Digit Dissolve! Nail Polish Removers That Don’t Ruin Your Tips

by Tara Lamont-Djite

Published Aug 4, 2012

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Glitter, decals, magnetic polish, crackle polish, caviar beads—the list of nail art options is endless. And while they’re fun to apply, you don’t really think about the painstaking process of removal until you’re sitting in the bathroom scrubbing (and ruining) your nails. Just like a lacquer’s texture and formulation, the chemical composition of your nail polish remover is important to consider. A product with too much acetone will get everything off, but you’ll be left with dry, brittle nails and damaged cuticles. And while we all want to be green, some eco removers just don’t work. Here at Beautylish, we’re pretty obsessed with nails (isn’t a daily polish change normal?), and we’ve tried our fair share of removers over the years. But before we get started with which products to invest in, a small piece of advice: Quality matters. The cheapo bottle you picked up in the drugstore? Not gonna cut it. Cheaper formulations have harsher, stronger doses of chemicals that dry out your skin and weaken your nails. Instead, try our recommendations below.

The Best Eco Formula

We’ve tried every all-natural formulation under the sun, and have been left disappointed, until Priti NYC’s Soy Removal Pads came across our desks. Scented with lavender, these wipes quickly remove polish after only a couple of swipes. They’re 100% biodegradable and non-toxic, plus, they come wrapped in individual packages to take on the go. What’s not to love?

The Go-To Nail Polish Remover

Found on almost every beauty editor’s desk is a bottle of Zoya’s 3-in-1 Nail Polish Remover. Extremely gentle, the formula removes polish after a few seconds while moisturizing your nails. You won’t want to try anything else after using this.

Must-Have Remover Wipes

We love Deborah Lippmann’s glitter polishes, but removing them is tough. Except when you have her Stripper to Go Mitts. Each package contains an aloe-infused miniature finger mit, which contains enough remover to free your digits of all varnish—sparkle or not.