You’ve probably experienced that awful feeling where you were stuck in a room with a chipped manicure and had no acetone laying around to fix it. Or you were suddenly craving a nail polish change at midnight and the closest shop selling acetone was already closed. If you were looking, or you are currently seeking, a quick DIY nail polish remover, heads up, we got you covered!
Why You Should Avoid Acetone
Almost 85% of nail polish removers contain acetone. Worryingly, acetone is also known and used as a paint thinner. In order to have healthy nails, you should avoid acetone at all costs. This liquid also smells quite harsh and can be quite addictive, and let’s not forget that is flammable. But besides these two factors, the one that you should be most worried about is the fact that it dries your nails, cuticles, and hands.
Hydration can be a bit difficult to restore after you soak your nails in acetone, and that’s why sometimes those layers of nail polish are harder to apply. The surface itself becomes damaged and super dry, so you need to use all sorts of creams and oils in order to restore it. That’s why you should probably avoid acetone and seek some homemade remedies.
Seven DIY Nail Polish Remover Ideas
1. Black Nail Polish
Sounds weird, right? This is a less known DIY nail polish remover that not that many people go for. If you have a light colored manicure and a darker brown or black nail polish laying around you can use it as a nail polish remover. Apply the darker shade on your nails in two thick coats and wipe it all off with a cotton ball. Work as fast as you can so it doesn’t dry. Later on, wash your hands with warm water and soap to get the residue out.
2. Toothpaste
Who’d knew that toothpaste could be used on anything else besides teeth? You will need a small drop of white toothpaste on each of your nails in order to remove the polish. Scrub it all in with an old toothbrush and you will pull off the color in a few seconds!
3. Sprays
If you got either a body spray or a hairspray laying around you can either of these to get the color off. The nozzle of the spray should remain only a couple of centimeters away from the nail. Do all of your nails and then wipe the substance with a cotton ball.
However, know that these two can also dry out your nails and cause them to peel and to appear brittle. That’s why you should use these two methods with caution.
4. Lemon Juice and Vinegar
A truly safe and homemade DIY nail polish remover! You will need 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Create a unique, yet safe paste, and use it as a nail polish remover. After your paste is all mixed up and done, soak your fingers in warm water for about 10 minutes. Then, dip a cotton ball in your mixture and rub your nails with it. Take your time and spend about 10 to 15 seconds per nail to get the color off.
5. Top Coat
Everyone has got a nail polish top coat laying around, so this idea is very easy to follow along. Apply a top coat over your nails, one nail at a time, and wipe it off with a cotton ball. Apply it pretty much in the same way as you’d do it with black nail polish. It is even okay to repeat this procedure a couple of times if you are not satisfied with the outcome.
6. Perfume
Another item that you probably have laying around at home. Take your cotton ball and dip it into the perfume and remove the polish with it. You will see that the manicure will come off super fast and easy and that it gets the job done as fast as acetone would.
But yet again, this is another method that will dry out your nails so you should use it with caution and only stick to it as your last resort.
7. Warm Water and a Cloth
This natural and chemical-free DIY nail polish remover is the best way to make your nails shine and look like new! Soak your nails in warm water for about 20 minutes, so that they become super soft. Take your nails out of the water and rub them with a dry cloth. Nail polish will come off effortlessly and it won’t damage your nails in any way.
