How to Dilute Nail Polish

Like many other cosmetics, nail polish that has been exposed to air degrades over time. Old nail polish often becomes thick, lumpy and difficult to apply. Fortunately, there are a few tips you can use to prolong the life of your nail polish. To thin your nail polish, warm the can by rolling it between your hands, or dip it in hot water if it’s just stratified, or add a small amount of paint thinner if it’s been too long. no longer responds to the warming technique. Properly storing nail polish also reduces future clumping.

Table of Contents

Use the quick and temporary method

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Turn the vial upside down to mix the color beads. Continuously rotate the top of the vial up and down for two to three minutes. Sometimes, this is all you need to do to restore a nail polish bottle.

Roll the paint can between the palms of your hands for a few minutes. The heat from the palm of your hand will loosen the paint and make it easier to apply on your nails. Never shake the paint can as tiny air bubbles will form. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Soak the paint can in hot water for two minutes. Remember to close the lid of the jar tightly and hold the lid to avoid burning your hands. Hot water will warm the paint solution and become thinner. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Paint a test nail to check the consistency. Wait for the first coat to dry before applying the second coat. If the paint is too thick or clumpy, read on to find out what to do next.

Use the long term method

Open the vial cap and add two or three drops of paint thinner. ^{[3] X Research Source} Use an eye dropper bottle to measure drop by drop. You can buy nail polish thinner at cosmetic stores.

If you want to thin gel nail polish, use a thinner specifically for this type of nail polish. Gel polish has a UV reactive layer, so nail polish thinners can often affect the quality of the gel polish.

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The last resort is to use acetone or nail polish remover. Both of these can damage paint and cause it to crack after it dries. ^{[4] X Source of Research} If you use acetone or nail polish remover, you will most likely have to throw away the polish after several uses. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Don’t use acetone or nail polish remover to dilute gel nail polish.

Close the vial tightly and roll it between your palms to mix the thinner into the paint. Do not shake the paint can as air bubbles will form. If the thinner doesn’t mix into the paint, try turning the top of the bottle up and down a few times.

Repeat this process if necessary. If the nail polish is still thick, open the cap and add two or three more drops. Close the vial and roll it between your palms to mix the thinner into the paint.

Consider leaving the thinner in the nail polish for a while before mixing. If the paint is very thick and you have repeated the process a few times with no success, try leaving the thinner in the paint for a while. Open the bottle cap, add two to three drops of nail polish thinner and close the cap. Wait about an hour, then roll the can between your hands to mix the thinner into the paint.

Wash the paintbrush in acetone. Pour acetone into a beaker or porcelain mug. Don’t use a plastic cup because acetone can melt the plastic, and don’t use a cup you plan to drink later. Dip the brush in the acetone and sweep it back and forth. The dry nail polish will dissolve and separate from the brush. If there is paint residue, use a paper towel to wipe it off; Do not use cotton swabs or cotton pads. After rinsing, close the lid of the jar. The excess acetone on the brush will help dilute the paint in the jar. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Acetone can damage nail polish, so you should only do this when the bottle is almost empty.

Know what to do when the paint is too thin. If you accidentally use too much thinner, all you need to do is open the cap to let air into the vial. First, remove the brush from the bottle and clean it with nail polish remover. Wrap the brush in a plastic bag and leave the paint can open in a quiet corner. Check the bottle of paint again after a day. The air in the room will cause the paint to thicken. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Sometimes you need to leave the lid open for a few days. Waiting time depends on how hot, cold, dry or humid the air in the room is.

Store nail polish properly

Learn how to store nail polish so it doesn’t dry out or clump. Nail polish is bound to expire at some point, but there are ways to prolong it. This section will present tips for properly storing nail polish so that it dries more slowly.

Use a cotton ball dipped in acetone and wipe over the neck of the bottle before closing the cap. This step helps to remove excess paint from the neck of the jar. If you don’t do this step, the paint on the neck of the jar will dry out and make the jar difficult to close. The air will then get trapped in the jar and cause the paint to dry faster. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Store nail polish in a cool, dry place. Do not leave nail polish in the bathroom because the temperature there changes quickly and often. Instead, you should keep your nail polish in your desk drawer. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Use caution when storing nail polish in the refrigerator door. Cold air helps preserve paint longer, but the refrigerator is an enclosed space. If a paint can is broken in the refrigerator, you may be at risk of a fire due to the vapors emitted from the paint. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Keep the paint can upright and never horizontal. When you want to store nail polish, it’s important to keep the bottle upright. Leaving the paint can horizontally will cause the paint to spill into the neck of the jar, then the paint will dry and the lid will be more difficult to open. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Always close the vial cap after use. Do not leave the cap open while waiting for the nail polish to dry. Nail polish will dry on exposure to air, so leave it exposed to air as little as possible. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Advice

Put the nail polish bottle in the refrigerator before use, the refrigerator helps to reduce the volatility of the solvent and the settling rate of the color particles.
Dark nail polish will clump faster than light or clear nail polish. That’s because it has more gouache. ^{[13] X Research Source}
When you apply nail polish, keep in mind that thin layers of polish will wear off faster. However, a thick layer of paint is more prone to chipping.

Warning

Avoid using acetone or nail polish remover to thin the paint.
Do not shake the paint can to avoid creating air bubbles.
Sometimes nail polish can be damaged and cannot be salvaged.
Nail polish can expire. Do not use paint that has stratified, dried, or has an unpleasant odor. ^{[14] X Research Source}
Nail polish thinners may not work with glitter. In most cases, glitter nail polish cannot be cured and must be thrown away. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Things you need

Nail polish thinner
Makeup remover cotton
Tissue

Steps