How To Fix Old Sticky Nail Polish

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Like many cosmetics, nail polish that has been exposed to air will lose its effectiveness over time. Old nail polish will become thick, clumpy and difficult to apply. Fortunately, there are a simple few beauty tricks that you can try to extend the life of your nail polish. To thin nail polish, try warming the bottle using your hands or hot water if the polish just recently started separating, or add small amounts of nail polish thinner to the bottle when dealing with older polish that no longer responds to these warming techniques. Properly storing your nail polish will also reduce future clumps.

1

Turn the bottle upside down to blend the pigments back together. Keep flipping it upside down and right-side-up for two to three minutes.. Sometimes, this is all your nail polish needs in order to get revived.
2

Roll the bottle between the palms of your hands for a few minutes. The warmth from your hands will create a thinner consistency and help make it easier to spread on your nails. Never shake the bottle, as this will create tiny bubbles.^[1]
3

Try holding the bottle under hot water for two minutes. Make sure that the bottle is tightly closed, and hold it by the cap so that you don't burn your fingers. The hot water will warm the nail polish up and make it easier to spread on your nails.^[2]
4

Paint one nail to test the consistency. Allow the first coat to dry before applying a second one. If the polish is too thick or clumpy, keep reading to learn what to do next.

1
Open the nail polish bottle and add two to three drops of nail polish thinner. ^[3]</ref> Use an eye dropper to measure out the drops. You can find nail polish thinner in most drug stores and beauty shops.
- If you are going to thin gel nail polish, use gel nail polish thinner. Gel nail polish has a special UV reactive makeup, so using regular nail polish thinner may prevent it from working properly.
2
Use acetone or nail polish remover as a last resort. Both can ruin the nail polish and cause it to crack when it dries.^[4] If you use acetone or nail polish remover, you will most likely need to toss your polish out after a few more uses.
- Do not use acetone or nail polish remover to thin gel nail polish.
3

Close the bottle tightly and roll it between your palms to mix the thinner into the polish. Do not shake the bottle, as this will create air bubbles. If the thinner is not mixing into the polish, try turning the bottle upside down a few times.
4

Repeat the process if necessary. If the nail polish is still thick, open the bottle and add another two to three drops. Close the bottle again, and roll the bottle between your palms to mix the thinner into the polish.^[5]
5

Consider letting the nail polish thinner sit in very thick polish before mixing it. If your nail polish is very thick, and you have already repeated the process a few times, try letting the thinner sit in the polish. Simply open the bottle, add two to three drops of nail polish thinner, and close the bottle. Let the bottle sit for one hour, then mix the thinner into the polish by rolling the bottle.
6
Save the brush by dipping it in acetone. Fill a glass or ceramic cup with acetone. Do not use plastic, or the acetone will melt it, and do not use a cup that you plan on drinking out of later. Dip the brush into the acetone and swish it around. The dried nail polish should dissolve and fall off. If there is any residue, you can remove it with a paper towel; do not use a cotton ball or a cotton pad. When you are done, put the cap back into the bottle. The residue acetone will help thin out the polish inside the bottle.^[6]
- Acetone may ruin the nail polish. It might be a good idea to do this when the bottle is almost empty.
7
Know what to do if you made the polish too thin. If you used too much thinner and made your nail polish too thin, all you have to do is let some air back into it. Take the brush out first and clean it with some nail polish remover. Wrap the brush with some plastic wrap, and leave the nail polish bottle, opened, in a quiet spot. Check back on it after a day. The air in the room will make it thick again.
- Sometimes, you may need to leave the bottle open for a few days. This will depend on how hot, cold, dry, or humid the room is.

1

Know how to prevent your nail polish from drying out or becoming clumpy. Nail polish will eventually expire on its own, but there are a few things you can do to make it last longer. This section will give you some tips on how to properly take care of your nail polish so that it does not dry out again as fast.
2

Wipe the neck of the nail polish bottle with a cotton ball soaked in acetone before closing it. This will remove any excess polish. If you don't do this, the polish may dry on the neck and make the bottle difficult to close. This will cause air to get trapped inside the bottle, which will make the polish dry out faster.^[7]
3
Store the nail polish in a cool, dry place. Do not keep it in the bathroom; the temperature changes too much, too often. Instead, try keeping nail polish in your desk drawer instead.^[8]
- Use caution if storing it in the refrigerator door. The cold climate may help the polish last longer, but it is also a closed-in space. If the polish breaks in the fridge, you may have a potential fire hazard due to the fumes.^[9]
4

Keep the bottles upright and don't leave them on their sides. When storing your polish, it is important to leave the bottles standing upright. Leaving them on their sides will cause the polish to flow into the neck. This may cause the polish to dry and make the bottle harder to open.^[10]
5

Always close the polish as soon as you are done using it. Do not leave it open while you are waiting for your manicure to dry. Nail polish dries when air touches it, so the less contact your polish has with air, the better.^[11]

Add New Question

Question

What can I use instead of nail polish thinner?

