| How to File Down Gel Nails at Home Posted: 03 Feb 2021 04:00 PM PST Gel manicures are super durable—they can last up to 2 or 3 weeks! Unfortunately, the same UV-cured topcoat that makes gel polish so long-lasting also makes it really hard to take off. If you have soft gels or soak-off hard gels, file them down first, then soak them in acetone to dissolve the gel. For hard gel polish, however, you'll have to file it all the way down. If you're not sure which type of polish you have on, try the soaking process on one nail first, since that's a lot gentler on your natural nails. [Edit]Buffing and Soaking Softer Gels - Buff the shine off of your polish with a coarse nail file. Run the file back and forth over the entire surface of your nail until it starts to look dull. This will remove the hard topcoat, which will make it easier for the acetone to penetrate the gel polish.[1]
- If you have a softer gel, file away about the top third of the polish. If it's hard gel, try to take it down about halfway.[2]
- Choose a file that's about 80- to 100-grit.[3] Also, use a new file—it's going to take a lot of buffing to get the gel polish off.[4]
- Cut 10 pieces of aluminum foil that are each. Either cut the foil with scissors or tear the pieces. Don't worry about measuring the exact size—just make sure each square is big enough to wrap all the way around your fingertip and a cotton ball.[5]
- You'll need one square for each finger, and it's a lot easier to cut or tear them before you start soaking your nails.
- Soak a cotton ball in acetone. If you'd like, you can pour the acetone into a small glass bowl, then dip each cotton ball into the acetone. However, if it's easier for you, just place the cotton ball on top of the open acetone bottle, hold it in place with one finger, and tip the bottle until the cotton ball is saturated.[6]
- If you don't have cotton balls on hand, fold strips of paper towels into squares.
- Acetone is the active ingredient in most nail polish removers. Do not use acetone-free nail polish remover—it won't be strong enough to break down the gel polish.[7]
- Don't pour the acetone into a plastic bowl, since the acetone might start to break it down. And definitely never pour acetone into a styrofoam bowl—the styrofoam will dissolve quickly, leaving you with a big mess![8]
- Place the cotton ball on your nail, then wrap it in a foil square. Press the soaked cotton ball firmly down onto your nail. Make sure it covers the whole surface of your nail—stretch the cotton out, if you need to. Then, cover the cotton ball with the foil and wrap the top and sides around your finger to secure it in place.[9]
- Repeat this for all of the nails on that hand. Wait to do your other hand, though—it's a lot easier to do one hand first, then the other.
- Let the acetone soak into the polish for 10-20 minutes. If you're taking off soft gel polish, it may only take about 10 minutes before it starts to lift. Harder gels will probably need a little longer—about 20 minutes or so. If you aren't sure what kind you have, give it about 15 minutes, then take off one of the foils and check the polish.[10]
- When the wraps are ready to come off, the gel will look like it's crumbling. If you check and it isn't ready yet, replace the cotton ball and foil. If it still isn't crumbling after 25-30 minutes, you'll probably need to file the polish off.[11]
- Remove all of the foil and the cotton balls. Place the cotton balls and foil scraps into a bowl. Don't just put them directly onto your table or countertop, or the acetone could leave a stain.[12]
- Don't worry if you see any fibers left from the cotton balls. They'll come off when you remove the polish.
- Push the gel off of your nail with an orange stick. Use a wooden orange stick or a cuticle pusher to gently scrape the crumbling polish off of your nails. Just get the bulk of the color off, but don't scrape all the way down to your natural nail. Stop when there's still just a little residue left.[13]
- If all you have is a metal cuticle pusher, use that, but work gently so you don't damage the surface of your nails.[14]
- Remove the rest of the polish with a nail buffer. Buff your nails gently to take off any residue that was left behind. A nail buffer has a finer grit than a nail file, so it's a gentler way to finish the process.[15]
- In addition, this will restore some of the shine to your natural nails.
- Wash your hands, then apply cuticle oil to moisturize your nails. Gently wash your hands with mild soap to remove any acetone and dust that might be left on your fingers, then pat your hands dry with a soft towel. Also, both filing your nails and soaking them in acetone can be very drying.[16] Rub a few drops of cuticle oil into the skin around your nails to help rehydrate the area.[17]
- You can also rub hand lotion into your fingertip and nails if you'd like.[18]
[Edit]Filing Hard Gels - Use nail clippers to trim your nails, if you'd like. If your nails are a little longer than you normally like, cut them before you start filing away the polish. That way, you'll have less polish to remove, making the process a little faster.[19]
- If you're happy with the length of your nails, you don't have to cut them.
