Shellac - a combination of gel and plain varnish, stands out for its high strength and durability, but needs an unusual removal procedure from the nails. There are a couple of common ways to remove shellac without the help of a professional. At home, it can be removed using professional removers and their substitutes.

In extreme cases, sawing is used, but with an unprofessional approach, this method can significantly damage the nails. Without extreme necessity and experience on your own, it is better not to use it.

Before starting the procedure, hands should be washed with soapy water and treated with a disinfectant. Remaining sebum can soften the action of the solvent and affect the quality of the removal of the coating. It is necessary to prepare all the tools and materials for the procedure.

When choosing a salon remover for removing shellac, it is recommended to conduct a sensitivity test before the procedure. Most removers require nail polishing first, but this is not necessary to remove shellac.

Gel removal tools at home

In order to remove shellac coating from nails at home, you will need to arm yourself with the following set of devices:

• remover, including acetone;
• professional or food foil;
• essential oil or oily cuticle cream;
• manicure file;
• buff or fraser for cutting;
• glass stick;
• manicure brush;
• cotton sponges;
• orange stick.

After preparing the tools, you will need to study the shellac removal scheme. Knowledge of the main stages of the procedure, and not a generalized picture, will increase the chances of success and reduce the risk of damage to the nails.

Shellac removal scheme

Methods for removing shellac from nails at home will be performed according to the general scheme with some possible differences.

The generalized scheme of the procedure includes the following steps:

1. Hand preparation.
2. Wetting a cotton sponge in a solvent and applying to the nails.
3. Fixation of sponges with pieces of foil.
4. Solvent exposure time.
5. Removal of cotton pads and foil.
6. Removal of gel residues with an orange stick.
7. Polishing natural nails glass file.

If it was not possible to completely remove shellac in one session, the procedure must be repeated. No need to try to pick or tear off the varnish by force. It is allowed to re-apply no more than 2-3 layers of solvent in 1 procedure, otherwise damage to the nails cannot be avoided.

professional tools

Safe removal of shellac at home is best done using professional tools designed for this purpose. There are 3 categories of solvents for erasing varnish: with acetone, with vitamins and without acetone.

All liquids, regardless of type, act according to the following principle: they penetrate the hardened gel and make it soft for subsequent removal.

Removers that exclude acetone contain its substitutes:

• ethyl acetate;
• methyl ethyl ketone;
• amyl acetate.

These substances have a delicate effect on the nail, but require a longer exposure time and often do not completely remove the coating in 1 application.

To the most popular and affordable means for safe removal gel coat relate:

When choosing a suitable shellac remover, it is important to consider the basis on which the coating is laid; for natural and extended nails, different types funds. Using a steamer or router will simplify the process and get rid of the gel without harming the nails.

Removing the gel with professional tools

Regardless of the brand of the chosen solvent, the procedure for erasing the gel remains unchanged, its duration is 20-30 minutes.

Having prepared the tools, you can proceed to the removal procedure itself:

1. Pre-treat the cuticle line of each finger with a fat cream.
2. Take several sponges of cotton wool and divide them into 4 parts, each of them according to the size of the nail.
3. Next, you need to moisten the pieces of cotton wool in the remover and apply them to the nails.
4. Fix the cotton wool by wrapping it with a piece of foil.
5. Leave it like this for 5-15 minutes. Each solvent has an individual exposure time indicated on the package or in the instructions.
6. After the time of action of the solvent, remove the foil.
7. Using an orange stick, get rid of the remaining foil on the nails.
8. If the gel is not completely removed, it is recommended to repeat the procedure.

It is recommended to remove the gel coating from each nail in turn, the left hand is processed first, then the right. The final stage is the aesthetic correction of the manicure. To do this, it is enough to sand the nails in a natural form and apply a special restorative varnish to protect the nails from damage.

home remedies

Ways to remove shellac from nails at home will help get rid of the annoying coating, without wasting money on expensive salon procedures.

