Gel nail polish and Shellac have changed the manicure game thanks to their ability to stay on for upwards of two weeks without chipping. Only professionals can apply this type of polish, and the same mostly goes for its removal. “If it’s not driving you wild then the best thing you can do is wait,” says Elyse Connery, owner of Toronto’s Angora Nails, who recommends filing down length and any broken edges.
Although not ideal, there is a way to remove pro polish at home. “You have to use acetone,” Connery says. Start by buffing your nails so that all of the shiny coating is removed. Soak cotton pads or paper towel in acetone, wrap them over your nails using tinfoil and wait until polish is easily removed with a metal cuticle pusher. If you have pure acetone on hand, this should only take a few minutes. If you’re using a remover designed for regular polish, Connery warns that it could take an hour.
To help give your next at-home manicure some professional polish, Hammam Spa is including a free manicure kit with the online purchase of two bottles of Smith & Cult nail lacquer.
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Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Powder Posse, $24 through hammamspa.ca.
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