You are here:

Nail Care & Manicures/silk wraps

Advertisement

Expert: Maggie Franklin - 6/1/2008


Question
I need to know how to remove silk wraps.  nail polish remover doesn't work...help please

Answer
Straight acetone. You can use polish remover, as long as it contains acetone, but it will take significantly longer. I find pure acetone from the hardware store to be most effective. You can get 100% acetone from the beauty supply store in smaller quantities, but it is highly refined and just doesn't seem to work as fast.

The best DIY method is to pour enough acetone into a ceramic or metal bowl to cover the tips of your fingers, cover the bowl with a towel, sit down in front of your favorite tv show, put some Vaseline on your fingers (this will help prevent drying from the acetone,) and put your fingers in the acetone with the towel covering the bowl (and your hands) until your show is over. The towel will help slow the evaporation of the acetone, and also keep the smell of the acetone down.

Make sure you keep your fingers in the acetone until the product has dissolved. Every time you take your fingers out of the acetone, the product will begin to reharden. This is why I always recommend sitting down in front of the television, it should keep you entertained long enough without the need to move your hands around.

When the product is off your nails, file and buff your nails with a smooth buffer and make sure to apply liberal amounts of cuticle oil several times daily until your nails get back to normal.  

Nail Care & Manicures

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Maggie Franklin

Expertise

Professional Nailcare: nail enhancement chemistry and technique, mancuring and pedicuring. I am not qualified to give medical advice or make medical diagnoses.

Experience

I am a professional nail technician with 17 years experience in the professional beauty industry. I am licensed in the states of California (license #M120766) and Colorado (license #8611.) I have been an active member of the online mailing list at Beautytech.com since 1999 where I network with 100s of nail industry professionals around the world. Over the last 15 years I have accumulated several advanced training certificates, including the coveted Creative Nail Designs Master Nail Technician status, and personal training by Tammy Taylor, Tom Bachik, and Tom Holcomb. I briefly joined the competition circuit in 2002, taking first place in the second annual Strut Your Stuff Online competition in the Enhancement 2 category. In 2009 I have decided to make time in my schedule to get back into competition by joining "Team Pink," the competition team captained by current world champion nail technician, Lynn Lammers. I boast several contributions to articles that have appeared in both Nails and Nailpro magazines, including a brief stint as a Nails Magazine Help Desk contributor and now I write a semi-weekly blog for Nails Magazine while continuing to attend tradeshows and continuing education events.

Organizations
Nail Tech mailist list at Beautytech.com

Publications
Nails Magazine. Nailpro Magazine. Blogging for Nails Magazine since September, 2008: http://blogs.nailsmag.com/maggie/

Education/Credentials
CA license #M120766. CO license #8611. CND Master Nail Technician. Tom Holcomb Academy. Personal training with Tom Bachik. Two day advanced training with Tammy Taylor. AEFM certified for use of electric file. HRTE (High Road to Education) in San Jose, CA 2009.

Awards and Honors
2nd Annual Strut Your Stuff Online competition, 1st place in Enhancement 2. Member of "Team Pink" competition team 2009. 3rd place, Novice tip-and-overlay relay at IBS Las Vegas, 2009.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.