Vegetable oils, favored for their nourishing benefits for skin, hair, and nails, present a tempting alternative to nail polish removers. In addition to aiding in polish removal, they care for the nails. Rich in fatty acids, they strengthen the nail cuticle and prevent splitting. Moreover, by ensuring hydration, vegetable oils make them shinier. The most commonly used vegetable oils for nail polish removal are coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil.
From a mechanistic perspective, vegetable oils work due to the triglycerides they contain, compounds derived from the reaction between a glycerol molecule and three fatty acid molecules. Being lipophilic, triglycerides have solubilizing properties. They are capable of binding to lipophilic molecules in the varnish and dissolving them, thus allowing the product to be removed. Vegetable oils are used in a similar way to traditional solvents. Simply pour a few drops onto a cotton pad and let it sit. Light rubbing can speed up the removal of the varnish.
However, while plant oils are useful for nail care, their effectiveness in removing nail polish is less than that of traditional removers, and they are only suitable for less durable polishes. Indeed, traditional removers are often based on acetone or other organic solvents, such as ethyl acetate, capable of quickly breaking down the pigments and resins of nail polishes, which strongly adhere to the nail surface. These solvents have a stronger chemical affinity with polish molecules, allowing them to dissolve the color layer more efficiently in a few seconds. This means that it may be necessary to let the plant oil work longer, or even rub more vigorously, to completely remove the polish.
A study has indeed compared the effectiveness and impact on the hydration and mechanical properties of nails of removers with different concentrations of acetone and a vegetable oil from avocado. Although the removal of polish was faster with acetone-based removers, as shown in the photos of a participant's nails below, the avocado oil did not alter either the hydration or the roughness of the nails, unlike removers containing acetone.