A lot of people don’t know this, but nail polish remover pads are not a necessity in your nail polish routine. You can easily make your own and save money by doing so.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Cotton Balls

Nail Polish Remover

Scissors

Small Container (I use an old pill container)

Step

Are you one of those people who has a bottle of nail polish remover pads on your bathroom counter? I used to be. I’m not sure why I even had them in the bathroom because I rarely painted my nails in the bathroom. But there they were, in the drawer, taking up space, and collecting dust.

Then one day when I was cleaning it out (the drawer) I realized that I didn’t even know how old those nail polish remover pads were! So….I threw them away!

But when I went to repurchase them, it occurred to me that they were pretty expensive for basically a chunk of cotton and some acetone. So then it occurred to me that maybe I could make my own DIY nail polish remover pads. And so here we are!

This is a tutorial on how to make your own DIY nail polish remover pads. These are the cutest little things ever, and they save so much money! Plus, you can customize them for any occasion!

This tutorial is for the original DIY nail polish remover pads. If you want to make the new ones with Vitamin E oil and aloe vera, follow this tutorial instead: How To Make Your Own Nail Polish Remover Pads (Part 2)

First, gather your supplies. You will need: 100% pure acetone nail polish remover (NOT non-acetone…it won’t work), some cotton balls (the cheap kind, not the really fluffy kind), a paper plate or piece of cardboard, some clear tape (optional), and a pair of kitchen scissors.

Cut each cotton ball in half lengthwise. You’ll now have two pieces that look like this:

Now take one of those pieces and dip it into the acetone. Let it soak up as much as it wants to absorb.

Lay it out on a piece of cardboard, or a paper plate if you don’t have one handy. (The acetone will eat away at foam plates.) Repeat this process until you have 10-20

I love painting my nails, but I’ve always hated using liquid nail polish remover. For starters, it’s a huge pain in the butt to have to find a cotton ball or cotton pad. Then there’s the hassle of pouring the liquid onto the cotton ball/pad and then having to squeeze out the excess remover.

I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. If you do too, this DIY is for you! Today, we’ll be making our own nail polish remover pads! They’re quick and easy to make, and they work great!

I originally posted this tutorial on my old blog and decided to post it again here. I love nail polish and my nails are almost always painted, but I hate the hassle of using regular cotton balls or pads to remove the polish. So I began searching for a way to make my own nail polish remover pads. There are many tutorials online that show you how to do this, but I found that most were not very clear about what supplies you need or what steps you need to take.

So after experimenting with the process, I thought I’d share how I make my own nail polish remover pads.

Supplies:

1. A container (I used an old pill bottle)

2. Cotton fabric (I used an old flannel shirt)

3. Paper towel or napkin (this is NOT necessary, but it makes removing stubborn glitter polishes easier)

4. Scissors

5. Nail polish remover

Step 1: Cut your fabric into squares and place one paper towel piece in the bottom of the container (if using). If your fabric is too thick, cut it in half width-wise so that you have two thinner layers. The thinner your squares are, the easier it is for them to absorb the nail polish remover

1. Cut the sponge into small pieces.

Each square needs to be about 1 inch by 1 inch. A kitchen knife works great for cutting the sponges. If you want to make more pads, buy more sponges!

2. Pour a few drops of nail polish remover onto each pad.

You can use any kind of nail polish remover: non acetone, acetone, regular or scented. I used a nail polish remover that is scented with lavender because I love the way it smells!

3. Put your little pads in a container and seal it tight!

Done! Easy-peasy! You can store these in an airtight container anywhere you’d like, and they will last for many months so long as they stay moist and sealed from the air. Just pop one out whenever you need to use it, and don’t forget to reseal the container when you’re done!

Hot pink nails are fun and flirty, and you can get professional looking results by following just a few simple steps. These instructions will provide you with the tools to make your own hot pink nail manicure at home.

1. Start with a clean, dry nail bed.

2. Apply clear base coat to protect your nails from staining, and to allow for easy removal of polish later on.

3. Use a “French tip” applicator bottle to carefully apply two coats of red nail polish to the bottom half of your nail, leaving the top portion clear.

4. Apply one coat of hot pink polish over the entire surface of each nail.

5. Allow each layer of polish to dry completely before applying another layer over it.