Common ways to remove shellac without using a solvent include:

• Removal with colorless varnish - it does not remove the coating perfectly and may leave marks on the nails, but in emergency situations it can help, just spread a layer of varnish over shellac, wait a couple of minutes and remove the coating with a napkin, repeat several times.
• A mixture of vodka and alcohol – folk remedy to replace the solvent, vodka quickly dissolves shellac and helps to remove it without problems, when using alcohol, it is better to dilute it with water, treat the sponge in the solution and apply it to the nail, wrap it with a film, hold for 20-35 and remove it along with shellac residue.
• Acetone- helps to quickly get rid of the annoying varnish coating, to remove the shellac, you need to pour a little acetone in a saucer, prepare your nails and put them in a bowl, hold for 10 minutes, remove your hands, gently pry off the coating with a file and remove it.
• Regular nail polish remover- before the procedure, it is necessary to cut off the shiny surface of the shellac with a buff, spread it on top with a liquid, hold for 10 minutes, repeat the procedure.

If all else fails, you can remove shellac from your nails by sawing it off with a file, brush off the remnants with a brush, but this method can significantly damage your nails and is recommended only in emergency cases.

Removing shellac with foil

The most common way to remove shellac at home is to remove it with a solvent and foil. In this case, ordinary food foil is suitable, which must be cut into pieces according to the size of the nail plate. You will also need a removal fluid and a standard set of tools.

The process of removing the coating is carried out as follows:

1. First you need to cut off the shiny shellac coating from the nails with a file.
2. Lubricate the cuticle of the nails with a greasy cream for protection.
3. Soak pieces of cotton pads in the liquid.
4. Apply to nails and wrap in foil.
5. Withstand 10-15 minutes.
6. Remove foil and cotton.
7. Remove the remaining shellac with an orange stick.
8. If there are traces of shellac on the nails, you need to walk over them with a cotton pad with liquid.
9. Carefully file your nails to their natural shape.

After the procedure, the surface of the nails will be a little rough, the nails will be vulnerable, it is important to apply a restorative varnish on them.

How to remove nail polish with acetone

Among all the ways to remove gel polish at home, the most popular is removing shellac from nails with acetone without using foil. Conventional concentrated acetone has an aggressive effect, degreases and dissolves the gel coating, but it dries out the nail plate, which leads to cracking and brittleness.

To remove shellac with acetone:

1. Apply oily cream to the cuticle.
2. Apply adhesive strips to nails.
3. Pour acetone into a bowl.
4. Dip your fingers in a bowl and stand for 10 minutes.
5. Stretch your fingers, carefully remove the strips.

After applying such a bath with acetone, shellac softens and easily comes off the nails without additional help, but there is a high probability of overdrying of the nails. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to lubricate the nails after the procedure with a nourishing cream or care oil.

Removing shellac with alcohol

You can prepare shellac remover at home with alcohol. To do this, alcohol is mixed with water in a ratio of 3: 7 - 70% water and 30% alcohol.

The withdrawal procedure is as follows:

Such a composition is not suitable for all types of coating, can cause further destruction and clouding of the nail and is not recommended for frequent use. If the gel polish has been left on the nails for a long time, it will not work to remove it with ordinary alcohol.

Can you remove shellac with nail polish remover?

In some cases, ordinary nail polish remover will help remove shellac from nails, but for this it must contain acetone.

Dissolving shellac with a liquid includes the following steps:

1. Prepare pieces of cotton wool and foil, soak them in nail polish remover and apply to nails.
2. Wrap the pieces with foil. If the foil does not hold well, it is recommended to fix them with adhesive tape.
3. The solvent is kept on the nails for 15-20 minutes.
4. After the time has elapsed, alternately remove the foil with cotton.
5. Pry off the softened coating layer with an orange stick and carefully remove. The remains of shellac are scraped off with a file.
6. Sand nails with a soft file or buff.

How to remove shellac from extended nails?

Methods for removing shellac from nails at home remain unchanged for coating on extended nails. Regardless of the type of shellac base, it must be removed using a special liquid and foil, which is attached to each individual nail.

The exposure time in such a case can be increased to 15-25 minutes, since it is more difficult to remove shellac from an extended coating than from natural nails. In order for the softened layer of shellac not to harden, it is recommended to remove each lotion in turn. The procedure can be repeated several times until you can completely clean the nails from shellac.

Practical tips for safely removing shellac from extended nails:

• choose a liquid designed to remove the coating from extended nails;
• degrease the surface before applying the remover;
• for sawing shellac from acrylic, a file with abrasiveness up to 150 grit is used;
• after cutting off the gel polish, the surface of the nails must be polished;
• It is strictly forbidden to use to remove shellac from acrylic nails liquid with acetone, it dissolves the modeling gel;
• alcohol is also not recommended for use on an extended coating.

