How to Thin Out Nail Polish

Are you dealing with a clumpy catastrophe?

Although we loathe many beauty mishaps, one of the biggest is clumpy nail polish - especially if it was one of our favorites that’s been discontinued.

But if you find yourself with a nail polish bottle that just won’t give you your dream manicure, don’t panic.

There are many ways to achieve thinned nail polish once more - whether you want a short-term or long-term fix.

Come on, ladies. Let’s get rid of those clumps!

How to Thin Out Nail Polish: Four Ways

Surprisingly, there are many ways to bring your clumpy, old nail polish back to life.

1. Nail Lacquer Thinner - The Best Nail Polish Thinner

We cried out, and the beauty gurus listened: yes, there are professional nail polish thinners on the market that work like magic.

Obviously, professional nail lacquer thinner products were designed with one purpose in mind: to get rid of thick and clumpy polish.

That said, a nail lacquer thinner is the best option for restoring dried-out polish.

All you need to do is add two to three drops of the nail polish thinner to your thick nail polish. Then, let the nail polish thinner sit for a few seconds.

Roll the bottle between your palms rather than shake it. Otherwise, you could create air bubbles that will leave you with nails that chip easily.

Note: Make sure to buy regular nail polish thinner for regular nail polish and specialty gel nail polish thinners for gel nail polish.

2. Hot Water - Most Convenient

Don’t want to go out and buy a product? Don’t worry - there is a budget-friendly and easy DIY nail polish thinner that can eliminate thickness:

Hot water.

That’s right. All you need to do is place your nail polish in a bowl filled with hot water for about five minutes.

Then, gently roll the nail polish between your palms. Remember - avoid shaking, which creates air bubbles that cause less than favorable and long-lasting results.

Still too thick? Add fresh hot water to the bowl and let your nail polish sit for a few more minutes.

3. Shake The Nail Polish Bottle Gently

You’ve heard me say you should not shake your nail polish, and I wasn’t lying.

However, sometimes you need to blend your nail polish to bring it back to life.

To shake it “gently,” turn the bottle of nail polish upside-down. Then, flip it right side up. Continue to do this movement for at least two to three minutes.

You see, it may just be an issue of the nail polish getting crusty in certain spots.

Blending can be a quick and easy cure-all (no nail polish thinner or hot water required!).

4. Pure Acetone/Nail Polish Remover - Last Resort and Quick Fix

All out of luck? Does nothing seem to be working? You can always use pure acetone or an acetone nail polish remover as a last resort.

The good thing about acetone is it will work to thin out very thick polish with ease.

The downside to acetone is that it will essentially break down and ruin your polish, which means the acetone method is only suitable for a short-term solution.

You will need to toss the old nail polishes afterward.

To use acetone, you need to add only one drop of acetone into the polish inside and roll in-between your palms.

You may need to add more to reach your desired consistency.

How To Keep Your Nail Polish From Turning Goopy

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Prevention is better than the cure?”

This saying dates back to the 1500s from Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus, but it holds true today.

If you follow proper storage and use guidelines, you should have thin gel nail polish or regular nail polish whenever you want it.

Storage is Key

Most nail polishes dry out due to improper storage. That said, keep these three critical things in mind when it comes to storage:

• Let the bottle sit in a cool, dry, and dark place. Store nail polish away from things like direct sunlight and humidity will cause nail polish to dry out easily.
• Avoid storing in the bathroom. Although this is the typical place for nail polishes, the constantly fluctuating temperatures and humidity are not ideal. Nail polish requires a consistent temperature.
• Store bottle right side up. Many people think they should store the bottle upside-down or even place the bottle on its side. But this is a big no-no. Store the bottles upright.

Don’t Leave the Bottle Open

This may go without saying, but some people might not really know the importance of keeping the lid on their bottle.

When you’re done using your bottle of nail polish, make sure you screw the cap on the bottle tightly. Any air or humidity that seeps inside will wreak havoc on the consistency.

Wipe the Lid With Acetone

Another handy trick to avoid thick nail polish is to dip a cotton ball (or remove the end of a cotton swab) and dip it in acetone. Then, plug it into the cap before screwing it onto the bottle.

FAQs

Can you thin nail polish with rubbing alcohol?

You can use rubbing alcohol (or hydrogen peroxide) as a nail thinner to break up an uneven consistency.

Just place a few drops (using an eye dropper) into the bottle and roll in your palms to thin the polish.

Can I use paint thinner to thin nail polish?

If your nail polish dries, you should only use professional thinning lacquer to restore its original consistency.

“Regular” paint thinner has different chemicals that may not be safe for your nails and likely won’t work on your dried, sticky glass bottle of polish.