Gather: acetone (100% preferred), cotton pads, aluminum foil, nail file/buffer, cuticle pusher, petroleum jelly or cuticle oil, clips or foil strips, paper towels
Protect skin: apply petroleum jelly around nails and on surrounding cuticles
File the top coat: gently buff and file the shiny gel surface until it looks matte (avoid filing to bare nail)
Soak off: saturate cotton pads with acetone and place on each nail
Secure: wrap each fingertip with aluminum foil to hold the cotton in place
Wait: keep wrapped for 10–15 minutes
Check: gently slide off foil and cotton; if gel isn’t loosened, rewrap for another 5 minutes
Remove residue: use a cuticle pusher to gently lift remaining gel
Finish: buff lightly to remove thin residue and wipe with acetone-free cleanser
Hydrate: apply cuticle oil and a thick hand moisturizer
If gel won’t lift: do not force; rewrap with acetone in 5-minute intervals until it releases
Avoid: scraping aggressively, cutting into nails/cuticles, using metal tools to pry hard