NailMates Inc.

Easy Quick Reusable Removal of Gel Polish, Shellac, Glitter, and Nail Treatments

Question: How do I care for NailMates caps?


Answer:  The unique material was chosen because it offered reasonable function under harsh conditions. The material also gave us the ability to design a ‘comfortable’ cap which would completely cover and protects the pad against pre-mature acetone evaporation  AND would retain body heat for quicker removal. Both of these features were a priority because they save users both time and money!


PROFESSIONALS:  The caps are obviously used in extreme conditions every day. We recommend washing with soap and water at the end of each day and stored in the bag or container. Do Not heat sterilize and Do Not leave in Barbicide overnight or for extended times. We recommend ‘Let’s Dance’ Disinfectant. It can be found at www.medicool.com   within their Professional Nail category and through BSG. We endorse this product based on its merits; there is no monetary incentive. We are confident it contains a higher disinfectant level while being less corrosive compared to Barbicide. It is a complete Salon Disinfectant so can be used elsewhere. Based on customer feedback, the ‘average’ life of NailMates for the professional is roughly 5-6 months doing 91 removals each month. We cannot guarantee use only because we cannot replicate user care or the daily products being used.


HOME USERS:  simply wash the caps and pads with soap and water after use and store accordingly.  


Question: How much acetone do I need?

Answer: Our pads hold more acetone than cotton, you will use less. Please note: it may take a few nails to determine how much. You most likely have been using cotton which can require over saturating. A couple of pumps are typically enough, but dispensers vary in how much liquid they deliver. If you do over saturate the pad squeeze the acetone down to the round end and out of the pad. 

 Question: Can I use cotton instead of the removal pads?

Answer: Yes, BUT cotton does contribute to poor removal. If you want maximum removal our pads provide that each time.  When acetone is applied to our pads you can actually see it flow evenly across the pad and our pads snug and conform to the shape of the nail. These two things in addition to the slight pressure of the cap guarantee acetone will be in direct contact with the entire nail. Cotton does not conform; it remains a lump of cotton. In addition, it was not created to hold onto liquids, there can be dry, semi moist or overly saturated areas all in the same piece of cotton. This inconsistency presents areas in the cotton where there is not enough acetone in good contact with the nail. Unlike cotton our pads do not stick to polish so no need to pick it off after soaking and as you now know they do not drip.

Question: There was a small amount of polish left on the tip of the nail following soak off.

Answer: This is because the pad hasn’t been pushed into the cap all the way. Be mindful to push the pad in deeper or pre-load the acetone filled pad into the cap and insert the finger after. The finger helps push the pad deeper into the cap.

Question: Why do the pads stick out of the cap? 

Answer: Our pads are designed to be longer than the cap. This is to prevent any possibility of dripping even if the pad is over-saturated. 

Question: There is pink dye on the removal pad that appears to be coming from the cap.

Answer: No need for concern. When acetone is first introduced to the inside of the cap the cap can slightly slough off some color. It should subside after a few uses.  

Question: I have seen other brands of caps. What is the difference? 

Answer: We are the original; however NailMates can now be found through our distributors, Cuccio Intl, BSG and Sally’s in April of 2015. NailMates are pink other than the signature black Julep caps.  


Question: Why do we ask that Acetone only be placed on the round end of the removal pads? 

Answer: The round end of the removal pad is the end that is inserted first into the cap and covers the nail.  We want the upper flat side to remain relatively dry so it will catch excess acetone from dripping if too much is applied.

 Question: What do I do if I have a client with a HUGE thumb?

Answer:  While rare, we recommend making a ¼” slit on the back of the cap which will open the mouth of the cap further.  If the thumb is unusually large and you aren’t certain how much room you will need, place the cut on the side of the cap instead of the back.  If you need further room you can cut the opposite side as well.  This should give you considerable room. The cap should still have sufficient structure to hold the pad for the next smaller customers thumb.

Question: What do you recommend for extremely TINY fingers?

Answer: This too should be rare, but if you are an ‘at home’ user put a dry pad under the wet one. Using a second pad won’t matter because pads can be reused at home. If you are a professional we recommend wrapping the pad around the end of the finger. This is contrary to our instruction label, but the extra padding takes up space in the cap. 

Question: Are there polishes that remain a challenge to remove in spite of using NailMates? 

Answer: Following 10 months of pre-market testing, we only found 2 products that were a bit of a challenge. The first would be a heavy flake glitter polish. NailMates did work fine, but our pad did not have enough structure to wipe all glitter flakes from the nail.  A cotton ball was needed to apply enough pressure to wipe the remaining flakes away.  General glitter products have not caused issues. The second was Sensationail products. This is a terrific long lasting polish, but their formula is so strong it does pose a challenge if you’re goal is to cut down on long processing times.      Manufactures can give optimistic removal times. If using NailMates you are at least able to move about freely during the necessary time needed to remove their product.
US Patent NO. 6,990,955
Further Patents Pending
(Click on Image)
NailMates Tutorial by Founder and Creator
Chris Schurn
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