Here’s why you should never ever try this trick to remove glitter nail polish

When it comes to. . . well, anything, really, we’re strong believers in the fact that glitter makes it better. Just toss glitter all over everything and boom, instant magic — including manicures. But one thing all us glitter-lovers and nail polish fanatics know to be true: While glittery manicures are absolutely gorgeous, they are the BIGGEST pain to get off. Even when you go to town with all the polish remover you have, it’s like the glitter has been cemented to your nails, and you end up wondering if the rest of your life will be spent scrubbing your nails, cursing your passion for all things sparkly.

That’s why it can be pretty tempting to try to find shortcuts and lifehacks for getting that stuff off when the time comes. And when beauty blogger Prachi Agarwal of SuperWOWStyle posted a video back in 2013 showing viewers how to get off glitter nail polish with Vaseline, toothpaste, lemon, and a bit of nail polish remover, we were transfixed by how easily it seemed to practically fall off. Think of all the time saved!

But if you’re tempted to try it on your own, we understand, but please, please, PLEASE don’t. There are multiple issues with this trick that could make glitter removal the least of your nail woes. Firstly, the ingredients — namely, lemon — used in this lifehack are a big no-no. “Lemon is acidic and can be irritating,” dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara told Good Housekeeping.

So, sure, that lemon helps get the glitter off, but it’s gonna end up hurting. Another problem is the way Agarwal gets off the glitter. “The method in the video is basically abrasion,” esthetician Eliana Gaviria told the publication. “When used more than once in a blue moon, abrasion can be damaging to your nail bed and irritating to your cuticles and fingers.”

Gaviria went on to explain that if you use a DIY method to make glitter nail polish — by using thick, powdery glitter on top of nail polish — you may be forced to get it off in this way, so it may be best to stick with the bottled stuff, then slave away with the nail polish remover when the time comes. They say beauty is pain, but really, beauty is time. At least those glittery nails are ultra pretty, right?

(Image via YouTube)