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Byrdie / Danie Drankwalter
Nail polish remover is an essential part of every DIY manicurist's kit. In addition to eliminating all traces of lacquer, it can be used to prep the nails for fresh paint, create a clean line for French tips, and tidy up around the edges. Of course, not all formulas are created equal. Acetone (aka literal paint thinner) tends to be the quickest and most effective, though it can be pretty harsh on your nail beds. There are some great acetone-free removers that are a bit gentler and still get the job done.
To help you find the best one for you, we compiled this list of the best nail polish removers out there.
"The main ingredients in nail polish remover are acetone, isopropyl alcohol, or ethyl acetate," says nail artist Syreeta Aaron, explaining that these powerful solvents dissolve the polymers found in nail lacquer. "The polish breaks down, changing the hardened polish into a liquid form for easy wipe-off."
We conducted hours of research on the best nail polish removers, evaluating each formula on its key ingredients and how well they work to remove all traces of polish. We also took into consideration how easy the product is to dispense, as well as other factors like if a formula has extra benefits to your nails, nail beds, and cuticles. Our choices were informed by a nail artist and include top-rated picks to give you the best in show.
Ahead, find the best nail polish removers to keep in your at-home manicure kit.
Best Overall
Zoya Remove+ Nail Polish Remover
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Amazon
Pump top
Spill-proof container
Award-winning formula
Strong smell
Our number one pick is Zoya Remove+. This nail polish remover gets rid of any shade of lacquer, dark or light, opaque or glittery. (Note: the main ingredient is 2-propanone, the chemical name for acetone). It also works as a pre-polish nail prepper, dissolving oily residues and leaving you with a clean canvas.
But that's not all. The three-in-one formula contains glycerin to hydrate and condition your nail beds, cuticles, and the surrounding skin. We also appreciate the user-friendly pump-top bottle and spill-proof design.
Price at time of publish: $12
Key Ingredients: Acetone, glycerin | Amount: 8 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Budget
Cutex Ultra-Powerful Nail Polish Remover
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Amazon
Affordable
Works quickly
Expert-recommended
Strong smell
Can be harsh on cuticles
"Cutex has been around forever and is a classic," says Aaron. "I like it because they offer a few different options, such as a remover with vitamin E and nutrients."
Price at time of publish: $4
Key Ingredients: Acetone | Amount: 6.8 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Drugstore
Sally Hansen Moisturizing Nail Polish Remover
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Walmart
Affordable
Replenishes nail bed
Expert-recommended
Contains PEGs
"I recommend looking for a remover with vitamin E so you can add nutrients back into your nails," says Aaron, who is a fan of Sally Hansen. In addition to vitamin E, this acetone-based formula contains healing and strengthening vitamin B5 (panthenol), plus skin-soothing aloe.
Price at time of publish: $10
Key Ingredients: Acetone, vitamin B5, aloe vera | Amount: 8 ounces | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Pure Acetone
Onyx Professional 100% Pure Acetone Maximum Strength Nail Polish Remover
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Walmart
Great Value
Works Quickly
Expert-recommended
Harsh on cuticles
"Acetone is a more powerful solvent, so it will break down a lot faster," says Aaron. If you're looking for something containing nothing more than acetone, she recommends Onyx. You can use this product to remove regular polish or soak off gel lacquer. For French nails, dip a small brush in and swipe it horizontally over your painted tips to create a clean line.
Price at time of publish: $3
Key Ingredients: Acetone | Amount: 16 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
"Most salons just use acetone, as it can be used for all different polish removals—acrylic, gel, and of course, regular lacquer."—Syreeta Aaron, Nail Technician
Best Acetone-Free
Nailtopia Fresh Avocado Nail Polish Remover
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Amazon
Plant-based formula
Gentle yet effective
Moisturizing
Takes several swipes
Not a fan of acetone? Go with Nailtopia. This gentle nail polish remover contains 99 percent earth-sourced ingredients. It breaks up lacquer with ethyl acetate, which tends to be a bit less irritating than acetone, then moisturizes with avocado oil.
