If you're into nails, you know there's nothing more satisfying than walking out of the salon with a fresh set of acrylics. But after spending weeks with those glamorous nails, you also know what's to come: the dreaded and tedious acrylic nail removal process.

"It is important to remove acrylics in the proper way, such as by soaking them, rather than breaking them off yourself and removing them from your natural nails, which can damage them," explains Syreeta Aaron, an educator at LeChat Nails. "Peeling the acrylic off the natural nail means removing an extra layer from the nail. The more layers that are peeled off, the more damage is done to the nail. Aaron explained, "The nail is composed of hard keratin, strictly the same stuff that skin is made of," adding, "Peeling off the extra layer is like peeling off extra skin." (3]

Experts recommend seeking a qualified nail technician to safely remove acrylics, but they can also be removed at home. Read DIY removal advice from Aaron, celebrity manicurist and Masterclass Nail Academy CEO Julie Kandalec (opens in new tab), and CND Nail Education Ambassador Vanessa McCullough.

First, use an acrylic nail clipper to cut off any extensions or acrylic coating that protrudes from the natural nail. Cutting off the excess will make the removal process easier.

Using a coarse No. 100-grit nail file, scrape off the acrylic coating to thin the acrylic and scratch the surface. The scratches that the file makes on the acrylic are important, because they act as grooves that allow the next coat of acetone to be absorbed more quickly.

Whatever you do, stay away from nail salons that use harsh chemicals like methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the acrylic application process. Kandarek explains, "To remove this unsafe acrylic, you have to really wreck the nail bed and cause permanent damage to the natural nail."

Before removing the acrylic, you need to rehydrate, rehydrate, rehydrate. Kandarek says, "Acetone remover can be very drying, so be sure to apply cuticle oil around the nail, on the cuticle, and under the nail to the fingertips."

McCullough recommends cuticle oils such as CND Solar Oil (opens in new tab).

Aaron recommends first determining whether you are using regular polish or gel over acrylics. If you are using regular polish then you can begin the soaking process right away." If there is gel polish on top of the acrylic, you must first break the surface layer or topcoat of the gel polish.

Soak a cotton ball in 100 percent pure acetone, place the cotton ball on the nail surface, and wrap each nail in foil. Wrapping the nails in foil serves two purposes: "It prevents the acetone from evaporating too quickly," says Kandarek, "and it also keeps body heat out, which makes the acetone work even faster. Be sure to leave each nail wrapped for at least 20 minutes to allow the acetone acrylic to break down completely.

If you don't immediately reapply the nail polish, Aaron offers further advice. He says, "If you don't plan to put the gel polish back on your natural nails, start soaking them in 100% acetone mixed with a few drops of cuticle oil, such as LeChat CBD cuticle oil.

Remove the wrap and work on one nail at a time, leaving the other nails wrapped as much as possible. Says McCullough, "Make sure the acrylic is soft and gummy in consistency after you remove the plastic wrap."

If it peels off, use a wooden stick cuticle pusher to gently scrape off the softened acrylic from the area near the cuticle to the tip of the nail. If the acrylic does not peel off easily, do not pry. Instead, stop, place the acetone-soaked cotton back on the nail, wrap it around again, and wait a few minutes.

No matter how carefully you remove the acrylic, stubborn stains may remain on the nail bed. If it does remain, buff it out with a multi-sided buffer until the nail bed is clean and smooth.

Finally, apply cuticle oil to rehydrate the nails. If you do not plan to use new acrylics immediately, finish with a keratin-based nail treatment such as CND RescueRXx. Says McCullough, "Nails are made of keratin, so this nail treatment actually absorbs into the nail matrix layer, making them stronger and healthier."