It's the problem that's plagued nail techs forever—the stuck bot­tle top. Orly's new Gripper Cap gets the job done. But, if you aren't using Orly polish, how do you unscrew a stuck top? A recent discus­sion on BeautyTech.com's NailTech list reveals several good homespun options. Even if your hands are slip­pery with oil or lotion, you're bound to have luck with one of these tricks. Once you get the stub­born bottle open, don't forget to wipe up any drips and rub a drop of cuticle oil around the neck to prevent the problem from recurring.

Pam Karousis, Nail Designs Unlimited, Cortland,Ohio: First, I try wrapping a thick rubber band around the cap to give me some leverage. That usually works great. If the rubber band fails, I turn the bottle upside down and use a dropper to place a small amount of acetone polish remover down into the cap. I leave it upside down, placed inside a small jar to keep it in that po­sition. In a few minutes, the cap will come off without any trouble.

Pati Schembari, Jacqueline'sDay Spa, Treasure is­land, Fla.: I always reach for a rubber glove first—I use a disposable one. That'll do it in eight out of 10 cases.

Lorra Jones, Salon De Gratiae, Phoenix: I found a great pair of decorator nutcrackers that work wonderfully. The nutcracker is not the typical flat-headed kind—it has the shape of a nut so it fits around the top of a polish bottle perfectly.

Karen Hodges, The "All About You" Salon of Key West, Key West, Fla.: First, I try using a circular rubber jar lid gripper. This will get most of them. Next, I try pliers set to the "big things" setting. The next thing is to try holding the bottle under hot water for a few moments. If all else fails, I take a shot glass about half full of acetone and soak the polish bottle upside down for an hour or so.