Manicure: The Aftermath - how to clean it off easily

We've had plenty of tips on Beaut.ie about how to give yourself the best home manicure, but cleaning them off when they've passed their best can be a bit of a messy job. So here are my tips for how to get rid of your nail polish as easily and gently as possible:

Prepare for easy removal while doing your manicure
Use a base coat to protect your nails from staining when using a dark colour and when applying the polish, always leave a gap along the sides of your nails and above the cuticle, to avoid that annoying ring of colour you can never quite get at to remove.

Don't pick!
Tempting as it may be to pick away old polish once it begins to chip, this is terrible for your nails and can lead to drying out and splitting as it removes the surface of the nail.

The tools
All you need are some cotton pads and a bottle of polish remover. Acetone-free nail polish removers will be less drying to nails, but as long as you're not using a remover with acetone too frequently, these are not the worst for your nails either.

The technique
Soak the cotton pad in remover and then press it down over the nail and hold for 30 seconds. This softens the polish, making removal easy-peasy. Then just wipe towards the tip of the nail and repeat as required until the nail is clean. Always remember to wipe away from the base and towards the tip, to avoid getting smudges of colour onto the skin around the nails.

The finish
Wash your hands to remove any residue and then use a rich hand cream, preferably containing nourishing plant oils or vitamin E. Massage it into your hands and nails, paying particular attention to the nail contours.

A final tip
Try to give your nails a day or two to recover in between manicures. This way they are less likely to suffer the ill effects of both polish and remover.