'How To Remove Glitter Nail Polish Forever'

 It's the season for festive glitter manicures, which are a lot of fun to wear but a pain to get off. If you're wearing a chunky glitter polish, removing it is like scraping glued-on sand off your nails.

"The ingredients in glitter polishes vary by brand, but the formulas are typically thicker and more glue-like to ensure the glitter blends in well with the polish and

doesn’t flake off," said Lilly Rojas, cofounder of Brooklyn nail salon Lili and Cata.

We asked the pros for their best tips on removing full-on glitter Manis or sparkly accent nails this holiday season. Here's what they said:

Method 1: Soak and Buff

To remove chunky glitter polish from your nails, begin by gently buffing the surface with a nail file to remove the shiny layer of the top coat and break the seal of the manicure. "You don't need to buff too much to remove the top layer," Rojas explained. If you buff away too much, you risk damaging your natural nails.

After removing the top layer, place cotton pads soaked in acetone or nail polish remover on top of your nails for three to five minutes. Although acetone is more effective and faster, it can be drying to the nails and skin.

all around them to keep the cotton pads in place, Rojas suggests using aluminum foil or small rubber bands. Of course, you can remove the glitter polish with your hands, but this limits you to removing it one nail at a time.

When it's time to remove the cotton pads, push them down while pulling them toward your fingertips. Pulling down in a single motion should reduce the amount of glitter that ends up on your hands. "The majority of the glitter should come off," Rojas predicted. As needed, repeat the soaking process.

Method 2: Apply an additional layer of top coat.

It may appear counterintuitive, but applying a fresh layer of top coat can make glitter nail polish easier to remove.

"It adheres to the polish underneath and helps pull it off," said Rachel Apfel Glass, founder of Gloss lab, a membership-based nail studio with locations in New York City and elsewhere.

She suggests applying a top coat, waiting 30 to 60 seconds for it to set and then buffing the nails with an acetone- or remover-soaked cotton pad.

Underneath, apply a peel-off base coat.

This final method necessitates some forethought and will not work if you already have glitter polish on your nails.

A peel-off base coat is a useful tool for easily removing chunky glitter polishes. You can simply peel the polish off your nails, as the name implies. Unlike a long-lasting base coat, which aids in the adhesion of nail polish to your nails, A peel-off base coat keeps nail polish on for a few days and prevents staining. According to Rojas, there are peel-off base coats for both regular and gel polish.

 Allow a layer of peel-off base coat to dry completely before applying your glitter polish. Check out this video for tips on how to keep polish on longer while wearing a peel-off base coat.

If you're wearing a peel-off base coat and preparing food, be mindful of your hands, as polish can come off without warning, resulting in nail polish in your quiche.

When the time comes to remove the polish, "the "Best non-damaging way to remove polish with a peel-off base coat is to soak your nails for a few minutes in a bowl of hot water," Rojas says. She also mentioned that a few drops of cuticle oil in the bowl can help speed up the process.

"If necessary, use an orange wood stick to assist you, and push from the cuticle area down to the free edge," she continued. "You shouldn't have to exert much pressure." Remove the polish one fingernail at a time, being careful not to dent the nail plate with too much downward pressure.

Moisturizing is essential after removal.

Whatever method you use, especially if acetone is involved, it's critical to hydrate your nails, cuticles, and skin.

after removing nail polish from my hands

Glass enjoys using coconut oil. "Not only is it a great hand moisturizer, but it also prevents nails from cracking and becoming brittle," she explained. There are a variety of moisturizing cuticle oils and hand lotions available to help keep your nails in good condition.