Removing shellac from extended nails is just the case when hardware sawing off the coating will give a better result than dissolving with professional means. A similar procedure is carried out with the help of a milling cutter, it requires certain skills and experience with the device, it is carried out exclusively by professional craftsmen in the salon.

Cutting off gel from nails

The most risky way to remove shellac is to cut it off completely from the nails. For the procedure, you can use a professional nail cutter. A regular nail file or a buff with high abrasiveness is also suitable.

When performing the procedure, it is important to consider the following details:

• it is necessary to cut only the top layer of shellac;
• the base coat under shellac must be left;
• you can distinguish the base coat from nails by a delicate milky color;
• to work near the cuticle, it is better to use a soft file;
• do not put pressure on the nail during cutting.

For cutting gel polish at home, professionals recommend using a file with an abrasiveness (grit frequency on a file) of 180-240 grit. When cutting shellac from nails, there is a high risk of damage to the cuticle, in order to avoid this, before and after the procedure, it is lubricated with nourishing oil.

The fastest method of removing shellac without special liquid

The simplest and fast way Removing shellac at home is removing with acetone or alcohol. Subject to the rules of the procedure, the negative consequences for the nails will be minimal, and the procedure itself will take no more than 10-15 minutes. If you wrap your nails with pieces of foil, the process will take longer, so it's better to do without it.

A simple and time-consuming method is the acetone bath.. In just 10 minutes, it allows you to soften and peel off a layer of shellac, which is then very easy to remove with an orange stick.

If you need to remove the gel coating from extended nails, the best and fastest way would be to cut it with a regular manicure file. In this case, acetone or pure alcohol cannot be used, since their concentrate will dissolve not only the gel layer, but also the acrylic one, while damaging the integrity of the extended nail.

Errors when removing shellac yourself

The most common mistake when removing shellac from nails at home is to completely file it off with a file, but this is far from the only case.

The main mistakes that lead to damage to the nail include:

• frequent use of acetone alone as a remover;
• the use of pure alcohol as a solvent;
• sharp mechanical peeling of gel polish from the nail;
• extension of solvent holding time;
• removal of shellac from the tip to the root;
• not using cuticle cream before the procedure;
• the use of a large piece of cotton wool, abundantly moistened with liquid;
• neglect of restorative care for nails after the procedure.

The process of removing gel polish should be carried out gradually. Sudden movements against the growth of the nail, the use of an aggressive agent for longer than the specified time can worsen the condition of the nails and lead to their fragility.

Nail restoration after gel removal

Methods for removing shellac from nails at home can cause irreparable harm if not accompanied by proper restorative care. After removing the gel coating, the nails are polished and filed, which leads to their fragility, they require special care.

Suitable for comprehensive recovery cosmetics, and homemade recipes, such as: salt bath, paraffin mask and others.

To prepare a salt bath for hands you will need:

• large sea ​​salt- 2 tbsp. l.;
• pharmacy iodine - 6-7 drops;
• orange juice - 100 ml;
• essential oil of peach seeds - 2-3 drops.

Add these components to a bowl of warm water, dip your hands into the liquid and hold for 20 minutes. After the bath, you need to wipe your hands and lubricate the skin with a nourishing cream.

You can quickly restore and improve your nails by adhering to the following care rules:

1. Using a special restorative coating will help protect nails from brittleness.
2. Cuticle oil helps to make nails healthy and forget about hangnails.
3. Regular use of natural nail oils will quickly heal cracks and restore the condition of the plate.
4. Rubbing lemon juice on your nails will help strengthen them.
5. To avoid problems with delamination of nails, it is recommended to make hand baths with sea salt.
6. An iodine mesh will help get rid of yellowness and brittle nails after shellac.
7. Beauty salons offer many procedures designed to restore nails and give them a well-groomed appearance after removing the gel coating, such as sealing nails.
8. Do not forget about nutrition, eating fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts will bring the body the vitamins necessary for the natural restoration of nails.

Removing shellac from natural or extended nails can be done at home without the costly services of a master. If you choose a less traumatic method of removal and follow all the rules for the procedure, you can get rid of shellac without damaging your nails and a long recovery period.

