Here’s a quick rundown on the removal process of my gel+acrylic manicure from The Nail Spa & Wellness.
It lasted very well through chore-torture for more than 4 weeks. Thanks to the gradated look and the clear base, the nail growth wasn’t as obvious, especially with a cuticle oil. That said, I couldn’t have it on indefinitely (plus the length was annoying me), so I returned to the establishment to have them removed. At only S$20, I’d rather pay for the service than go through the arduous steps myself.
Though the process tends to be tedious, the manicurist was fairly swift – I was out of the place in under half an hour!
Here’s what she did: First, she filed down the surface of my nails. She then soaked cotton pieces in acetone and placed them on the nails, wrapping them up with foil. After some time, she removed the remnants of the gel+acrylic. Finally, she cut and filed my nails before applying a protective cuticle oil.
Essentially, the hardened surface had to be filed down to allow the acetone to work more efficiently to dissolve the remaining gel+acrylic. The filing was a touch painful because of the pressure the manicurist exerted and the heat generated by the friction. The stubborn bits were broken off/loosened with a cuticle nipper which alarmed me a little but she was pretty deft with the tool, thankfully! What really worried me was how she sometimes went against the grain towards the cuticles, when she was wielding one of her tools (I can’t remember which one).
My nails escaped somewhat unscathed but there are a few dry areas that are no doubt the result of the tenacious overlay. A cuticle oil or hand cream fixes this temporarily but I can see how it can be damaging if this semi-perm treatment is done too frequently. As such, I won’t be getting a gel mani till next year (possibly before Chinese New Year). Though I loved the long-lasting quality and perpetual ultra-shine, I did miss painting my nails with different colours and having the option of leaving them bare. ;)