Kristin Pulaski is a Professional Nail Artist and the Founder of Paintbucket, a self-owned and operated nail salon based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has over three years of experience running Paintbucket and is licensed as a nail technician. Paintbucket offers nail art manicures, pedicures, and soft gel extensions along with customized packages for wedding and bridal parties. She holds a BA in Managerial Science from Manhattan College.

Salon Owner & Nail Specialist

Expert Answer
Question

Can I add water to thin the nail polish?

No, because polish is alcohol-based; it won't blend properly, and will affect the quality of the polish.
Question

Can I thin a bottle of top coat polish, as it has the drying agent in it?

In my experience, no. When I tried what you suggested, my polish got too clumpy and dried out.
Question

Can you thin gel nail polish?

Yes, but as it has a UV-activated chemical, regular polish thinners are not compatible. You will need to buy a thinner specifically for gel nail polish.
Question

Can I use non acetone remover to thin regular nail varnish?

Some removers use ethyl or methyl acetate instead of acetone to remove polish. Those might work well, but if the remover also has water, fragrance and colour in it, it might still ruin the consistency of your polish further. Try to get a remover without other additives for best results.
Question

How do you apply nail polish like a professional?

Start with a small drop of nail polish on your brush (you can wipe excess nail polish back into the bottle). Then start at the top of your nail (closest to your cuticle) and paint a stripe down the middle, then go back to the top and go down each side of the nail. When painting multiple layers make sure to allow enough time between each layer for drying.
Question

Can I use rubbing alcohol as nail polish thinner?

Gigi Cat

Community Answer

I just now tested this method and it worked very well for me (use 91% rubbing alcohol, you can get it at Walmart). Nail polish is alcohol based, so you want a high percentage rubbing alcohol (not sure about how this would work for UV gel polish). Do not use acetone/nail polish removers to thin polish, it will ruin the structure of your nail polish and may make it crack/chip once it is dry, causing a very short wear manicure!
Question

Can I thin the nail polish using nail paint remover?

You can but it is not as effective as nail polish thinner and it will not last as long. It will begin to crack after a couple of uses.
Question

What chemicals are in nail polish?

Try checking the label on the side of your bottle for an arrow on the corner. Many labels peel back to reveal more information, which often include the ingredients. Chemicals like iron oxides, titanium dioxide, mica, anything with 'lake' in the name are all pigments. Chemicals ending in acetate or acrylate are what hardens as your nails dry. The rest are typically alcohols, polymers, or other chemicals that keep the polish the right thickness, or in a liquid state. These chemicals are very similar to polish thinner (not acetate). Unfortunately every bottle is different, this list is far from comprehensive. If you can at least get the ingredient list, you can search individual chemicals online.
Question

Can I thin my thick nail polish by adding a thin clear nail polish?

Cecilia Flores

Top Answerer

You'll need to get nail polish thinner and add a couple drops of that in. Adding thin polish to thick polish won't do anything. Avoid putting polish remover in the polish, because that'll dry it up faster.

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Chill your nail polish in the refrigerator before use. Refrigeration helps to reduce solvent evaporation and pigment caking and settling.
Dark-colored nail polish tends to clump faster than light or clear. This is because it has more pigments in it.
When wearing nail polish, keep in mind that nail polish tends to wear away faster. Thick nail polish, however, tends to chip more.

Avoid using acetone or nail polish remover to thin the polish.
Do not shake your nail polish bottle. This creates air bubbles.
Sometimes, nail polish is beyond saving, and must be thrown out.
Nail polish can expire. Do not use polish that has separated, thickened, or smells bad.^[12]
Nail polish thinner may not be effective on glittered nail polish. In most cases, glittered nail polish is beyond saving and must be replaced.^[13]

Things You'll Need

Nail polish thinner
Cotton ball
Paper towels

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To thin nail polish, start by flipping the bottle upside down, then back up for a few minutes to blend the pigments together. You can also try rolling the bottle between your palms to warm the polish and make it thinner. Alternatively, put the nail polish bottle in a bowl of hot water for 2 minutes to thin the consistency. If the polish is still too thick, add a few drops of nail polish thinner and roll the bottle in your palms to distribute it. For tips on how to store polish so that it doesn't dry out, keep reading.

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