How to Remove Press On Nails Without Damage

The nails themselves are rarely the problem. Almost every bit of damage we hear about comes from the last five minutes, when a set is picked, peeled or prised off in a hurry. Taken off properly, press on nails are one of the kindest options for your natural nails, and your handmade set lives to be worn again. Here is how we do it at Dress For Nails, for every adhesive we sell.

What you need

• A small bowl of warm water with a squeeze of dish soap or hand wash
• Cuticle oil, or any light oil like olive or jojoba
• A wooden cuticle stick (one comes in every kit)
• Our nail glue remover liquid for stubborn glue, or a little acetone as a last resort
• A soft buffer and a towel

No metal tools. If a nail will not come off, the answer is more soaking, never more force.

First, work out what is holding them on

Every set from us comes with sticky tabs and nail glue, and some customers use our solid gel adhesive instead. Each one lets go differently, so match the method to how you applied them.

Method 1: removing sticky tab press ons

Sticky tabs are designed for short wear, so they are the easiest to remove. Run your hands under warm water, or soak them in the bowl, for one to two minutes. Then slide the flat end of the cuticle stick under the side of the nail near the cuticle and lift gently. The nail should release with a soft peel. If it resists, soak for another minute rather than pushing harder.

Once the nail is off, the tab usually stays on the back of the press on or on your natural nail. Peel it away slowly, and if a sticky film is left behind, a drop of cuticle oil rubbed in with your thumb lifts it. Our sticky nail adhesive tabs are reusable gel stickers, so a clean set of press ons is ready for a fresh tab next time.

Method 2: removing glued on press ons

Nail glue is strong, which is why a glued set lasts a week or two. Give it the respect it deserves and the set will still come off cleanly.

1. Soak. Put your fingertips in the warm soapy water for 10 to 15 minutes. Warmth softens the glue and the soap helps the water get under the edges. A cup of tea's worth of patience is the whole secret.
2. Oil the edges. Dry your hands and work cuticle oil around the base and sides of each nail. Oil creeps into the softened glue and breaks the bond further.
3. Lift from the side. Slide the cuticle stick under one side of the nail, near the cuticle, and rock it gently. You are looking for the nail to start to lift on its own. Move around the edge as it loosens rather than levering from one spot.
4. Stubborn nail? Soak that finger again, or apply our nail glue remover liquid along the edge, wait a minute and try again. Only reach for acetone if nothing else works, and keep it to the edge that is stuck, because long soaks dull the finish on your press ons.
5. Clean up. Any glue left on your natural nail softens with another minute of soaking and can be rolled off with the cuticle stick, then buffed lightly. Wash your hands and finish with cuticle oil or hand cream.

The whole thing takes about 20 minutes for ten nails. If you want the longest wear possible before you get to this step, read our guide on how to make press on nails last longer.

Method 3: solid gel adhesive is different

Solid gel adhesive cures under a UV lamp, which is what gives it such a strong, flexible hold. The flip side is that it does not dissolve in water or acetone, so a soak will not shift it, and trying to pry a cured set off is the quickest way to hurt your nails. Solid gel needs a UV gel removal pen that softens the adhesive so the set lifts away. We will be stocking the pen soon, and we will link it from our tutorials as soon as it is live. Until then, if you like to change sets often, apply with sticky tabs or nail glue rather than solid gel.

Look after your natural nails afterwards

Whichever method you used, the aftercare is the same and it takes two minutes. Buff away any leftover adhesive, wash your hands, then massage cuticle oil into each nail and the skin around it. If you have been wearing press ons back to back, give your nails a day off between sets every so often. A thin coat of strengthening base coat helps if they feel soft, and so does keeping them short while they recover.

Peeling, thin patches or white spots come from prying nails off, not from wearing them. If that has happened before, the fix is in the removal, not the product.

Clean your press ons so you can wear them again

This is the part people skip, and it is what makes a set reusable. Peel any tab off the back of each nail. For glue, let the nails sit in the warm soapy water for a few minutes, then roll the softened glue off with the cuticle stick. A quick wipe with remover liquid clears the last film. Do not scrape with anything metal, and do not file the back hard, as you only need a smooth surface for the next tab or layer of glue.

Rinse, dry and put the nails back in their box in the right order so sizing is easy next time. Stored like that, our sets handle several wears. Our post on whether press on nails are reusable has more on getting the most wears from a set.

Frequently asked questions