- Use a coarse nail file. Look for one that's around 80- to 100-grit. Also, it's best to use a new file for this, because it's going to take a lot of filing to get all of that polish off.[20]
- You can find coarse nail files anywhere that manicure and nail art supplies are sold.
- File the surface of your nails in a cross-hatching pattern. First, run your nail file across your nail in one direction, then rotate it at a 90° angle and run the file over the same spot again. Then, move the file to a different spot on your nail and repeat the cross-hatching motion.[21]
- Don't file too long in one place, or you could accidentally file down into your natural nail.
- Continue filing until there's just a thin layer of polish left on the nail. Keep filing in a cross-hatching motion until you've taken the majority of the polish off of your nail. Be sure to leave a little of the polish on your nail, though—stop once you can see the ridges in your natural nail. If you file down past that point, you could damage your nail.[22]
- Be patient—this can take as long as 10 minutes for each nail.
- Every so often, use your free hand to wipe away the dust so you can see how far you've filed.[23]
- Switch to a finer-grit file once you can see your nail ridges. Once you get to that very bottom layer of polish, grab a fine nail file—around 400- to 600-grit. Using that, slowly and carefully file away the gel polish that's left.[24]
- The finer grit will be less likely to damage your natural nail as you get down past the remaining polish.
- If your nail ridges aren't very prominent, it might be hard to see them through even a thin layer of polish. If that's the case, just switch to the finer nail file when there's hardly any polish left.
- Buff your nails to smooth them. Once all of the gel polish is gone, grab a nail buffer and lightly go over the entire surface of your nail. That will restore some of the natural shine to your nails.[25]
- It will also remove any lingering residue left by the polish.[26]
- Finish with cuticle oil and moisturizer. Apply a few drops of cuticle oil to help nourish and re-hydrate the skin at the base of your nails. This will help prevent them from becoming dry and cracked. Then, use a hand lotion to moisturize your hands, including your fingertips and the rest of your nails.[27]
- Taking off your polish can be really drying to your nails, which is why it's important to always nourish them once you're finished.
- If you'd like, you can also apply a protective base coat to help strengthen your nails.[28]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Buffing and Soaking Softer Gels - Coarse file (80- to 100-grit)
- Acetone
- 10 cotton balls
- 10 squares of aluminum foil
- Orange wood stick
- Nail buffer
- Glass bowl (optional)
- Cuticle oil and moisturizer
[Edit]Filing Hard Gels - Nail clipper
- Coarse nail file (80- to 100-grit)
- Fine nail file (400- to 600-grit)
- Nail buffer
- Cuticle oil and moisturizer
- Protect your work surface by laying down a towel or a layer of paper towels before you get started. Filing your nails will create a lot of dust, and if you're working with acetone, it could stain your surface if it drips.[29]
- If you have a gel manicure, avoid filing the ends of your nails. That will break the seal that keeps the manicure intact, which will shorten the life of your polish. However, if you have a broken or jagged nail, gently smooth it out with a nail buffer.[30]
[Edit]Warnings - Don't peel or pick the gel polish off your nails. You'll peel away layers of your nail along with it, which will leave them brittle and dry.[31]
[Edit]References |
| How to Care for a Zebra Succulent Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:00 AM PST Haworthia fasciata, more commonly known as zebra plant, is a great succulent for beginners because it's so easy to take care of! Recognize zebra succulents by their signature white stripes running horizontally across the outside surfaces of their aloe-like leaves. These fun plants have a lot of character and look great on a window sill, a bookshelf, or a desk. [Edit]Environment - Choose a clay pot with lots of drainage holes in the bottom. Clay pots are ideal for succulents because they cause the soil to dry faster. Make sure the pot has multiple drainage holes in the bottom, so that it drains easily when you water it.[1]
- It's okay to keep succulents in pots made from other materials, such as ceramics or plastics, but just be aware that the soil stays wet for longer in these types of pots.
- Use a potting mix made for succulents if you're potting your own plant. Succulent potting mixes drain very well to simulate the desert-like soils that succulents typically grow in in the wild. This gives the roots plenty of air and prevents them from getting oversaturated and rotting.[2]
- Succulent potting mix is the same thing as cactus potting mix.
- If you want to make your own succulent potting mix, combine equal parts potting soil, sand, and perlite.
- Put the plant where it will get 4-6 hours of indirect sunlight daily. Choose a location where the succulent will get partial sun, ideally early in the day. Make sure the area is shaded in the afternoon, especially late in the afternoon when the sun is hottest.[3]
- For example, if you live in the northern hemisphere, on a window sill in front of a south-facing window is an ideal spot.
