What are the alternatives to nail polish remover?

Alternative No. 1: Vegetable oils.

Vegetable oils, favoured for their nourishing benefits for the skin, hair, and nails, present a tempting alternative to nail polish removers as, in addition to aiding in polish removal, they care for the nails. Rich in fatty acids, they strengthen the nail cuticle and prevent them from splitting. Moreover, by ensuring their hydration, vegetable oils make them shinier. The most commonly used vegetable oils for nail polish removal are coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil.

From a mechanistic perspective, vegetable oils work due to the triglycerides they contain, compounds derived from the reaction between a glycerol molecule and three fatty acid molecules. Being lipophilic, triglycerides have solubilising properties. They are capable of binding to lipophilic molecules in the varnish and dissolving them, thus enabling the removal of the product. Vegetable oils are used in a similar way to conventional removers. Simply pour a few drops onto a cotton pad and let it sit. Light rubbing can speed up the removal of the varnish.

However, while vegetable oils are handy for nail care, their effectiveness in removing nail polish is less potent than traditional removers and they are only suitable for less durable polishes. Indeed, traditional removers are often based on acetone or other organic solvents, such as ethyl acetate, capable of quickly breaking down the pigments and resins of nail polishes, which strongly adhere to the nail surface. These solvents have a stronger chemical affinity with polish molecules, allowing them to dissolve the colour layer more efficiently in a few seconds. This means that it may be necessary to let the vegetable oil act for a longer period, or even rub more vigorously, to completely remove the polish.

A study has indeed compared the effectiveness and impact on the hydration and mechanical properties of nails of removers with different concentrations of acetone and a vegetable oil from avocado. Although the removal of nail polish was faster with acetone-based removers, as shown in the photos of a participant's nails below, the avocado oil did not alter either the hydration or the roughness of the nails, unlike removers containing acetone.

Morphologie des ongles après utilisation de dissolvants à différentes concentrations en acétone ou avec de l'huile d'avocat. — Nail morphology following the use of removers with varying concentrations of acetone or with avocado oil.
Source: LI S. H. & co. Study on the Impact of Gel Nail Remover Liquid on the Nail Based on Acetone Concentration. Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology (2019).

Alternative No. 2: White vinegar and baking soda.

White vinegar is a well-known household product for its sanitising and anti-limescale effects. It could also be used to remove nail polish. Indeed, acetic acid, the main component of vinegar, is an acidic compound that, by altering the pH of the polish, would help to break down the pigments. Gentler than traditional removers, vinegar would nonetheless act more slowly than them and might not be powerful enough to remove resistant polishes or quick-drying formulas.

White vinegar could be used alone or in combination with baking soda, which has mild abrasive properties and could help detach nail polish from the nail surface. Furthermore, baking soda could also contribute to brightening the nails by acting on yellow or discoloured stains. Baking soda would function similarly to white vinegar but, unlike it, it is not acidic, but basic. When applied to the polish, it would disrupt the structure of the resins and pigments, thus facilitating their removal. Baking soda is not used alone but always in conjunction with white vinegar or water. Even though it might be able to remove old or slightly damaged polish, baking soda requires several applications to completely remove the polish and has a limited action for resistant polishes.

Alternative No. 3: Lemon juice.

Lemon juice is often mentioned as a natural alternative to traditional removers. Known for its brightening and antibacterial properties, it is used in many nail care products. When applied to nail polish, it is said to soften it and gradually detach it from the nail surface. Highly acidic, lemon juice is believed to alter the pH of the polish and weaken the cohesion between its components, thus facilitating their gradual dissolution. However, it may not be sufficient to remove stubborn polish.

Potentially irritating to the skin and photosensitising, the lemon juice should be used with caution to remove nail polish.

Alternative No. 4: Hot water.

Another gentle alternative to nail polish removers is hot water. This practice, appealing due to its natural approach, is based on the idea that heat would help to soften the layer of nail polish, which would make it easier to remove. However, to have such an effect and weaken the adhesion of the resins to the nail, very hot water would need to be used. This would then pose the following problem: the skin would struggle to withstand such heat and irritations or burns could occur.

In practice, soaking the fingers in warm to slightly hot water for about ten minutes could somewhat soften nail varnish, but the effectiveness of this technique remains limited, especially on traditional or long-lasting varnishes. In some cases, it is possible to gently scrape the surface of the varnish after soaking, but this method is both lengthy, tedious and not very effective.

Alternative No. 5: Toothpaste.

Finally, some individuals use toothpaste as an alternative to nail polish removers. Apparently, some of its abrasive compounds, such as sodium phosphate or sodium bicarbonate, mentioned earlier, would exert a mechanical action that could weaken the nail polish layer when rubbed. Additionally, toothpastes contain surfactants, like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or cocamidopropyl betaine, which would help to partially detach the polish from the nail. However, advocates of this method acknowledge that it is far less effective than a traditional remover and requires extensive rubbing to achieve a result, only possible with low-strength polishes.