Article formatting: Anna Vinnitskaya

Video about removing shellac at home

How to remove shellac and not damage the nail plate:

Shellac (gel polish) - relatively new technology in manicure, which allows you to create a stable, bright and effective coating for women's nails. Its application requires a special ultraviolet lamp for drying, so the procedure is rarely performed at home. Removing the coating is somewhat easier. Many women do it on their own, in this way saving money on a visit beauty salon. So, how to remove shellac at home? What tools and means will be required for this?

There are two methods for self-removal of shellac: using foil and without it. The list of tools and consumables that will become necessary to complete the procedure depends on the chosen technique.

To remove the coating by the foil wrapping method, it is necessary to prepare:

• food foil;
• jojoba oil or grape seed oil, needed to soften the cuticles;
• liquid for splitting varnish;
• orange stick;
• nail file for polishing the nail;
• cotton pads.

When using methods that do not require the use of foil, the last item on the list necessary materials exclude. The rest of the above list does not change. Should be cooked large quantity nail polish remover.

Interesting to know: an orange stick can be replaced with an ordinary cotton swab, nail polish remover with acetone, instead of grape seed oil, ordinary baby cream or hand cream.

Shellac removal process at home

As mentioned above, shellac is removed with or without foil. Acetone is often used instead of nail polish remover. Let's consider each of these methods in more detail.

Removal with foil

The shellac removal procedure begins with a thorough treatment of the skin around the nails. protective cream or oil, which will avoid negative impact solvents on it. Wash your hands thoroughly, apply a protective substance and rub it into the skin. After that, the nail is polished with a polishing file, while removing the top top layer of the coating. This can be omitted, however, chemical-resistant TOP will put a woman in front of the need to process gel polish with a solvent for a longer time.

After the TOP is removed, it is necessary to apply a solvent liquid to the nails. To do this, cotton pads are moistened in acetone, slightly squeezed and wrapped around each finger that needs to be processed. If there is French manicure, the disk should completely cover the tip of the nail on the treated side.

The superimposed discs are fixed to the nail with pieces of foil, wrapping it around each finger in a circle and giving the foil the necessary shape. Each nail should be in a kind of case that does not allow the solvent to evaporate from the cotton pad. At the same time, it is recommended to hold your hands with the back of your hand up, slightly raising your fingers. This will ensure that liquid vapors reach the tips of the nails.

Discs treated with acetone should be kept on the fingers for about 15 minutes. After that, the foil is removed and the result is evaluated. Gel polish should come off in shreds. Departure of an even and dense coating layer indicates the need for longer processing.

The outgoing varnish is removed with an orange or cotton swab moistened with acetone. In addition, it is permissible to use a metal manicure spatula. Insufficiently dissolved traces of varnish can be removed by re-treatment of the nail with acetone or filed off with a nail file designed for polishing nails.

How to remove the coating without foil

To remove gel polish without foil wrapping, you will need a small container filled with solvent liquid or acetone. The preparatory stage is no different from the above method. The nail is also processed with a nail file to remove the TOP, hands are thoroughly lubricated with a protective cream or oil.

After that, the fingers are immersed in the liquid so that the nails are completely lowered into the solution. In this position, they are kept for about 8 minutes, after which they are removed, wipe their hands with a dry cloth and remove the outgoing varnish with a stick or a pusher. Unremoved traces of the coating on the nails are again immersed in a solvent agent for 1-2 minutes, after which the cleansing attempt is repeated again.

After the complete removal of the varnish, the hands are thoroughly washed in running water and treated with products to moisturize the skin and restore the structure of the nail. This is necessary, since the treatment with chemicals containing acetone leads to damage to the nail plates. In this case, the nail becomes ugly and brittle.

This is important: removing shellac by immersing your fingertips in a solvent composition is possible only if there are no lesions on the skin and symptoms of skin diseases. Even the most harmless solvents have a certain irritating effect and can aggravate the course of the disease.

Removal with acetone

To remove shellac yourself, the use of acetone is possible, but not desirable. The fact is that the solvent is a rather aggressive chemical substance that can adversely affect human health. With local contact (immersion of nails in a liquid), local and general allergic reactions may occur, such as urticaria, angioedema, anaphylactic shock. In addition, the substance greatly dries the skin and disrupts the structure of the nail, which further requires measures to restore it.

