How to remove nail polish without solvent?

Nail polish and nail polish remover usually go hand in hand in our minds as it seems impossible to wear one on our hands without having the other product in the bathroom to take it off when the manicure begins to flake off. However, there are solutions to rid our fingertips of classic nail polish (and not semi-permanent or gel) without having to resort to solvents when there is no more at home.

How to remove varnish without solvent: the base trick peel-off

Before embarking on more uncertain tips, we invite you to use a super practical treatment that is usually useful when wearing glitter varnish: the base peel-off. This smart product halfway between a protective base and remover, is in fact generally used to avoid the difficulties of removing the glitter varnish and it is little used for anything else. However, it also works with other types of classic nail polish and avoids having to scratch the nail. This base to apply before the varnish protects the natural nail by creating a film that is specially designed to be peeled off of the nail plate easily. Thus, there is no risk of damaging it by removing it without solvent! This ecological solution allows, in addition, not to use cotton: we validate!

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Granted, this trick is particularly clever if you plan to remove your nail polish without solvent upstream at home and not if you have to do it in the event of the unexpected.

How to remove your varnish with 90 ° alcohol and alcohol-based products?

To remove make-up from your nails without solvent, 90 ° alcohol is a good alternative to acetone. The alcohol will indeed dissolve the varnish almost as effective as solvents. You just need to apply it generously on a cotton pad and proceed as usual to remove your manicure.
The good news if you don’t have this disinfectant in your medicine cabinet, this method also works. replacing it with beauty products containing alcohol like perfume for example. Obviously, the perfume technique can be expensive if you only have your major brand perfume on hand, but this can allow you to deal with an emergency or even finish a perfume that is too old.

But rest assured if you don’t want to waste a few precious drops of your favorite fragrance, the trick also works with products containing much cheaper alcohol such as hairspray in spray or even spray deodorant. Note however: it seems that not all products are created equal to replace a solvent. In order for the method to really work with hairspray or deodorant, it is essential that the product contains a lot of alcohol. So forget about deodorants for sensitive skin. Finally, if you opt for the fixing hairspray option for the hair, know that you will have to proceed quickly to remove your varnish because the formula will quickly dry on your fingertips. Spray your fixative spray then immediately rub your nails with cotton to clean them. Allow ten minutes to remove all the product from your nails and in case of resistance, add a little product and rub.

Just be careful not to abuse this technique because it can be drying for the skin and your cuticles. Once the polish has been removed, it is better to rinse your hands with clear water and why not massage the edges of your nails with a nourishing oil to compensate.

How to remove nail polish with varnish?

Yep, you read that right, you might not have known it but your nail polish can also allow you to remove the manicure you are wearing without any nail polish remover. Simply put fresh nail polish on top the dry layer. The components of the nail polish make it possible to soften the layer of varnish from your past manicure, then all you have to do is rub your nails with a cotton ball or a paper towel to remove make-up from your nails without any other product. . Note, however, that this way of doing things is not the most pleasant because there is a risk of making smudges if you do it wrong to remove the product from the nail with the paper towel or the cotton. You will need to be very meticulous when removing your manicure. Small downside to note: it seems that there is sometimes a little varnish left on the edges of the nails with this makeshift solution.

Another version of the method : use top coat in place of nail polish. A variation that saves you from wasting a nail polish you love by turning to a top coat cheap that you can sacrifice for your manicure emergencies.

Our advice : to avoid spreading varnish everywhere, rub as soon as the varnish has softened, starting from the base of the nail towards the free edge.

Removing nail polish with toothpaste: does it work?

If this product that we all have at home is often mentioned as an alternative to nail polish remover, it seems that it is not really effective for removing makeup from the nails. First of all, it should be noted that people who use it rely on whitening toothpaste (and not the classic) to remove the varnish, and that they often add baking soda to it. In some videos that we find on the internet, we actually see people coating their nails with toothpaste and then rubbing vigorously with a toothbrush on it to rid their nails of makeup but, most of the time, the nail makeup removal is initiated with another product (solvent (or nail polish remover in American videos), acetone). Only the traces left by dark or flashy varnishes are finally removed using this process.

A technique to keep in the back of your mind, therefore, but fair for small residues of already chipped varnish or unsightly colorings which continue after its withdrawal.

Remove nail polish with white vinegar and lemon

Unlike other methods, white vinegar with the addition of fresh lemon juice doesn’t seem to work when you apply the mixture directly to a cotton ball for rubbing. However, this natural solution is sometimes effective if you soak your fingertips inside for about twenty minutes before trying to remove the varnish.
Bonus : lemon whitens the free edge of the nail!

Green solvents: a natural solution to put an end to acetone

If you are actually looking for an alternative to conventional solvents which contain aggressive chemical solvents such as acetone (which ends up drying out the nails and emitting a strong odor), also know that these grandmother’s beauty tips are not just within reach of a manicure! Indeed, there are now “green” solvents that rely on natural formulas in which the chemical solvent is replaced by a solvent of vegetable origin (obtained from sugar cane, wheat or corn, for example). These products, which are natural, also have the advantage of generally containing vegetable oil, which allows them to nourish and take care of the nails in the process. What to limit the risks of weakening them even by multiplying the manicures.

How to remove semi-permanent varnish (without damaging your nails)?

Video by Louise Lethiec

Passionate about writing and beauty, Elodie swaps her lipstick for her laptop to find the best in makeup, hairstyle and skincare trends, and professional tips …