3. There are ways to remove gels at home safely. If you want to save money and a trip to the salon, you can take the gels off yourself. You just have to be extra careful: You need 100 percent acetone, or better yet a gel remover you can pick up at any drug store or beauty supply store. They tend to be more expensive but are formulated to be less harsh than pure acetone. To remove, soak your cotton ball in the acetone or gel remover and place it on top of your nail. Wrap with foil. Then, wrap your hands in a hand towel — this encourages the removal process. Depending on your gel, this can take 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the products used and if brands were mixed. When the gel is crumbling or sliding off, gently use a rubber-ended cuticle pusher to clean the gel off of your nail bed. Do not file or scrape! You also want to keep your nail beds hydrated. Miss Pop recommends using cuticle oil and moisturizer. "Even if you don't have a gel mani, those products will help your nails stay healthy and strong, not to mention stave off hangnails," she says.