The biggest cause of damage to the natural nail is improper gel removal. When applied correctly, using safe nail products, we can confidently say, gel doesn't ruin nails!  A safe (and patient) soak off is vital for the health of your client’s natural nails. It's also crucial to ensure that no damage or over-filing happens during the nail prep process - your client's nail health should always come first.

This week’s Tip Tuesday, we will guide you on how to safely remove gel nails with just a few essential products with our Soak Off Nail Tutorial. You will need an acetone based remover (or pure acetone if you prefer). We’ve also included some extra tips to help you speed up your removal. In the winter, heated mitts can also help if hands are cold.  

If you are e-filed trained, you can use your e-file to thin out the gel before wrapping to soak off. We don’t recommend using an e-file on the natural nail. Patience is key when it comes to removal, never try to force gel off the nail plate, rather apply more cuticle oil and rewrap for a little bit longer.

Summary of our Top Tips

• Thin out the gel as much as possible using an 80 grit file (or e-file) - pay attention the free edge - this is normally the area the gel is the most stubborn
• Prep one nail at a time, wrap with a soak off solution THEN proceed to the thin down the gel on the next nail. This allows the solution to get to work so less waiting around!
• Apply cuticle oil to the surface of the gel & skin before wrapping - protects the skin from acetone
• Apply cuticle oil after unwrapping to stop surface dehydrating quickly
• Never force gel off- rewrap with fresh acetone & check again 
• If it’s cold, use heated mitts while the solution gets to work

If you’re not a nail tech and want to safely soak off your nails at home, this tutorial is also for you! Proper removal and the correct use of products is very important when it comes to looking after your nails and in our tutorial we use minimal filing and cuticle oil to help keep nails healthy and strong, if you choose to soak off at home.