Easy Glitter Removal: Peel Off Method

12th October, 2012 - Posted by Emily - 15 Comments

A while ago I purchased a bottle of Essence Peel Off Base Coat, not fully aware of what it was and how it worked. The first time I tried it out, I remember saying to my boyfriend “this is weird, it looks like glue and smells like glue”. After some research I found out that it basically IS glue! :D

I’m sure some of you have heard of this PVA glue base coat method before. There’s a ton of blogposts about this already but I decided to share my thoughts on it, and a little step-by-step on how it works. If you don’t have access to Essence, you can very easily make your own glue base using PVA glue, also known as School Glue or Elmer’s glue. You will also need some water to thin the glue slightly, and an empty polish bottle for easy application.

Let me walk you through the steps!

First you start by painting one thick layer of glue on your bare nails. Make sure to NOT use a base coat underneath as this will damage your nails once you peel off the glue. I hate painting in thick layers but make sure to do this, as this will make the removal process a lot easier. If your layer of glue is too thin it might not work as well.

Then you wait for about 10 minutes or so to let the base dry. The glue base will dry completely clear! This is a very useful indicator which tells you when you are ready for the next step.

Apply your polish! Glitter works great with this method. I don’t tend to use glitter a lot on my nails since I hate the removal process. Even the foil method wouldn’t convince me to use glitter on my nails. This glue base method definitely has! Bring on the glitter!!! The polishes I used for this gold to silver gradient are:

  • Illamasqua – Swinger
  • China Glaze – Lighthouse
  • Ludurana – Ouro Puro
  • China Glaze – Cheers To You
  • A England – Merlin
  • Essence – Make It Golden
  • China Glaze – Blonde Bombshell
  • Catrice – Million Dollar Baby
  • Essence – Blair
  • Essence – Studio Nails Top Sealer

Now, since glue is water based I feared it would soak off completely after taking a bath. The picture above was taken four days after I applied it. You can see there’s a little tip wear, but for the most part my nails remained chip free for four days! Awesome right?

Once you are bored of your manicure or it has chipped, it’s time to remove it! Grab an orange stick and carefully start lifting the edges, pushing the stick underneath the polish. You’ll be amazed at how easy this is! Your polish will come off quickly and easily without any mess! If you are left with a little bit of glue on your nails simply soak them in acetone for a few seconds and swipe it off with a wipe.

Et voilà! All done! Peeling off your nail polish tends to damage your nails, but using the glue base leaves your nails smooth and undamaged. It’s such a hassle-free method. I’m honestly in love with it! Every fan of glitter polishes needs this in their lives!

Have you ever tried this method? Do you like it? Let me know in the comments!

15 Comments

Christina

October 12th, 2012 at 7:36 PM    


Awesome!!! I made a glue base last week and I like it. Hate the dry time though :( Btw ur nekkid nubs are sexy ;)

Claudia

October 12th, 2012 at 8:58 PM    


I've read mixed reviews about this; but it seems the clue is to really apply a thick layer! I definitely want to try it now! (I've been avoiding glitter for a while now..)

nailpolishgirl

October 12th, 2012 at 9:00 PM    


This looks great! Glitter polish really is a pain to remove lol. I have a question though, does this glue method start peeling on its own, or does it only come off when you use the orange stick?

veryemily

October 12th, 2012 at 9:12 PM    


Haha yes I agree! And nope, it doesn’t start peeling unless you decide it’s time to remove. If anything, it makes your glitter last longer! Glitter manis like the one I featured in this post tend to only last two days on me before they chip and this was still going strong after 4 days with the glue base! :)

Jayne

October 12th, 2012 at 9:14 PM    


This method has been working a little TOO well for me and I find that the nail polish is literally sliding off my finger after a day or two! I use, glue, then base coat (I didn't use one the first time I tried this method), polish, top coat and as much as I have been loving this method for swatching, glitter and nail challenges, I haven't figured out a way to make this last very long for me. Maybe I wash my hands too much?

Thank you for sharing your experience!

veryemily

October 12th, 2012 at 9:15 PM    


Yes that’s definitely the trick to it! The first time I tried this method, I used a thin layer and it didn’t work for me at all! I hope you give it a shot soon! It’s really great :)

veryemily

October 12th, 2012 at 9:17 PM    


Yeah the drying time is probably the only downside hehe. I don’t mind it so much, gives me time to read blogs and browse the web while I’m waiting. And thanks :D

veryemily

October 12th, 2012 at 9:22 PM    


Awh really? I’m sorry to hear it doesn’t last long on you! I tend to take long baths and my nails get soaked for like an hour which always chips my mani but the glitter with glue base stayed intact for me. Maybe your nail beds are too smooth? Might be a long shot but you could try slightly roughing them up with a buffer (not too much) before you apply it?

Linda

October 13th, 2012 at 4:09 AM    


When I first saw this peel off base coat, I thought to myself 'why would you wanna have your polish peel off when you want to keep it on as long as possible!' Little did I realise that it's freakin' perfect for glitter! I'm like you too, avoid glitters cause it's such a pita to remove! Of course, I went and bought one haha

deijsprinses

October 14th, 2012 at 11:25 AM    


Hmm, perhaps I should give it a try!

veryemily

October 14th, 2012 at 11:50 AM    


Haha yes I thought it was pretty odd at first but decided to give it a go. I\’m so glad I did, it\’s a really great solution for glitter. Finally I get to use my glitter polishes without hesitation haha :D

veryemily

October 14th, 2012 at 11:51 AM    


Definitely!!! It\’s perfect for glitter :)

NailTart

November 2nd, 2012 at 6:54 PM    


I love your review, you made me travel abroad to buy it! You make it look so easy! I bought some peel off base coat and tried it but it didn't work so well. I think I need to paint the base coat thicker.

veryemily

November 2nd, 2012 at 9:14 PM    


Hehe thanks so much for your comment! I actually spotted your review before I read your comment hehe! Yes I think thicker is going to work better! Hope you have more luck next time you try it! Thanks for your comment x

Essence Peel Off Base Coat Review | NailTart

November 4th, 2012 at 12:37 AM    


[...] and not in the UK. I visit Europe a lot but have never bought any of the polishes but after reading this review by Emily I got very excited about my trip to [...]

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