Red nail polish is the bane of my existence. I love to wear it (because it's classic like Marilyn Monroe), but when I remove it, my cuticles and finger pads stain pink and the tinge can take days to go away. While taking a nail-art class with Essie Canada lead nail artist Rita Remark (see the chevron and brushstroke manis that she created!), she saw me struggling to remove my bright red polish. One hand was covered in stains—yuck—and I was supposed to be creating a bright new mani on that hand in minutes. She sat next to me and showed me the tricks for removing polish properly: 1. Soak a cotton ball in nail polish remover and squeeze out the excess. 2. Press the cotton on a nail and hold it there for a few seconds to help the polish lift. 3. Pull the cotton ball towards the end of the nail. Don't rub up and down or side to side, which is the move that causes cuticle staining. Instead, pull from the top of the nail to the tip, then repeat until all polish is removed. 4. Repeat on all nails, using fresh cotton balls as necessary. I've used Remark's tips for polish removal since that day and they are flawless. So simple, yet so helpful! Read more: Try Remark's striped summer manicure