How To Fix Clumpy Nail Polish
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Updated 2024.08.11. This page contains affiliate links and this site earns from qualifying purchases made through these sponsored links.
In our article on proper storage and care for your nail polish gear, we discussed a few methods of How To Make Nail Polish Last Longer, including keeping your bottles closed when working with them to avoid exposing them to air, which can thicken formulas too early and before their time.
Though, sometimes no matter how well you care for your equipment, the forces outside your control land you with a bottle of clumpy nail polish.
Maybe the warehouse that stored your formula before it arrived got too hot. Maybe your lacquer sat too long in a shipping container, aging your polish too quickly before it got into your hands.
Maybe the solvents and pigments that make up the color are prone to thickening. Perhaps your nail polish is halfway down the bottle and air is just sitting in there with it.
These are just a few reasons that can explain why nail polish can thicken that have nothing to do with you or your careful tending to your inventory.
Whatever the case for a thickened polish, there are ways around clumpy nail polish, and the techniques below can save a beautiful color and a worthy investment from the trash bin.
Before you give up and toss out your prized beauty in a bottle, let’s discuss a few techniques to thin your polish, so that it is easy to apply on the nail and lays nice enough to give you a solid, clean, and even-looking manicured nail.
The options below won’t necessarily chip your polish or shorten your manicure’s wear.
Some of the products mentioned in this post can be Godsends when used appropriately.
The issue with clumpy polish isn’t just poor and frustrating application, it’s uneven dry time, lending to smudges and imperfections in the finished product.
You shouldn’t settle for less in a manicure. Not from yourself, not from a manicurist. You deserve a perfect finished product, and tools that make your job easy.
If your favorite color has clumped, for whatever reason, there are a few possibilities that can save it, your manicure, and potentially, your entire day.
Without further ado, below are a few options for how to fix thick nail polish starting with the least expensive -
Photo of half empty nail polish square bottle on wooden ledge with painted hand adjacent by cottonbro from Pexels
Option 1. Roll your nail polish around
Nail polish is an elegant homogeneous solution at best, and it can separate.
The denser solids at the bottom and the thinner liquids at top. Clumpiness and other inconsistencies can occur when these mixtures settle out, which can happen in a matter of hours to days, depending on the ingredients.
Using the power of kinetic energy, mix up the solution without adding air bubbles by rolling your nail polish between your hands, between your hand and your thigh, or on another warm, soft surface to avoid scratching the bottle.
Option 2. Warm up your nail polish
Put your nail polish bottle in your pocket, your bra, or under your armpit before using it. This mascara hack works wonders to remove clumps on the lashes, and it works for nail polish, too.
Nail polish is often stored in a cool, dry place, to extend it’s life, but it tends to apply best at warmer temperatures. If your bottle has been sitting in a dark basement closet, good, but bring it up to the ground floor before using it.
If the above techniques are not sanitary enough, for example you are working for someone else, make sure the nail polish bottle lid is tight, and fill up a bowl with the hottest tap water you can find, and let it sit in the hot water bath for at least one minute.
Option 3. A few drops of acetone
This option is a great nail polish thinner alternative, which is the final option.
If not, add another drop of acetone and repeat until you do. You should only need a few drops.
If you remember chemistry class, what you are doing is similar to a titration, and it is very important to not go overboard. Only one drop can over-thin your polish and leave it streaky. Working drop-by-drop here is key.
Option 4. Invest in a quality nail polish thinner
Don’t listen to anyone who is feeling salty when you take advice about nail polish thinners. They serve a purpose on Earth. They are not created with the intent to cheapen nail polish, nor are they used as tricks by nail salons to give you a cheap manicure.
They work in the right scenarios. They can extend a bottle’s life and make nail polish easier to apply, leading to a smoother, sleeker, finished manicure, making everyone happy.
For more information: How To Thin Nail Polish Using OPI Nail Lacquer Thinner
How To Fix Clumpy Nail Polish over photo of half empty nail polish square bottle on wooden ledge with painted hand adjacent by cottonbro from Pexels
These are just a few options for fixing a sticky, thick or clumpy nail polish.
Start with the option that is the easiest for you, and then advance up each solution, finishing with a thinner until you have found what works best. Your nail polish is an investment and worth the effort.
Keep in mind that some polishes are chunky and thick to begin with, such as heavy glitters and some pastels. It has to do with the nature of the pigment. Try not to blame the polish, or the manufacturer, for what just is.
Instead, take your time to get a smooth finish with these tips, and use the thinning solutions if needed above to give yourself a quick break.
Here’s to smooth formulas, long lasting beauty products, and caring for your investments,
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