How To Avoid Nail Polish Stains

(Image credit: Ludovic Ismael)

published 31 July 2002

Why is it that when I remove my nail polish my nails look yellow? Is there anything I can do to keep this from happening?

Your nails look yellow because the color from your polish has "stained" your nails. You've probably noticed that this happens much more often (and more dramatically) when you use darker shades of polish, like deep reds, browns or purples.

It's nothing to worry about and certainly is only a superficial effect. The polish is not harming your nails, so you can just go ahead and apply your new polish right over it. You can usually prevent the problem by using a base coat before your polish.

L'Oréal makes a good one you can find in drugstores. Some manicurists swear that rubbing a lemon wedge over stained nails helps tone down the yellow. Give it a try, or just wait for the yellow to fade over time.

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