How do you remove gel nail polish?

[Jacksterbear]

Nail polish remover is not doing a thing!

do you mean gel overlays that are hardened under uv light?

I think you need an acetone remover. My friend had to go back to the salon to have it removed!

If you mean the OPI gel colours, they just peel off.

you can't peel them off - if you do, you remove a layer of nail....
it's very easy: cut round cotton wool pads into 4s and some tin foil in pieces (big enough to wrap around fingers)
soak cotton in acetone based nail polish remover (Boots essentials is fine, I used it the other day to do the same, is about £1 something)
then wrap tin foil round tops of fingers, leave on for 20 mins.
I recommend doing one hand first, then another, as almost impossible to wrap the opposite hand with fingers in foil already!
After 20 mins, remove foil/cotton and it should be easy to peel, but you may need a stick to scrape it off, don't pull if it's hard or you'll peel off a layer of nail and then they will be thin and bendy!

Shit! I wouldn't have had it done if I'd known it was that complicated to remove! Thanks for the advice.

They are these ones. The website describes it as "soak off" but doesn't seem to say how/what.

well, the advantage of gel is that it lasts for 2 weeks at least, then you just infill - I would not do it as a one off, I have had mine for over a year and love them, but only because I have a girl who does them for the same price as a normal manicure! (which used to only last 3 days before chipping!)

did you do them as a one off?

anyway, at least you didnt fall into the acrylic trap, now those are BAD for your nails!!!!

Well I went in for a pedicure and was kind of "upsold" on them.

In fairness they have lasted 5 weeks and I only want to remove them now as a) they've grown out and look ridiculous, b) I want to clip my nails as they're getting too long; and c) I'm bored of the colour. They're not actually chipped a bit.

But the salon lady made it sound like it was the same as ordinary nail polish but would just last longer; she definitely didn't mention that it would be a nightmare to remove or that it was meant to be used as a more permanent thing!

i dont have them on my feet as normal nail polish lasts ages, it's for my hands that I love it, anyway, hope you don't feel cheated!

Hmm, I do a bit! But I know for next time now. Thanks again!

I would limit the acetone to 10 minutes or you risk damaging your nails. After you remove the foil, you may need to gently scrape the rest off with an orange stick.

Some places offer removal for a few quid. It may be worth you finding out about it where you had them done as you don't want to risk damaging your nail plate.

10 mins wasn't enough to get mine off without peeling it - I have had no problems with 20 mins, in fact nails looked as if I'd never had them on at all!

think I will ring the salon and ask for advice, don't want to mess up my nails!

tbh the salon will reccommend you go in and get them 'soaked off' - the salons round here charge £24 for the gel nails and £20 to have them soaked off!
you can buy the acetone in sallys for £1.80 and do it yourself!

Crap. Did it myself and made a right mess . Had to scrape with an orange stick, even after soaking for 20 mins with acetone, and scratched my nails to bits (and even then didn't get every single bit off). No more gel nails for me!!

what? that's weird?
:-(

ps wonder if they didnt give you acrylics instead of gel?

they sound like acrylics to me - are you sure they weren't? This is what used to happen when I had them. It took me ages to soak them off and still then my nails looked a mess. I had them on for about 6 months and they ruined my nails, took them at least another 6 months to recover with the help of lots of strengthening treatments.

me too, I bet they were acrylic - my friend also got duped into thinking she was getting gel, as soon as she told me they mixed gel with powder....
I've had gel overlays for a year and regularly soak them off without any problems, my nails look immaculate afterwards

I had the gel and also had problems soaking it off, same with Shellac which is supposed to come off a bit easier. I do like it as it lasts for ages, but it takes my nails a while to recover.

it was shellac that i had on mine,i just soaked a cotton pad in acetone and held it on my nail for a few minutes, then scraped it off with a cuticle stick came off fine and my nails look fine,
the salon where i had it done say they soak a cotton pad and put it on your nail,and wrap it in tin foil and leave it for 15mins then scrape it off :O)

I used a nail file to break the glossy surface, and then applied acetone using cotton wall, this soon, effortlessly removed it

The salon will obviously ask you to go in a have it removed its all for money. File the surface the break the glossy seal, and soak acetone onto it.

Was sorry to see my gloss nails go, but shall be going for a re-apply.

was going to say, when i get mine redone they use a lightweight file to buff off the shine first...then the cottonwool soaked in remover/acetone, wrap with foil

by the time the last finger is done, the foil is off on the first one and the polish is wiped/scraped off....and so on!

This youtube video has a good solution to remove at home gel polish

Superdrug sells a gel nail remover with their normal polishes. It's only a few pounds and is genuinely amazing. Better for your nails than pure acetone, too.

This was posted in 2011 so hopefully the OP has managed to get them off by now