Clumpy, glompy, thick nail polish… let’s face it, we have all let a bottle of nail polish sit there for so long that it moves “past its prime” and becomes seemingly unusable. Maybe you grew tired of the color, or perhaps it went out of season and you had to wait until the next year to use it again. Regardless of how it’s happened, just how on earth are you supposed to apply this thick, goopy mess to your fingernails?
That’s when a nail polish thinner comes in handy. The good news is that you do not need to rush out to the store to actually buy a nail polish thinner. You can actually make your very own nail polish thinner with a little bit of orange oil and a bit of solvent.
1. Begin to selecting a solvent you will use for your homemade nail polish thinner. Some of the more popular choices out there include shellite or even good old acetone that you can find in most nail polish removers.
TIP: You can choose to use your nail polish remover as a nail polish thinner a well, but you will need to be extremely careful when doing this as adding too much will completely destroy the nail polish. Add a little bit at a time and mix it well before adding any more.
2. Once you have chosen the solvent you would like to use, it is time to add the orange oil to the mix. The orange oil is essential as it will help maintain the consistency of the nail polish. It both keeps the nail polish smooth and it will help conceal that otherwise unpleasant scent of the solvent. You will want to be sure that the orange oil and the solvent are blended in equal parts.
3. Now add a small amount of this nail polish thinner to the actual nail polish. Start with just a few drops, screw the cap back on to the nail polish and give the bottle a good shake. Continue with this process until the nail polish has reached the consistency you like. You may need to check the consistency over the course of an hour, removing the brush or applicator every 10 to 15 minutes to ensure that the consistency stays the same. If the nail polish thickens, add a couple more drops of the nail polish thinner to the nail polish.
4. Here comes the true test: applying the nail polish to your finger nails. Test the nail polish out on just one finger nail. Apply one coat, allow it to try, and apply another. If the nail polish appears the way that you would like it to, then you have successfully recovered and saved your favorite nail polish!
Once you have given your thick, otherwise unusable nail polish some nail thinner “CPR”, be sure to discard of any unused nail polish thinner just to be safe. Nail polish thinner, whether store bought or homemade, is extremely flammable so it is important to keep it in a cool, dry place after being used.
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:49 PM
OMG…acetone will RUIN polish…please just use thinner!!!
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:07 PM
I would definitely not use either acetone or anything oil based to revive polish! Yes, acetone may thin it out initially, but it breaks the bonds (that’s how it works to remove lacquer!) and the resulting polish is patchy and streaky. Oil also does not mix well with polish, nor does it provide for maximum adhesion and application.
July 22nd, 2011 at 11:22 PM
If thinner works for you, that’s great! The downside to using thinners in polish is none are capable of restoring the polish to their original quality (or lack of) resulting in poor overall performance.
Just my opinion but I find its best to discard thickened polish but thats just me.
After each use, be sure to wipe any remaining polish from bottle neck prior to storage. This helps to form an air tight seal which, in turn, helps keep the polish from thickening from air leaks occuring from dried, built up polish. Some recommend storing polish in the refrigerator, this doesn’t work because once the polish is put back into room temperature, condensation forms on the inside of the bottle – water and polish don’t blend very well.
Hope this helps!