In addition to the above, while being near a container with acetone, poisoning with its vapors is possible. In this case, the victim develops edema of the respiratory tract, respiratory failure, damage to the central nervous system. In order to avoid such phenomena, it is recommended to think in advance about how shellac can be removed without the use of toxic chemical compounds. If the decision is made to use acetone, it is necessary to use respiratory protection equipment while being near the container or carry out the procedure with maximum access to fresh air.

Where to buy and how much do shellac removers cost?

The popularity of shellac also determines the widespread use of means for removing it. The compositions have significant differences in price, quality, volume, country of origin and their chemical components. Today, you can buy the necessary liquid in cosmetics stores, beauty salons, online stores. For example, Yandex Market offers about 70 types of liquid, the cost of which varies from 50 to 1500 rubles. The goods are delivered within Moscow and the Moscow region.

Approximate prices for various funds are presented in the list below:

• Lafitel - 122 rubles;
• Severina - 455 rubles;
• Ganni gel polish remover - 200 rubles;
• Domix - 129 rubles;
• CND shellac - 1500 rubles;
• Dream - 55 rubles;
• Acetone - 20 rubles.

When calculating the budget, you should include in it not only the cost of the nail polish remover itself, but also the amount of financial costs required to purchase other consumables: hand cream, cotton buds, foil and more. In some cases, visiting a beauty salon may be more cost-effective than buying the necessary funds for personal use.

Nail restoration

It's no secret that shellac itself does not damage nails. However, in the process of removal, a rather serious chemical effect is exerted on the structure itself and the skin near the nail. This requires certain measures aimed at restoring damaged tissues.

Herbal bath

After the manicure has been removed, the nails are restored by applying herbal baths. To strengthen the plates, herbs such as yarrow, nettle, crushed oak bark are used.

To prepare a solution, 1 tablespoon of dry raw materials is poured into a 0.5 liter container, poured with boiling water and infused for half an hour. The resulting composition is filtered through gauze and, if necessary, heated. The temperature of the infusion should be 36-38˚С.

The nails are immersed in the resulting broth, kept for 15 minutes, after which the hands are wiped dry with a towel. The procedure is repeated every other day, the total number of baths should not exceed 10-12 times.

Iodine bath

Once the shellac has been removed, the nails can be repaired with iodine. As a rule, baths with the addition of this component also include other restorative elements. Below are popular recipes for nail regeneration.

1. Iodine and salt: add 3-4 drops of iodine and 1 tablespoon of salt to 200 ml of water. The components are mixed, after which the phalanges of the fingers are immersed in the resulting product. The duration of the procedure is no more than 15 minutes. Baths are done every other day for 1-2 weeks.
2. Iodine and medicinal herbs: 5 drops of iodine are added to the herbal decoction, the preparation of which was described in the section above. The treatment process is no different from that when using purely herbal formulations.
3. Oil, water and iodine: to prepare an oil-iodine bath, you should take 1 glass of water (200 ml), 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and a teaspoon of an alcohol solution of iodine. Iodine is added to water, mixed, after which the resulting substance is mixed with oil. To do this, the composition is heated in a water bath. The exposure time of nails in such a bath is 7-10 minutes. The procedure is repeated every other day, for a week.

It is worth noting that when using iodine, it is unacceptable to violate the treatment regimen in a big way. An increase in the number of procedures or the concentration of the active substance may not have the best effect on the state of health.

beer bath

Beer nail bath is a decoction of chamomile flowers made on beer. The drug is easily made at home. To do this, take 250 ml of dark beer, heat it up without boiling, pour 1 tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers with the heated drink. The liquid is insisted for 15 minutes in a water bath, after which it is filtered and cooled.

It is necessary to use the bath daily, for 15 minutes a day. The result is noticeable within a few days after the start of treatment. Such baths do not pose a danger and can be used prophylactically for a long period of time.

lemon bath

bath using lemon juice allows you to restore the structure of nails, whiten them and accelerate growth. To prepare it, you need to mix 100 grams of glycerin, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of honey. The mixture is heated to a comfortable temperature, after which the phalanges of the fingers are immersed in it. The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes. The frequency of execution is every other day. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.

salt bath

To prepare the solution, table or sea salt is used. A tablespoon of the mineral is dissolved in 200 ml of water heated to 40 ° C, after which the composition is considered ready. The phalanges of the fingers are immersed in salt water and kept in it for 20 minutes. After the procedure, it is recommended to rinse your hands and treat them with cream.

