How do you make clear nail polish at home'?

Answer 1

You don't.

Problem 1: the most important chemical in nail polish is nitrocellulose. This is an explosive. It's made by mixing nitric acid (very dangerous) with cotton and waiting until it dissolves. The mixture produces heat (chemists call it an "exothermic reaction"), so you have to cool the nitrocellulose while it's forming.

Problem 2: all the chemicals you need to make nail polish are sold in large quantities--a 55-gallon drum would be a small amount.

and Problem 3: there are a lot of things you need to worry about when you make nail polish, like controlling the rate at which it dries so the surface won't get hard while the part touching your nails is still wet. If this happens--and it has happened to me--you can slide the polish right off your nails.

You could buy a truckload of OPI clear polish, which is extremely good polish, for what it would cost you to make a gallon of bad nail polish at home. I'm all for making things yourself, but nail polish is not one of them.

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Having said that, I then did a search for homemade nail polish. You'll find recipes, and ALL of them start with factory made nail polish. Apparently the idea of setting up a chemical plant in the backyard doesn't appeal.

Answer 2

You don't.

Problem 1: the most important chemical in nail polish is nitrocellulose. This is an explosive. It's made by mixing nitric acid (very dangerous) with cotton and waiting until it dissolves. The mixture produces heat (chemists call it an "exothermic reaction"), so you have to cool the nitrocellulose while it's forming.

Problem 2: all the chemicals you need to make nail polish are sold in large quantities--a 55-gallon drum would be a small amount.

and Problem 3: there are a lot of things you need to worry about when you make nail polish, like controlling the rate at which it dries so the surface won't get hard while the part touching your nails is still wet. If this happens--and it has happened to me--you can slide the polish right off your nails.

You could buy a truckload of OPI clear polish, which is extremely good polish, for what it would cost you to make a gallon of bad nail polish at home. I'm all for making things yourself, but nail polish is not one of them.

- - - - -

Having said that, I then did a search for homemade nail polish. You'll find recipes, and ALL of them start with factory made nail polish. Apparently the idea of setting up a chemical plant in the backyard doesn't appeal.