Content

• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

Test one nail to check its consistency. Wait for the first coat to dry before applying the second coat. If the paint is too thick or lumpy, read on to find out what to do next. advertisement

Part 2 of 3: Using the permanent approach

1. 

   Open the vial and add two or three drops of paint thinner. Use an eye drop bottle to measure each drop. You can buy nail polish thinners at cosmetic stores.
   • If you want to thin the gel nail polish, use a thinning agent specifically designed for this type of nail polish. Gel-based nail polishes have UV reactive layers, so nail polish thinners can often affect the quality of the gel polish.

2. 

   
   
   Close the lid of the vial tightly and roll it between palms to mix thinner into paint. Do not shake the bottle as this will create air bubbles. If thinner does not mix with the paint, try rotating the tip of the vial several times up and down.

3. 

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

4. 

   Consider leaving thinner in nail polish for a while before mixing. If the paint is very viscous and you have repeated this process a few times but still failed, try leaving the thinner in the paint for a while. Open the vial, add two to three drops of nail polish thinner and close the cap. Wait about an hour, then roll the bottle between hands to mix the thinner into the paint.

5. 

   
   
   Wash paint brush in acetone. Pour acetone into a glass or porcelain cup. Don't use plastic cups as acetone can melt plastic, and don't use the cup that you plan to drink water 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 the paint residue remains, wipe it off with a paper towel; Do not use cotton swabs or cotton pads. After washing is finished, close the lid of the bottle. The excess acetone on the brush will help thin the paint in the bottle.
   • Acetone can damage nail polish, so do so only if the bottle is almost empty.

6. 

   Know what to do when the paint is too thin. If you accidentally use too many thinners then all you need to do is open the cap to let air into the bottle. First, remove the brush from the bottle and clean the brush with nail polish remover. Wrap the brush in plastic bag and leave the bottle open in a quiet corner. Check the paint bottle again after a day. The air in the room will cause the paint to thicken again.
   • Sometimes you need to leave the lid open for a few days. Standby time depends on how hot, cold, dry or humid the room air is.
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Part 3 of 3: Storing nail polish properly

1. 

   
   
   Learn how to preserve nail polish so it won't dry out or clump. Nail polish will definitely expire one day, but there is a way to prolong it. This section will provide tips for properly storing nail polish so it dries more slowly.

2. 

   Use a cotton ball soaked in acetone and wipe over the neck of the vial before closing. This step helps to remove excess paint from the neck. If you do not do this, the paint on the neck of the bottle will dry and make it difficult for the bottle to seal. Air will get stuck in the jar and make the paint dry faster.

3. 

   Keep nail polish in a cool, dry place. Don't leave nail polish in the bathroom as the temperature there changes quickly and often. Instead, keep nail polish in your desk drawer.
   • Be careful when storing nail polish in the refrigerator door. The cold air helps to preserve the paint longer, but the refrigerator is an enclosed space. If the paint bottle breaks in the refrigerator, you could risk fire due to vapors coming from the paint.

4. 

   Always close the lid of the bottle after using it. Do not leave the lid open while you wait for the nail polish to dry. Nail polish dries out when exposed to air, so expose it to as little air as possible. advertisement

Advice

• Put nail polish in the refrigerator before use, the refrigerator helps to reduce solvent volatility and the rate of pigment deposition.
• Dark nail polish will clump faster than light or clear nail polish. That's because it has more pigments.
• When you apply nail polish, be sure the thin polish wears off more quickly. However, thick paint is more susceptible to chipping.

Warning

• Avoid using acetone or nail polish removers to thin the paint.
• Do not shake the bottle to avoid air bubbles.
• Sometimes nail polish can be damaged and irreversible.
• Nail polish may be out of date. Do not use paint that is layered, dry, or has a bad smell.
• Nail polish thinner may not be as effective with glitter paints. In most cases, glitter nail polish cannot be cured and must be disposed of.

What you need

• Nail polish thinner
• Makeup removal cotton balls
• Tissue