Interesting to know: a salt bath becomes more useful and pleasant if you add a few drops of aromatic essential oil. In addition, almost any restorative components can be added to the solution: iodine, a concentrated decoction of medicinal herbs, citrus fruit juice.

From the foregoing, it is clear how to quickly remove shellac and restore nails after exposure to gel polish removers. Using the knowledge gained, every woman can keep her nails in a well-groomed and healthy condition for many years.

Hello!

Just a warning: if you are not a fan of unaesthetic photos (raw cuticles, filed nails, etc.) - just do not read this post :)

There are two reasons for the action that you are about to see: 1) I am sick and cannot go to the salon, and not very well-made shellac is already completely indecently falling off in pieces 2) uncontrollable curiosity. Taking advantage of the fact that I am sitting at home, and no one will see my potential fail, I decided to try to do something terrible - remove shellac at home without special means! :)

What happened - look.

I had such a shellac, I show a more decent hand, where I have not picked anything yet :)

Step one- we cut the top well with a rough file. In general, non-lazy manicurists also do this (although it’s not clear what to be lazy about, after that shellac slides off without any problems at all). We are not hacking here, we are trying to cut down the entire top layer to the maximum. The better we cut it, the easier the liquid will penetrate into the shellac structure.

step two- according to the standard scheme, we “tear” pieces of a paper towel, prepare the foil, pour ZHSL into the lid. I have the most common, Sally Hansen (without acetone, which is so necessary in this case!)

Step Three- we dip the napkins in ZhDSL, gently apply it to the nail, wrap it with foil. If you are afraid that the napkin will slip: prepare larger pieces so that they can be wrapped around your finger. Thus, the napkin will stick and will not slip.

We are waiting for 10-15 minutes :) I waited about 12. It probably cost more.

Step Four- remove the foil ... It looked promising :) The bottom edge “bulged out” correctly, the rest was easily removed with a wooden stick. In general, everything was not very difficult to remove, but as if there were pieces of the base and the surface of the nail was very uneven.

And here's what happened. (For the faint of heart, this is the final warning!)

Not really, right? Concerning step five- take a file and process the surface of the nail. I need to find a suitable file, I processed my thumb with a too rough file and now I don’t have it in a very presentable form. In general, you need to find a middle ground. Well, then polish the whole thing with a buff.

As a result, the nails look like this:

Already better! And after treatment with Aevit, like this:

What are the results?
- Is the effect similar to the salon?
I'd give it a four plus. Still, in the cabin, less shellac cutting is required at the very end.
Is it worth doing this all the time?
I wouldn't. But as an emergency measure (you are somewhere where you cannot remove shellac), the method can be fully borne in mind.
And it’s also a nice way to save money, because in my experience, shellac itself can be done on a budget, but even in the most democratic salons, removal is usually not cheap.
- Does it harm nails?
Since this is my first such experiment, my nails are now a little "scratched". But I think it will be easy to recover.

Thank you all for your attention, I hope it was useful.

Shellac is a nail coating consisting of liquid gel and professional varnish. Recently, the number of fans of shellac is becoming more and more. This is due to the fact that with the help of this technology, a bright manicure is obtained, which makes the nails not only beautiful, but also protects them from the effects of aggressive factors and helps to strengthen the nail plate. But is it possible to remove the annoying coating at home?

How long does shellac last

But nothing lasts forever under the moon ... This also applies to Shellac gel polish. Although this coating is considered strong enough, sooner or later it should be removed, since the nail gradually grows back, the varnish itself loses its original view. Technology developers and material manufacturers guarantee that shellac will stay on nails for 2 weeks.

But life always makes its own adjustments. According to some women, the varnish lasts much longer - up to 3-4 weeks. Others complain that after a few days there was no trace of a chic manicure: the coating cracked, peeled off, faded, etc.

There are three reasons why shellac quickly lost its "marketable" appearance.

