I love painting my nails blue. And black. And red – oh what I wouldn’t do for the perfect red. What I don’t love are the stains left behind when I remove the polish from my fingers and toes, and from the messages received this week from Lipstick Masala readers, this appears to be a universal issue. There was a time I almost even considered giving up my beloved reds. It seemed no matter how much remover I used I was still left with a tint on my nail, or even worse, a faint yellow color from keeping my nail polish on for too long. In order to hide the damage, I would apply even more polish, only making matters worse – it was a vicious cycle. I decided to research some remedies for this issue, and I am happy to report that I am once again able to wear whatever deeply pigmented nail polish I wish.
So why, after scrubbing your nails with acetone, does polish refuse to completely come off? And, why do your nails turn yellow?
There are a few reasons:
- If you’ve noticed, some of your nail polishes cause worse staining than others. This is because certain formulas contain chemicals like formaldehyde that react with the protein in your nails.
- The higher quality your nail polish, the harder it will be to remove – this is because richer pigments and elements are used that make the polish stay on longer.
- Your nails are porous, which allows the pigment to seep through and stain the nail.
- Lack of oxygen to your nails causes discoloration. The more polish you use, the more your nails will grab color and turn yellow.
(Note: If you notice you have chronic yellow nails with or without extended nail polish use, you may want to get consult a doctor, as it could be a fungal infection, nutritional deficiency, or other medical problem).
Here is a quick breakdown of methods to combat the problem of staining that have worked for most ladies:
- The most common prevention method: be sure to apply a clear base coat – this forms a barrier between your nail and the colored nail polish. OPI makes a great formaldehyde free one. If you can’t find one where you live, use any clear polish – it will prevent your nails from turning red, pink, black etc.
- Cut a lemon and squeeze into a bowl. Rub the pulpy inside of the skin around your fingertips and place them into the bowl for a few minutes. Lemon is a bleaching agent, and is natural! Apply olive oil to your cuticles after, as lemon can be drying.
- Soak nails in hydrogen peroxide and scrub with a toothbrush. You can also scrub with a whitening toothpaste if this is not enough.
- Some women use comet, ajax or oxy clean powder with a little water and a toothbrush – I feel this is too harsh so prefer not to go this route, but if you’re desperate it’s another option
- Sally Hansen also makes a couple of clear polishes aimed at fighting yellow nails and restoring natural color.
- For ladies in the U.S. your local Sally’s beauty supply carries a product called Bubble White that reportedly does the trick the first time. Check out the link HERE.
One method I do NOT support – some ladies have the inclination to remove nail stains by using a nail buffer, or even worse, an emery board! Although they use this method in many salons, I highly recommend not getting into the habit, as it will greatly weaken your nails. Once in a while is okay, but it would be better to try the other remedies first. The more you buff your nails, the more prone they will be to breaking – and they will not just break from the top, you will find splits in the middle of your nail. Trust me, not fun.
If you have tried these methods with no results and/or have found other remedies that work even better please share them with us!
yikes i always use a nail buffer block. could that be making my nails break?
[Reply]
Thanks for the comment on the site. You’re doing a great job and I look forward to reading more.
Big ups to “chai” (above) who led me to y’all.
[Reply]
I used to be a nail polish addict, and lemon worked for me every time. (I’d just rub the peel on my nails when I was through juicing lemons for lemonade.) I quit doing my nails when I was pregnant, though, because I was totally paranoid about the chemicals getting in the twins’ systems, and I have yet to get back into the habit.
[Reply]
I forgot to mention … base coat doesn’t always do the trick. I’ve noticed that nail polish that’s the same brand as your base coat will often “dissolve” the base coat and stain your nails anyway. I found that a Revlon base coat with an OPI polish worked really well.
[Reply]
I can so relate to the vicious cycle of yellow nails, wasn’t a pleasant time. I’m glad that over time the formula has evolved in quality. Right now I’m eyeing Mermaid to Order from OPI’s new collection for Sephora http://sephora.com/browse/section.jhtml?categoryId=C20642
[Reply]
formaldehyde!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i didn’t know that, thanks. thats one of the worst poisons. formaldehyde is used as a fixative, i.e., it will kill your cells while preserving them at the same time. we use it in the lab all the time so i know how harmful it can be. its in soda too isn’t it?
[Reply]
Thanks for this tip. It was exactly what I needed this evening before going out.
[Reply]
formaldehyde? i dont work in a lab and even i know how horrific it is. thanks for telling us about it. my issue with nails is that the colour gets stuck around my nail area. but that is just bec i dont know how to apply it in a neat fashion. i’ll try the lemon routine.
btw, i picked up a bottle of base coat from a hair salon- it’s called Cheri. probably an unknown brand but it has done wonders for keeping my nails non yellow! thanks for the post!!
[Reply]
i love you.
i constantly suffer from this and thought it was because of shoddy nailpolish remover. def going to try this later.
[Reply]