Glitter Removal...... Ditch The Foil Method!!

When I first started getting into nails after biting them for so many years, it was through Shellac or Gel nails.  I was given a gift certificate for Valentine's Day to a spa and I was talked into trying Shellac.  I loved it because it instantly put a stop to my nail biting but that stuff is a pain in the neck to get off.  I went back to have it done a second time and had to pay extra to remove it.  The girl at the checkout desk gave me a great tip when I went to pay.  She told me to have it removed before I came back to have the new polish put on because they charged 11 dollars for removal.  She then gave me a handful of finger cots to take home and instructed me how to use them for removal.  Shellac sold pricey removal packages and some of my friends talked about how they used tin foil but I figured, I have these little things so I might as well use them.  Worked like a charm.  Every now and then I don't plan ahead and run out and I am forced to use tin foil for a bit and hate it.  You have to put a ton of acetone on the cotton ball and when you squeeze the foil to make sure it presses the cotton on your nail, the acetone runs down your hand.  Yuck.  If you are using tin foil, forget about it....this is what you need. 

First off, let me show you how I set up for a manicure.  I have multiple fabric storage boxes like the one below.  They have several compartments in different sizes.  I use another for my stamping and acrylics and another for various other nail art like rhinestones and fimo. 

You can see in the middle section on the right, I have my finger cots with the cotton balls in the next compartment behind them.  Here is what they look like up close....just like little condoms.

You can purchase these in multiple sizes.  People use them to protect their nails, like when you are doing dishes but they also can be used if you have dry cuticles but don't want to wear gloves on your hands.  I buy them in medium and it is a great fit for me. Next step is to moisten a cotton ball in acetone and place it on your nail.

Now your ready to hold it in place by using that finger cot and rolling it onto your finger.

Here is what they look like when one hand is finished.

Now all you need to do is wait five to seven minutes and then pressing the cotton down on your fingernail, slide the finger cot right off the nail.  The glitter has melted (or the Shellac or Gel) and polish and glitter slide right off with the cot.  The best part about finger cots......you can hang up your clothes, iron, do the dishes, walk the dogs (if you don't mind people seeing your hands like this), you can even play on your ipad because the ipad allows you to scroll and use the touch screen even with the cots on your fingers.

If foil is still your go-to, that's cool.  Just know you have another option.  I usually buy my finger cots off e-bay because you can get a box of 144 for under $5.00.

Addendum:  After I put up this post, my friend Veronica from Gorgeois told me she had posted on the EXACT SAME THING earlier this year.  She, as usual, did a much better job displaying this method through photos and carried it through all of the removal.  You can check it out here.  If you are not following her already, you should.