How To Remove Glitter Polish Without Damaging Your Nails

Glitter nail polish can be a fun and unique statement to add to any look. More specifically, adding a glitter detail to your nails can help you stand out and add a pop to your nails. However, glitter polish can become more of a pain than it's worth. One of the issues with glitter nail polish is the fact that the glitter can be difficult to remove, leaving you with glitter embedded into your nails, fingers, and cuticles.

According to nail artist Julie Kandalec, glitter nail polish is difficult to remove because of the materials out of which it's made (via InStyle). Typically, glitter polish is made from materials like aluminum, glass, or mylar, which are all non-porous. This means that when the polish dries on the nail, it will firmly dry to the nail, making it very hard to remove. Even when using acetone, it can be difficult to lift this glitter off of the nail after it dries.

Instead of skipping glitter nail polish entirely, there are a few things to do to make sure you can sparkle without the struggle.

Because glitter polish can be very stubborn to get off, it can be easy to turn to any method necessary to remove it. However, some methods can be very damaging to the nails and could easily break them, causing serious nail damage in the long run.

According to Orly, the quickest method by which you can remove glitter polish is by soaking cotton balls with either acetone or nail polish and placing them on the nail. Afterward, wrap your nail in tin foil tightly so the soaked cotton ball stays in place. Leave the tin foil off for around five minutes before taking it off. You repeat this on each finger until you're done. Although you can use acetone, it can be very damaging to the nail. You can also opt for a regular nail polish remover for something less harsh. However, using regular nail polish remover could mean leaving it on for more time.

Meanwhile, B+C Guides suggests using a small hair elastic instead of tin foil. A hair elastic will also help keep the cotton ball in place and doesn't take as much work as ripping tin foil. Glamour also suggests taking a makeup remover wipe with nail polish remover to remove any stubborn leftover glitter on the nail. Makeup remover wipes are more sturdier than regular tissue paper and can have more grip to remove nail polish.

If you're looking for the best way to support glitter nail polish, you must have a good base. Just like your skin, prepping your nail for polish is the best way to make sure your manicure looks good — and lasts.

According to StyleCaster, the first step to take is to make sure you're regularly applying cuticle oil and not cutting your cuticles. Cuticles are key to nail health and shouldn't be damaged. You also want to make sure that the nail bed is as clean as possible. Try taking a cloth or tissue to remove any dirt or oils with alcohol to get the nail as clean as possible. When you are getting ready to apply your polish, don't shake the polish. Shaking causes air bubbles to come to the surface and create bubbles on the nail. Ultimately, knowing how to properly apply your nail polish is the first step to making sure that removing your polish is easy as one swipe.