How to Remove Bloopy Nails

This Book Tells Me How to Get Rid of Bad Nails, But Then Rewrite It and Retract it — and It Doesn’t Totally Fail

So, my poor, my dear, my treacherous, all you beauties. You’ve all been through this awful color dilemma for a long time, and every time you put on your favorite outfit, things don’t go to plan. Your color oopsies may be too brassy to fit into a little black dress or turn that glittery LBD to a pumpkin-orange-ish shade.

I can honestly say I’ve been in similar situations. I’ve gotten through hair color disasters and colour malfunctions, too — but, apparently, I’m not alone. I approached Australian Stila celebrity manicurist Vanita Roberts and color expert Kimani Jones (yes, she’s Kimani), who I met on Beauty Hack Day, for tips on what to do if your color is going south and how to achieve her namesake Waterproof Gel Smooth Colour Polish ($18) polish.

My worst idea: waiting and waiting for it to fade away by dabbing a few crystals around your nails, instead of removing it right away. It’s all about keeping it simple and, quite frankly, less is more. Because we want our color to come out in one smooth piece, we give way too much effort. However, all you really need is a little blow dryer (we suggest an electric one) and some rubbing alcohol.

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If you leave the polish in place for a few days, be warned that if it happens to be chocolate or orange-toned, it can stain polish strips a neon yellow. If this happens to you, the polish will come out by itself, even if you don’t use a peel-off temporary polish.

Here’s my advice: “Leave the polish in place for at least 24 hours, and try to remove it the same way you would a regular polish.” For me, this means peeling a strip of nail polish off and then gently dabbing the wrong shade onto the correct one. It’s a quick way to switch things up.

Then, take it a step further and make a section by making a clean, wet sponge. I adore my Nails Inc nail set ($11), which comes with the occasional watermark, or these paper flower caps for nails ($6). Just dip this into your shower gel of choice and lay it flat against the affected side of your toenail, allowing it to dry for 15 minutes.

Then, using a nail brush, remove the polish and put it on top. Whether you wear this polish consistently or only once a month or three, every time you want to change colors, put on a strip, apply the right shade, and enjoy. This way, your favorite color will always stay on the right side of your nail. Best of all, it only takes minutes.

I must add that I have a loving girlfriend who avoids being “color-blind” by applying any tiny bit of polish over her nails, so I need to start taking notes.