Price at time of publish: $13
Key Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, avocado oil | Amount: 8 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Pot
Olive & June Polish Remover Pot
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Olive & June
Easy to use
Mess-free
Gentle yet effective
Not ideal for toes
This pink pot from Olive & June makes for easy-peasy, mess-free polish removal. The acetone-free formula leans on ethyl and butyl acetates to gently yet effectively erase all lacquer and prep your nail beds for your next manicure.
Price at time of publish: $10
Key Ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate | Amount: 2 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
"Both acetone and non-acetone remover breakdown the polish but acetone is way more powerful."—Syreeta Aaron, Nail Technician
Best Wipes
Butter London Nail Scrubbers 2-in-1 Prep & Lacquer Remover Wipes
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Amazon
Travel-friendly
Works quickly
Replenishes nail beds
High price per use
Contains PEGs
Butter London Nail Scrubbers are not only convenient and travel-friendly, but they also do an impressive job removing the most stubborn, dark, or glittery polish. These one-swipe-wonders are soaked in acetone to quickly eliminate all traces of lacquer, plus vitamin E and aloe to prevent irritation and replenish your nail beds.
Price at time of publish: $10
Key Ingredients: Acetone, vitamin E, aloe vera | Amount: 10 wipes | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Gentle
Tenoverten The Rose Soak
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Violetgrey
Gentle yet effective
Fortifying
Eco-friendly packaging
Not fast-acting
"Finding a nail polish remover that is both gentle and effective can be challenging," says nail care expert Nadine Abramcyk, who co-founded Tenoverten. The Rose Soak contains propylene carbonate, a less-harsh acetone alternative, plus soothing, fortifying ingredients like aloe vera and rosehip extract.
Price at time of publish: $12
Key Ingredients: Propylene carbonate, aloe vera, rosehip extract | Amount: 4 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Non-Drying
Ella + Mila Jojoba Based Nail Polish Remover
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Ella + Mila
Acetone- and alcohol-free
Gentle yet effective
Moisturizing
Not fast-acting
Contains PEGs
This nail polish remover from Ella+Mila doesn't contain any acetone or alcohol, which can be drying. It effectively removes lacquer of any shade and replenishes the nail beds with a dose of moisturizing jojoba oil and soothing vitamin E.
Price at time of publish: $12
Key Ingredients: Dimethyl glutarate, dimethyl adipate, jojoba oil, vitamin E | Amount: 4 ounces | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Set
Cirque Colors Frest Start Duo
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Cirque Colors
Works quickly
Conditions nail beds
Lint-free wipes
Pricey
This bundle from Cirque Colors comes with an 8-ounce bottle of nail polish remover and 325 perfectly sized, lint-free cotton wipes. The acetone-based remover works quickly while hydrating and conditioning with glycerin. While this is a more expensive pick, we think the inclusion of moisturizing glycerin justifies the price, making it worth the spend.
Key Ingredients: Acetone, glycerin | Amount: 8 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Dark Polish
Deborah Lippmann The Stripper Nail Lacquer Remover
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Sephora
Works quickly
Non-drying
Award-winning formula
High price per ounce
"Darker colors are harder to remove," says Aaron, explaining that acetone-based formulas are usually best for deep nail polish shades. Deborah Lippmann's cheekily named The Stripper works quickly and effectively, calling on aloe vera to prevent dryness and lavender essential oil to mask the strong smell of acetone.
Price at time of publish: $19
Key Ingredients: Acetone, aloe vera, lavender essential oil | Amount: 4 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
"Acetone breaks down and liquefies the polish easier. That will make these darker colors easier to remove without having to use a polish remover that's 100 percent acetone."—Syreeta Aaron, Nail Technician
Best for Light Polish
People of Color Acetone-Free Nail Polish Remover
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People of Color
Gentle formula
Non-drying
Minimal ingredients
Not fast-acting
Not ideal for dark colors
"If you're removing regular lacquer, acetone can be too harsh, so just a basic polish remover is best," says Aaron. This acetone-free formula from People of Color effortlessly dissolves light-colored polish with methyl acetate, promising not to dry out your nail beds.
