topic How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable? in Beauty

How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

NoelSeven — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 22:54:09 GMT

I love getting and trying new polish colors, but when I go to use one that I haven't used in maybe a year, it's already getting thick and will leave little bubbles.

That happened yesterday, I chose one from last Spring that was a nude color, and halfway through applying the polish, it was getting too thick to look good even though I'm careful to attempt to spread it thinly.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

lulu2 — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 23:09:06 GMT

I have some polishes that are well over 5 and probably closer to 8 years old. If they get thick I add a few drops of polish thinner. Usually it does the trick.

I do find butter LONDON tends to get thick more quickly than any other brand I use.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

Rachb — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 23:10:46 GMT

I have over 130 bottles. I mainly stick to Essie and OPI. Mine have rarely thickened over time and I've had some for upward of 4 years. If they do get thick, add a few drops of thinner or Seche Restore.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

Reva — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 23:13:26 GMT

I always keep my nail polish in the fridge...it keeps it from thickening and seems to apply smoother. Reva

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

Daysdee — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 23:37:00 GMT

I also bought a polish thinner for when one gets thick. (Hardly ever happens though.) That is what they do at the nail salons.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

NJgirl 1205 — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 23:50:15 GMT

They last for years. If it gets a little thick, like others, I add a little polish thinner.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

NoelSeven — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 23:54:02 GMT

Thank you, all!

I used polish thinner years ago but have not seen it around since then. And thank you, Rach, for the product brand name, I will look online today.

I've been just throwing them out, which is a real waste.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

NoelSeven — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 23:58:35 GMT

On 2/27/2015 RachB said:
I have over 130 bottles. I mainly stick to Essie and OPI. Mine have rarely thickened over time and I've had some for upward of 4 years. If they do get thick, add a few drops of thinner or Seche Restore.

I love the colors from Essie and OPI, but I have thin nails that bend and the polish chips off easily. I recently got the OPI 50 Shades of Grey set, which I love, but the polish started chipping in less than 3 days. Usually, I get at least 5 days.

What works best on me, where I know I will get a week's wear, is Sally Hansen Salon Manicure polish. Not fancy, I know, and a limited selection, but it stays on me the best. After the disaster with 50 Shades, I ordered three new colors online from Sally.

What does help me is using OPI Nail Envy as a basecoat and Essie's "Good To Go" on top of my topcoat.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

Trix — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 00:00:20 GMT

I tend to only have no more than three nail colors, along with a top, base, and treatment product. My present method of preservation is the refrigerator.

Over the years I have used whatever I had on hand. Usually this was polish remover, specialty polish thinner, and in the I don't recommend this dumb trick category -- held the bottle over a low flame on the stove to loosen thick polish.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

NoelSeven — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 00:04:58 GMT

On 2/27/2015 Trix said:
I tend to only have no more than three nail colors, along with a top, base, and treatment product. My present method of preservation is the refrigerator.

Over the years I have used whatever I had on hand. Usually this was polish remover, specialty polish thinner, and in the I don't recommend this dumb trick category -- held the bottle over a low flame on the stove to loosen thick polish.

ITA

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

NoelSeven — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 00:05:27 GMT

OK, just ordered Seche Vite - Restore Thinner.

THANK YOU!

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

NoelSeven — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 00:09:10 GMT

Part of my problem is, I fall in love with various colors and have so many bottles. Some I ignore for quite awhile. I must have at least 50 bottles plus smaller collections like the 50 Shades.

A few years ago, I wanted the perfect green for St. Patrick's Day. I found it at ULTA, their brand. I still use is and it must be four years old by now, just as good as the day I got it. Planning on wearing it this year, also

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

turtle52 — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:14:37 GMT

I use OPI Nail Lacquer Thinner. It is the best because it is in a plastic bottle and the opening has a tiny dropper-like hole. I found with the other brands the opening was too large and a lot was wasted because it spilled out when I tried to get it onto the small opening of the nail polish bottle.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

NoelSeven — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:17:47 GMT

On 2/27/2015 turtle52 said:
I use OPI Nail Lacquer Thinner. It is the best because it is in a plastic bottle and the opening has a tiny dropper-like hole. I found with the other brands the opening was too large and a lot was wasted because it spilled out when I tried to get it onto the small opening of the nail polish bottle.

That's good to know! I look at the OPI non-polish products at ULTA and haven't seen that one, but thankfully, we can find pretty much anything online

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

Kathlen — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:18:32 GMT

I only use two colors/two brands. A bottle lasts about two months and then too thick to use.

I do my nails twice a week. Friday night full manicure ... Wednesday night touch-up. Remover lasts me about six months.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

Shelbelle — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 17:06:25 GMT

Get a bottle of polish thinner, then polish can last just about forever!!!

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

Kathlen — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 17:19:18 GMT

On 2/28/2015 Shelbelle said:
Get a bottle of polish thinner, then polish can last just about forever!!!

Walgreen's is just down the street ... easier just to go buy another bottle of nail polish.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

ivanatrump — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 18:52:11 GMT

On 2/27/2015 Kathleen said:
I only use two colors/two brands. A bottle lasts about two months and then too thick to use.

I do my nails twice a week. Friday night full manicure ... Wednesday night touch-up. Remover lasts me about six months.

Never heard of polish getting thick in 2 months. What brand?

I have polishes from OPI collections that I know are 10 years old because that's when I had gel nails.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

Mrsq2022 — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 18:58:42 GMT

On 2/27/2015 NoelSeven said:
OK, just ordered Seche Vite - Restore Thinner.

THANK YOU!

this is what I use too. Works great.

Re: How Long Does Your Nail Polish Stay Usable?

glmama — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 20:38:22 GMT

I will check out the Seche Vite product - thanks! I'm pretty good at tossing some of the older ones every once in a while. But nice to know that I don't have to do this with all of them that have turned a bit.