1. The coating technology was violated (for example, the nails were not degreased before the procedure, the exact drying time under a UV lamp was not maintained, etc.).
2. Poor quality, damaged or expired materials used.
3. Gel polish after application was subjected to rough physical exertion or aggressive chemical attack from "thermonuclear" household products.
4. The plates to which the product was applied were already thin, weak or even damaged from the very beginning (for example, strong delamination or creases at the tips). Some persistent lovers of their “natural nails” force the master to work with obviously poor-quality “source material”. Naturally, complaints about shellac that quickly peeled off at the site of damage to the nail are unjustified here. And not a single master will give guarantees for such “forced labor”.

How not to remove the cover

Many women, in order to save money, try to remove shellac on their own at home. It is quite possible to do this. However, the process of removing the coating must be carried out correctly, otherwise, instead of the promised strengthening of the nails under the influence of shellac, you can completely lose them or introduce an infection into them.

It is strictly forbidden to cut off the coating mechanically using abrasive materials or, even worse, wire cutters. This is fraught with the fact that the nail plate will be subject to severe thinning and injury. Accordingly, the nails will become weak, brittle, and will grow poorly. In addition, inflammation of the periungual bed is possible.

You should also not try to use gasoline, kerosene, acids, etc. as a solvent for shellac. Firstly, the effect on the coating will be minimal, and secondly, the skin of the hands and nails will suffer greatly from aggressive chemicals.

When using "barbaric" methods of removing the coating, the nails require long-term treatment

Shellac Removal Tools

Gel polish removal kit includes convenient caps

However, if there is no such set in the house, shellac can be removed using improvised means. To do this, prepare:

1. Remover or acetone (nail polish remover).
2. An orangewood stick or pusher.
3. Soft nail file (150/180 grit).
4. Soft buff for nails.
5. Cleaning brush.
6. Cotton discs. They should be cut into four pieces.
7. food foil. It must be cut into pieces measuring 7x10 cm.

To remove shellac yourself, you can use improvised means.

How to remove it correctly: step by step instructions with a photo

1. First, be sure to wash your hands to completely remove sebum from the surface of the nails.

   The presence of oily contaminants nail plate will worsen the softening process of shellac

2. To facilitate the removal of shellac with a file, you can remove the top layer of the coating.

   The top layer of shellac is removed with a soft nail file

3. Soak a cotton pad thoroughly with nail polish remover.
4. Apply the moistened disc to the nail plate.

   A cotton pad soaked in shellac remover is applied to the nail

   If the composition of the removing liquid contains acetone, then Vaseline or vaseline can be applied to the cuticle and side ridges around the nail. natural oils, which will prevent the penetration of the chemical into the pores.

5. Then the phalanx must be tightly wrapped with prepared food foil to fix the sponge well. If there is no foil in the house, then adhesive plaster can be used instead.

   The foil keeps the cotton pad in place and prevents the shellac remover from evaporating.

6. All fingers are treated in a similar way. The duration of the funds for shellac should be an average of 10-15 minutes. If a liquid that does not contain acetone is used as a solvent, then the time period can be increased, since the nail will not undergo severe drying, and the coating will soften more. In order to better remove shellac, fingers can be slightly warmed up with a UV lamp or a hair dryer, heating pad, etc.

   Nails on all fingers are prepared for removal of the coating in the same way.

7. After that, the foil and cotton pad should be removed. The coating must be removed with a wooden stick or a pusher (it is better to give preference to an orange stick - so the likelihood of damage to the nail plate is low). If acetone was used as a solvent, then the pusher should not be metal!
   Remove foil from fingers one at a time. Only after the shellac has been removed from one nail, you can remove the wrapper from the next.
   

   Shellac is removed from each nail with a wooden stick or pusher

8. Sometimes shellac is not completely removed. Those areas of the nails from which the varnish has not been removed well can be cleaned with light movements without pressure with a soft nail file.

   Removing shellac residue with a soft nail file

9. The next step is polishing the nail plate with a manicure buff.
10. The resulting dust is removed with a brush.
11. After the shellac removal procedure, the nails and cuticles look somewhat dried. To soften and moisturize them, it is recommended to apply a few drops of oil (for example, olive oil). Each phalanx should be well massaged.

    

As already mentioned, shellac is a hybrid of gel and varnish. Removing it, although for a long time, is quite simple if you know what tools are required.

It is not always possible to contact a manicure studio, so it is desirable that you have the necessary funds at home. Now they are freely available in most cosmetic stores, but it is better to go to a professional shop.