Price at time of publish: $10
Key Ingredients: Methyl acetate | Amount: 4 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Touch-Ups
OPI Nail Polish Remover Pen
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Amazon
Innovative design
Marker-like tip
Refillable
High price per ounce
OPI's Correct Clean Up pen is perfect for smoothing out little smudges and cleaning up your nail edges. The marker-like tip makes it super easy to apply the acetone-based formula with precision—no Q-tip or brush needed. It's also refillable, helping you cut down on waste.
Price at time of publish: $9
Key Ingredients: Acetone | Amount: 0.1 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Gel Polish
Sally Hansen Salon Gel Polish Acetone Remover
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Ulta
Works quickly
Replenishes nail beds
Non-drying
Harsh on cuticles
Strong smell
"Acetone tends to strip away the oils and not necessarily replenish the vitamins and nutrients in the nail, which makes it best for a gel polish," says Aaron. With this in mind, Sally Hansen's gel remover contains soothing aloe and moisturizing grape seed oil to replenish your nail beds.
Price at time of publish: $5
Key Ingredients: Acetone, aloe vera | Amount: 2 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Soak-Off
LeChat Perfect Match Soak-Off Remover
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LeChat
Generous amount
Works quickly
Strong smell
"If you need a professional product for gel removal, LeChat Perfect Match is my go-to," offers Aaron. This no-nonsense formula uses acetone to soak off stubborn shellac and gel lacquer within minutes.
Price at time of publish: $20
Key Ingredients: Acetone | Amount: 32 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Manicure Prep
Mineral Fusion Nail Polish Remover
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Mineral Fusion
Gentle yet effective
Helps new polish stick
Strong smell
Mineral Fusion is not only great for removing polish but also prepping your nails for a fresh coat of paint. As Aaron explains, it works by "dehydrating the nail of oils so the gel or enhancement will stick to it better."
Price at time of publish: $12
Key Ingredients: Methyl acetate | Amount: 8 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Final Verdict
Zoya Remove+ is the best nail polish remover overall on account of its fast-acting, conditioning formula and spill-proof, pump-top bottle. If you're on a budget, go with the manicurist-approved Cutex Ultra-Powerful Nail Polish Remover. And if you need a travel-friendly option, we highly recommend Butter London Nail Scrubbers.
Meet the Expert
Syreeta Aaron is an Alabama-based nail specialist, as well as an educator and brand ambassador for LeChat.
Nail care expert Nadine Abramcyk is the head of brand and co-founder of Tenoverten.
What to Look For in a Nail Polish Remover
Acetone or Non-Acetone
According to Aaron, this is pretty much the most important thing to consider. More on the difference below, but acetone is great for breaking down more stubborn polishes (such as gel) as well as darker shades. “If you’ve been wearing reds and darker colors, they are harder to remove and clean away from in between the cuticle and nail plate,” she explains. In this case, you may want an option that has at least a little bit of acetone in it.
On the flip side, non-acetone-based formulas tend to be more hydrating and gentle, good if you’re just wearing a lighter color of normal polish, she says. FYI, it bears mentioning that typically nail salons only use acetone since it works equally well on all kinds of polish, including gels and acrylics, she adds.
Extra Nutrients
Unless you’re using a pure acetone remover, Aaron says to seek out formulas that contain extra hydrating ingredients. She cites vitamin E as one of her top picks.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie
Theresa Holland is a commerce writer specializing in color cosmetics and lifestyle. She interviewed two sources for this story, including a professional manicurist and a nail care expert, who offers product recommendations and insight into active ingredients. Before narrowing down the final picks, she looked at dozens of formulas and referenced ingredients in several peer-reviewed journals. Of the above brands, Theresa has tried Zoya, Cutex, Onyx, Sally Hansen, and Butter London. She covers DIY nail products, makeup, and skincare at Byrdie.
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