but that isn't covered by the polish if its done well. The nail bed isn't affected by what you put on the nail plate- though you can get annoying staining if the polish is dark and you don't use a base coat

I'd let it grow myself but I'm a slattern

It can totally be taken off at home, but last time I did it I bought some pre-soaked wraps. It was fairly easy to get off, you have to file the tops of the polish first to break the seal, then soak, and gouge off with a cuticle stick

I have let my toe nail ones grow out before and my nails were fine (admittedly lazy - in my defence it was winter and no one was seeing my toes!) You can get the proper remover from Amazon - well, I got some, but it was a few months ago