The Best of Gentle & Nourishing Nail Polish Removers

As the weather starts to get frigid and our nail polish shades naturally turn to darker hues, there’s no doubt that polish remover may come into play more frequently. How can we best keep our nails from becoming brittle and drying out our cuticles to the point of pain? Seeking out gentle and nourishing removers are a great way to perform polish changes without the damage, and we’ve got nine stellar ones that will surely make you forgo your current product.

Before you click through the slide show above for our top picks, check out the GREAT advice from nail guru Deborah Lippmann, who tells us that she looks for polish removers that include Aloe Vera extract and lavender essential oil to nourish nails, and that when selecting a polish remover, “It’s not so much about what (ingredients) to avoid, but rather what are the additives. Acetone by itself is not recommended, but acetone with nourishing ingredients can be less harsh for the nail.”

Lippmann also emphasizes that “Grooming is the key, whether you do a weekly mani at home or at the salon.” Hydration is also essential, and besides picking a great polish remover, Lippmann encourages everyone to moisturize.

“Moisturize your hands with hand cream or cuticle oil every time you wash your hands. Think about when you wash your face, you would probably not wash your face and not hydrate your face. We always wonder why our hands and cuticles are dry, but it’s because we’re not treating them properly. Just think about how often you wash your hands in a given day and my guess is most rarely moisturize after each washing.”