Question on Nail Polish Clean-up

[Cathy J]

I know there must be some girls out there who use their own fingernails as opposed to stick-ons, etc. I'm lucky enough to be able to let my natural nails grow at least 1/8" beyond my fingertips and I have long shaped nails also.

My question is how do you remove all the nail polish from them, including the cuticle area. I seem to always have some red traces that close inspection would show. My SO is near-sighted so doesn't notice.

I am using Sally Hansen "Quick-Off" and follow up with a cue-tip moistened with polish remover, but can't seem to get the last little bits. I'm sure even you girls that use stick-ons have to clean up after also.

ANY HINTS??

I just love this forum and all you girls for your thoughts and love for one another.

My love to you all.

CATHY

[Ellaine]

Hi Cathy Simply use a clear varnish as a first coat, getting right into the cuticles and sides.
Problem solved!
:)

[KatieZ]

Kiss Artificial Nail Remover is what I use.

It has soft nylon bristles that scrub right down into the cuticle. And you can refill with nail polish remover as it gets low.






Hugs

[wendy]

I've always wondered about the same thing, I also run into the same issue of polish on the cuticles. Some good advice here, thanks !:D :D

[JoAnnDallas]

Funny you should ask. My sister was having a BIG yard sale, so wife agreed to stay over there Thursday and Friday night. So I got two nights to play. When I went to take off my nail polish that Thursday evening, I noticed that not all of it was coming off. I got enough off so that no one noticed, but my nails still had a very slight Red cast to them. Then that Sunday I cracked a nail right across the middle. hurt like hell. I knew I had to get it fixed and I really needed a cut back and fill, so I went to a local nail salon, since my normal salon is across town near my sister's place.

So here I sat with a nail tech I did not know, and she looks at my nails, looks me in the eye and says "You should have used clear polish before you put the Red polish on." Shocked the heck out of me, but at the same time I realized that she was not making anything of it. It was more a comment than anything else. So she said she would have to remove the old acrylic and apply a new coat. I say OK, and she fixed the broken nail, cut them back a little, and reapplied new acrylic. When she was all done. She put clear polish on them and the asked if I wanted color. I said "No, not at this time". She said "OK, but remember to use clear polish first before you put color on and you will not have any problem when you remove the color polish". I thanked her and gave her a bigger tip than I was going to. She was too cool.

[HaleyPink2000]

Thanks Joann.

I had been thinking of ways to get the red polish off. I have tried all kinds of products. There is always just that little bit left over. I used the nail polish remover that comes in a jar that you put your finger into. Then twist back and forth. It has a spongy area for cleaning your nails in the jar with also the liquid solvent. But I will start doing the clear top coat first to seal the cutical areas.


Thanks!!!! :)

[DonnaT]

Red, as you've noticed, is the hardest color to get off, so a clear udercoating is very important. However, even this does not always help, so make sure to use several layers of undercoating and try very hard to stay away from the cuticle and skin areas when applying the polish.

[Ellie]

I've had this problem as well. The clear coat only works to a point, plus it takes that much longer to paint your nails.

Used to be that Avon sold a paint on nail polish that will simply peel off when you are done. Obviously this is only for those like me that want the polish to last only a few hours.

I picked up an Avon sales rep card at the local deli and gave them a call. Turns out Avon is bringing it back!

I'll let you know how they turn out.


p.s. I did a quick google search for "peel off nail polish" and found:
http://www.cosmeticbag.com/cgi-bin/cm.cgi?target=cool_new

I might try these as well.

[Melinda G]

I have a couple of baby toothbrushes that are handy for a lot of things. I dip the toothbrush in the nailpolish remover and quickly scrub off the polish, before the remover evaporates. The tip of a paring knife will get any small missed spots.

[mskilmer]

Used to be that Avon sold a paint on nail polish that will simply peel off when you are done. Obviously this is only for those like me that want the polish to last only a few hours.

I picked up an Avon sales rep card at the local deli and gave them a call. Turns out Avon is bringing it back!

