Review: Target Up & Up Dip-It Nail Polish Remover

Purchased by Me 

Longtime readers know that my preferred method for removing stubborn glitter nail polish is the Foil Method, which I first discovered on my pal Elvira's blog a few years ago. It truly makes removing pesky glitters a snap BUT if does take a little time to prep (cutting the foil sheets, applying each cotton ball/piece of foil to the nail, waiting a few minutes before removal, etc.).

About a month ago, I started to hear raves from both readers and bloggers about this Dip-It remover from Target. As you can see, it says right on the jar, "removes gel nail polish, glitter and artificial nails."

NOTE: I don't wear artificial nails or gel polish, so this review is solely based on how this product removes glitter nail polish.

 Target Up & Up Dip-It Nail Polish Remover

(retail: $2.49 at Target, 9.0 oz)

I assumed that this product was like other jar removers I've tried in the past that have a sponge/foam core that you stick your finger inside to help remove your polish. But I was wrong. Very wrong.

After you peel back the safety seal, you'll see a clear plastic seal underneath. TIP: Hold the jar AWAY FROM YOUR FACE when you puncture this clear plastic seal. Once the plastic is punctured, a little bit of the liquid may splash up, and you do NOT want to get acetone in your eyes.

After you remove the clear plastic film, you can see that the core of this jar is plastic and contains a circle of little plastic bristles:

The liquid is not filled all the way to the brim because, if it were, it would overflow when you place your finger inside the core:

For my first try, I decided to use one of the limited edition Salon Perfect Neon Collision polishes. I applied three coats of this polish to my bare nail and let me tell you, this polish is like glue when you first apply it to bare nails. It's incredibly difficult to even peel off the nail, let alone remove with remover (it does become easier the longer the polish is on the nail and it's actually easy to remove after about a day of wear, just FYI).

But since I knew that this polish sets like glue when you first apply it, I thought it would be a good one to test on the Dip-It:

After about 15 quick up-and-down motions in the Dip-It pot:

Absolutely polish-free!

So here's the deal: If you're expecting to put your finger in the pot once or twice, remove it and have a perfectly clean nail, you're going to be disappointed by this product. However, even though 15 up-and-down motions sounds like a lot, it actually takes less than 30 seconds to do this. I've tried removing a full manicure of three coats of glitter polish with base and top coat and none of my nails required more than 15 or 20 (at the most) quick up-and-down motions for complete removal. And it's even easier if you have more time and can let your finger soak in the acetone for a minute before you start using the bristles.

If the white residue on my clean nail above freaks you out, then you probably have never used pure acetone to remove polishes before. This is absolutely normal for acetone-based polishes, and all you have to do is wash your hands and the whiteness will disappear. All I ever use is acetone to remove my polishes, so I'm used to it. But I'm sure this could be disconcerting if you have never use acetone-based removers and you see a sudden white film on your finger, so that's why I'm telling you this.

TIP: Make sure you use an up-and-down motion when you dip your nail into this pot. Due to the construction of the bristles, it's not NEARLY as effective if you try to move your finger in a side-to-side or twisting motion. The bristles will feel way too soft and ineffective. So remember: up and down. You don't need to pull your finger all the out of the jar every time you go up and down though. Just use a quick up and down motion and you'll be fine.

As for what the bristles feel like, they're not rough and they definitely won't cause you any pain. To me, they feel like the plastic bristles on the CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara wands, but longer.

In case you're curious, I have also used this product to remove regular nail, non-glitter nail polish, and it works quite well for that too (you don't need nearly as many up-and-down motions). However, if you're wearing a super pigmented color (red, blue, black, etc.) you might see a bit of residual color on your fingers after removal, especially if the acetone in the jar is already colored from past uses. I have not experienced any transfer of old glitter (left in the jar from a past removal) onto my skin during use because the glitter pretty much sinks to the bottom of the jar.

FINAL VERDICT: If you're a Foil Method devotee who's curious about trying a different method for removing your glitters, I think you might enjoy this product but it might not completely take the place of the Foil Method for you.  If you've never tried the Foil Method to remove glitter polishes and all you know is the regular cotton-and-remover method, this might be a life-changing experience for you (and it's definitely more effective than the old-school jars that had a sponge core). Since I have used both the Foil Method and now Dip-It, I can see a use for both. If have a ton of layers on my nails (base coat, jelly polish, glitter polish, more jelly polish, more base coat and then two coats of top coat, for example), then I think I'll stick with the Foil Method because the direct, sustained pressure of a lot of acetone results in a very effective, clean removal. However, if I only have two or three coats of glitter polish on my nails and maybe a top/base coat, the Dip-It would ultimately be faster and more convenient because there's no prep-work involved. And if I only have glitter polish on an accent nail, then I will definitely reach for the Dip-It. Oh, and the Foil Method is still my go-to for glitter removal on my toes (there's no way you could use this jar on toes, unless you had freakishly long, skinny toes. In which case, ew. Nevermind). 

Have you tried Target Up & Up Dip-It Nail Polish Remover? I would absolutely love to hear how it works for you!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.