How to Get Nail Polish off Skin

You have just finished giving yourself the most beautiful at-home manicure and you see that a speck of polish has found it's way on to your skin. Don’t fear, we’ve all been there.

The best part is that we’ve got you covered. Below are 8 methods for removing nail polish from the skin. Some of them are even common households items.

We’ve also added a way to prevent future nail polish stains on your skin. It’s a simple and very effective method. You might be surprised that you didn’t think of it sooner, we certainly were.

What This Article Covers:

Nail Polish Remover

This is the most obvious option for removing nail polish from the skin. You can use acetone or a non-acetone nail polish remover, but we recommend a non-acetone remover, as they are usually not as drying on skin.

Acetone is a powerful chemical. It can irritate your skin and the vapors can burn the sinuses and eyes. Our Genius Remover doesn’t contain any acetone and it’s completely safe to use on your skin.

You may not want to use the typical cotton balls for this. The nail polish remover may end up dripping onto your nails and can ruin your manicure.

So, how to remove nail polish without cotton balls you may ask? Paper towels, they work better than cotton balls. They are sturdier and can be folded, so you can work around the nail with relative ease.

You can also use a Q-tip for extra precision. There’s less chance of the remover dripping onto your fresh manicure with a carefully saturated Q-tip.

Soak It

Soaking your hands in warm, soapy water is the gentlest method. For those with extra sensitive skin, this method would be ideal.

Soak your hands (or feet) for about 5 minutes and then gently rub the stained skin. You might need to do this multiple times.

If it doesn’t work, you can gently scratch the nail polish off with your nails. The dried polish will be soft enough that it should come off easily with your nails.

This is how to get dried nail polish out of fabric too.

Alternatively, you can soak a paper towel in warm water. You can then use it to scrub the nail polish off your skin.

Or, you can shower or bathe after your manicure. This works the same way soaking does.

Toothpaste

White toothpaste makes a great homemade nail polish remover.

Toothpaste contains ethyl acetate. This is a key ingredient in non-acetone nail polish removers. This makes toothpaste great for getting nail polish off the skin.

It’s mild too, which is perfect for sensitive skin.

Add a bit of toothpaste to a paper towel and rub it onto the stained area. Gently scrub the skin until clean. You might need to add more toothpaste as needed.

You’ll need to wash your skin with soap and water once done.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol, or any alcohol-based product, is a good nail polish remover alternative. You can use this to remove nail polish remover from a wooden table as well.

If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you can use hair spray, perfume, or similar products.

These are weaker than acetate, but is gentler on the skin. Soak a Q-tip in one of the products above and apply it to the stained area.

Scrub the area gently until it’s free of nail polish. You might need to do this multiple times until the area is clean.

Remember to wash your hands with water and soap once you’re done. You will need to clean any traces of the product off.

Remember that alcohol-based products can dehydrate the skin. Make sure to apply creme, or oils onto your skin to rehydrate it.

Fun fact: you can use clear spirits like vodka and gin too. This is obviously a last resort.

Baby Wipes

Baby wipes work best when nail polish is still wet.

The oils contained in the wipes are great for dissolving all sorts of stains. If you’re a parent, then you know that baby wipes work for almost everything.

Even though they are usually used to clean sticky fingers, faces, countertops, or spilled juice, they are a useful tool in a pinch.

how to get nail polish off skin without ruining nails

Because these wipes are created for babies, it's perfect for sensitive skin. But if the nail polish is already dry, you’ll probably have better luck with a different method.

Vinegar and Lemon Mix

This all-natural stain cleaner is a great way to remove lacquer nail polish.

Most households use vinegar and lemon mix to clean their houses, stovetops, counters, and even burned pots.

Soak a paper towel or Q-tip in the mix and use it to gently scrub the stained skin.

It’s milder than rubbing alcohol so you will likely need to repeat the process a few times.

You are going to want to wash your hands thoroughly after this. While effective, the vinegar has a pungent scent. Vinegar-smelling skin is not exactly pleasant.

Use soap and water to remove the excess vinegar and the scent. Vinegar is acidic too, so be sure to rehydrate the skin with creme.

Coconut or Vitamin E Oil

This is another case of coconut oil proving its versatility. The oil has become popular for its hair and skin benefits, as well as possibly being effective in relieving inflammation.

It shouldn’t be surprising that it can be used as a stain remover as well.

Apply a little oil to a Q-tip and scrub the stained skin. It might take a while and you may have to add more oil as needed.

If you don’t have coconut oil, you can use vitamin E or olive oil too.

The great thing about this method is that moisturizes while it cleans. You might want to wash your hands to remove the excess oil.

Nail Polish

Applying a fresh coat of nail polish on the dried polish works too.

Don’t believe us? Remember all those times when you added the second coat of polish and everything smudged? This is the same principle.

The fresh nail polish will soften the dried polish. You will need to wipe it all off immediately to avoid a bigger stain.

Try using a paper towel to clean the polish off. A cotton ball will stick to the wet polish and cause a huge mess.

Of course, you might be hesitant to waste your nail polish like this. It’s for this reason that it’s probably best as a last resort.

Preventative

All right, we’ve given you the means to remove nail polish from your skin. But what about preventing the stain altogether?

It’s like they say: “Prevention is better than a cure”.

There are two popular (and easy) ways to prevent nail polish from staining your skin. You can either use vaseline or white school glue.

We know. It seems kind of obvious now that you’re reading it. Sometimes the most obvious solutions are often overlooked.

If you’re going to use vaseline, make sure to use a Q-tip. It improves your precision and prevents a mess.

Outline the nail with vaseline, focusing on the cuticles and the skin around the nail. Once your nail polish is dry, use a clean Q-tip to remove the vaseline.

Use the white glue in the same way. You’ll need to give it a few minutes to dry before applying your nail polish.

Once your nails are dry, the fun part begins. And yes, it is fun. I’m sure you remember painting white glue on your palms during class just to peel it off. The same rules apply here.

And voila! No more nail polish-stained fingers.

Final Word

These methods are only for removing lacquered nail polish. They likely won’t work for removing gel nail polish.

With gel nail polish, prevention is really your best bet. In any case, not many of us use gel polish at home, preferring the salon.

Most of the methods mentioned above are suitable for sensitive skin. But, it’s always a good idea to give your skin some love (unless you used coconut oil, of course).

Remember to wash your skin with soap and water. This is necessary if you used alcohol-based products or vinegar. Both can dehydrate the skin and leave a strong scent behind.

Once your skin is clean, rehydrate with a moisturizer of your choice.

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