Specialized products and tools cause less damage to nails. It is enough for the hostess of manicure to choose the most suitable way removing the cover, and then purchase everything you need. As a rule, one method does not always completely remove shellac, so it is worth purchasing all the tools and materials. So, to remove shellac, you may need:

• orange stick or pusher;
• special coating remover or isopropyl alcohol;
• foil;
• cotton pads;
• manicure machine;
• buff and files;
• cuticle oil.

All items can be purchased individually or in a professional set. Consultants will advise the best kit for removing shellac.

In addition, at home, you can replace professional tools more accessible and affordable materials. They are no worse in their qualities, however, it may take a little more time to remove the coating.

How to remove shellac

When everything you need is purchased, you can begin to remove the coating. There are several common shellac removal options. All of them are not difficult, so even a girl who is starting to try herself in this area can cope with them.

Method number 1. Simplest

In the salon, the coating is most often removed with a special machine for manicure - a milling cutter. They are available in professional cosmetic stores. If the coating is done regularly, and it is not always possible to go to the salon, you should buy yourself such a device.

There are many models on the market, but home use not the most expensive milling cutter is simpler. As a rule, interchangeable cutters are attached to the fixture. To remove shellac, it is better to use ceramic fine-grained nozzles.

The essence of the method is that the milling cutter removes the coating like a file. The head rotates around its axis at a speed of 700-1200 revolutions (depending on the model). This is enough to quickly and effectively remove the old manicure.

Many girls are afraid to do it on their own, but there is nothing dangerous about it. It is enough to choose a softer cutter, and after the procedure (which, by the way, takes no more than 15 minutes), lubricate the nail plate and cuticle with oil.

Method number 2. saloon

Another popular option in the salon for removing the coating is nozzles on the fingers. In the world of nail design, any specialist knows what it is. Nozzles are "clothespins" that are attached to each finger. A special liquid for removing the gel is poured onto the sponge, “built-in” inside the nozzle (you can buy it at any cosmetic store), and then the “clothespin” is attached to the finger.

The entire structure should be held for 7 to 12 minutes (depending on the brand and effectiveness of the product). After the time specified in the instructions for the preparation, remove the clothespins, and remove the remaining coating with a pusher or orange sticks.

If, after this manipulation, gel particles remain on the nails, they should be removed with a fine-grained nail file or buff. When the coating completely disappears, treat the nail plate and cuticles with oil or just with a greasy cream.

Method number 3. The simplest home

Almost all girls who do gel manicure at home on their own recommend using the proven and easiest way.

To remove shellac using this method, you will need ordinary foil, cotton pads, an orange stick and gel polish remover.

The point is simple. Cotton pads should be divided into 2 equal parts and each in liquid. Fold the separated layers of circles in half or cut in half and apply to each nail. Wrap the top with foil. This shiny aluminum part is not just for fixing cotton pads: the foil enhances the reaction between the liquid and the gel.

Foil with cotton wool and liquid should be kept on the fingers for about 15-20 minutes. When all attributes are removed, shellac usually cracks or easily leaves a thin film. Pieces of the coating must be removed with a pusher or orange stick.

If the coating is too strong, and the first time it was not possible to get rid of it, the procedure can be repeated, or another method can be applied. For better impact and removal, it is recommended to first cut off the upper fixing layer with a regular file.

You can try to remove shellac without foil, leaving the rest of the manipulations. However, it is usually not possible to completely remove the coating. In addition, it is important to remove discs from each finger in turn. The problem is that when the product dries and the varnish comes into contact with oxygen, the manicure hardens back, and it is already problematic to remove it without resorting to liquid.

Method number 4. Isopropyl alcohol

This substance is usually sold freely, it is easy to buy and it is inexpensive. In addition, alcohol is not so aggressive to the cuticle and skin around the nail, due to which women of fashion often use the method of removing shellac using this liquid.

It is important to consider that isopropyl alcohol takes a little longer than professional gel polish remover, so the time spent on removing the coating will increase.

The algorithm is the same: moisten cotton pads in alcohol and attach to the nail plate. For convenience and fixation, you can use nail clips, foil, plaster or cling film. The exposure time is about 20-25 minutes. After removing the cotton pads, you need to remove the remnants of the coating with a stick, and finish polishing with a buff.