- As long as your zebra plant gets enough sunlight, it can possibly bloom in the late summer to early autumn. Keep in mind that this doesn't always happen, so don't get concerned if your succulent never flowers.
- If you keep your zebra plant in full sun, it could get sunburned.[4]
- If your zebra plant starts to develop many dried-out-looking, brown tips, it might be getting too much sun. Try moving it to a more shaded location to remedy this problem.
- Maintain a temperature between . Zebra plants do great indoors year-round at regular room temperatures. Only keep them outside if/when the outdoor temperatures are in this range.[5]
- If you live in a regular 4-season climate, it's okay to move your succulent outdoors during summer months and bring it back indoors when the temperatures start to drop.
- There are no special humidity needs for zebra plants.
[Edit]Watering and Feeding - Water zebra plants once every 2-3 weeks from spring to summer. Wait until the soil dries out and the leaves start to curl. From spring to summer, this normally happens about once every 2-3 weeks, depending on how hot it is where you live.[6]
- The soil is dry if you stick your finger in about deep and don't feel any moisture.
- If you have the plant in a really big pot, you can water it every 3-4 weeks, instead.[7]
- If it gets really hot and dry during the summer where you live, check the soil weekly and water the plant every 7-10 days if the soil is drying out quickly.
- If you notice yellowy, mushy-looking leaves on your zebra plant, you might be overwatering it. Try watering it less to see if this fixes the problem.
- Water your zebra plant every other month or so during the winter. The soil doesn't dry out quickly and the plant goes dormant in the winter. Don't water your succulent any more than once every other month until spring comes.[8]
- If the soil still shows signs of moisture, wait until it dries out completely to water your succulent. Always err on the side of under-watering your succulents, rather than over-watering them.[9]
- Pour water into the soil until it drains out of the container's bottom. Slowly pour water into the soil around the succulent. Move your hand in a circular motion around the container as you pour to saturate all the soil. Stop watering when you see water coming out through the holes in the bottom of the container.[10]
- Deep, infrequent watering is the key to encouraging healthy succulent growth. It nourishes and hydrates the roots and makes the leaves look nice and plump.
- Avoid pouring water directly on the succulent because this can cause the leaves to go mushy.
- Apply diluted liquid fertilizer 2-3 times in spring and early summer. Dilute a balanced liquid fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 fertilizer, to half strength by mixing 1 part fertilizer with 1 part water. Pour the fertilizer into the soil to feed the plant.[11]
- Zebra plants don't feed heavily, so there's no need to fertilize them outside of the spring and early summer growing season.
- A 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 10 % nitrogen, 10 % phosphate, and 10 % potash.
[Edit]Maintenance - Trim off dead leaves with sharp clippers or scissors. Look for totally dried-out, brownish leaves from time to time. Cut them off as close to the base of the plant as possible to remove them and keep your zebra plant looking nice.[12]
- Note that this is only for aesthetic purposes and doesn't affect the growth or health of your succulent at all.
- Repot your zebra plant in the spring if it outgrows its original container. Choose a pot that's just 1-2 sizes bigger than the original container. Fill the bottom of the pot with some succulent potting mix and carefully lift the zebra plant out of its old pot and set it on top of the soil in the new pot. Fill the sides of the pot in with more potting mix.[13]
- Make sure any new pot you use has multiple holes in the bottom, so the soil drains when you water it.
- Watch out for pests like mealybugs on your zebra plant's leaves. Examine your zebra plant regularly, like when you're watering it, for a cottony wool-like substance on the leaves. Look for tiny moving bugs as well, which can either be mealybugs or spider mites. Wash the leaves with neem oil or insecticidal soap if you ever see any pests on them and rinse the oil or soap off thoroughly with clean water.[14]
- Neem oil is a natural pesticide extracted from the neem tree.
- Propagate pups from your zebra plant when it is tall. Look for new baby zebra plants growing beside the main plant during the growing season from spring to summer. Break the pup off, trying to keep some of the roots attached to it, and plant it in its own container.[15]
- Note that this is totally optional and is just a fun way to grow your succulent collection! Leaving the pups growing beside the original succulent won't hurt it at all.
- Zebra plants can tolerate being neglected. Don't worry if you forget to water yours sometimes or if it spends a day or two in the shade because you're gone and your blinds are closed.
[Edit]Warnings - Overwatering is the fastest way to kill your zebra plant. To avoid this, never water the succulent when the soil is still moist.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Clay pot with drainage holes
- Succulent potting mix
- Liquid fertilizer
- Water
- Garden clippers or scissors (optional)
[Edit]References |
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