I'll let you know how they turn out.


My wife and I saw these advertised the other day. Didn't know they'd been out before ... we thought they were something new! We both wanna try them.

[Glenda]

Use the nail polish remover to remove the color from the big surfaces. Then pour a little into the cap of the polish remover bottle. Dip the toothbrush into the cap and (gently) scrub the rest away.

[Deanna2]

One way of not having this problem is to not create it in the first place. Now I don't mean not to paint your nails. I just love doing and always have on clear polish anyway. But when you are doing colours the trick is not to paint all the way into the quick. This serves two purposes. First is it is easier to remove all traces of polish. The second and more subtle point is that it makes your fingers appear less large, particularly if you have large hands to start with.

[DonnaT]

Also, use a damp cotton ball, not a saturated one, to remove the polish. If you use too much remover, the red saturates to remover with red color which then flows to areas it becomes hard to reach.

[michellecd9999]

Funny this appears at this time. This week, I did something I have NEVER done before. I painted my toe nails. I did think about the problem of it getting in the cracks and cuticles (sp?) so I put a coat or clear polish on first and let it dry. Then I applied the red coat (a color my wife does not have).
After enjoyihng the look for a few hours ( and a few pics) I needed to remove it. I got the main part off easily, but there was still red in the cracks and cuticles. It took me 30 mins of scrubbing with LOTS of nail remover and getting into the cracks with my fingernails to get the polish out. I used my fingernails and even a knife to get the red polish out of the areas around between my nails and skin. I finally got if all out but it took a while and lots of nail polish remover!
Michelle

[Kate Simmons]

I just use polish and cotton balls and the Q-tip trick. I may have to use 6 Q-tip if the polish is really red but it seems to work for me. Ericka

[DanaJ]

1) Use a clear base coat, especially for blues and reds (which can stain your nails)
2) do not touch your cuticles with the polish, that is, do not polish right up to the cuticles
3) when removing, do NOT soak the removal pad or cotton ball with remover, just dampen it. If you use too much remover, the thinned out polish will then run into all the nooks and crannies. THIS is what makes nail polish hard to remove.
4) hold the removal pad or cotton ball on the nail for a few seconds to soften the polish, then wipe outwards towards the ends of your nails
5) go over all your nails, then take a new pad or ball and go over all nails again
6) if necessary, use a Q-tip (cotton bud) to get around the cuticles
7) scrub well with soap and water and a nail brush
8) use a moisturizer and cuticle oil when finished


I get my nails done weekly at a salon, and never have any trouble with removal, 3 minutes tops......

[laurie6989]

While I know this may not be the most original idea, but i was having the same problems as you girls. I agree the first and foremost thing to do is use clear polish before using any color.
But i found that almost all the brands of polish remover just didnt work that good, some smelled better than others but usually worked worse.
So i went to the hardware store and bought a little bottle of PVC/ABS pipe cleaner. It has the acetone in it, and it is MUCH stronger.
Plus its cheap, and comes with a cotton brush built right into the cap that really gets into the nail really well. i can go from color to nothing in a matter of seconds!!!!!!!! Of course you want to wash it all off as soon as you are done.

oh, and the smell is just about as bad as any other polish remover.

L.M. 0.02

[Sweetasapeach]

I just love reading post like this one. When you first try something, like painting the nails, you try to think about all the things you need to do to cover your tracks.

You that live alone are lucky, the pressure is not so intense, but for us that still have others in the house. Panic can really set in when you can't get the red out. Wish I had read about the nails before I did it. The first time took for ever to get the red out.

[Cathy J]

Wow! I didn't think this would be such a popular thread. I'm sorry I haven't replied sooner, but I've been having wicked problems with my Internet provider.

You girls have made some great suggestions, especially about not painting the cuticle. I guess it just takes perseverance to do a good job.

I usually only dress for a very short time (but often and completely) so my nails don't stay painted very long. I don't feel complete without some minimal make-up and nail polish.

Thanks for all your ideas.

Hugs,