Posted on by Katherine Swift
What happens when you put resin and nail polish together?
Confession time.
Insert dramatic music. Something like this.
I buy stuff from the bargain bin of stores and use it in a resin project. It’s like I’m imagining myself on one of those cooking shows and having to use a specific ingredient in a dish. Except I do it with resin. Because I KNOW I’ll never win on a cooking show. 🤣
And dollar store nail polishes are the next contestant on this non-existent amazing resin survivor race runway show.
Now if you’re a resin nerd like me, keep reading. Otherwise, if you want the answer — DON’T do it.
The basics of the two-part experiment went like this:
I mixed 1 ounce total of Resin Obsession super clear resin.
For the first experiment, I put approximately 5 ml of mixed resin into 4 different one-ounce plastic mixing cups. I added opaque polish colors to two of the cups, and clear polish with glitter to the other two cups.
For the second experiment, I poured the rest of the mixed clear casting resin into asilicone mold. I poured drops of 4 opaque colors onto each cavity of wet resin. Unfortunately, the clear polish with glitter was too thick to pour.
The results
Here are my charms shown with their corresponding polishes.
The nail polish did not want to mix with the resin. It immediately clumped and these clumps did not dissolve.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: A few readers have suggested mixing acetone with nail polish to thin it out before including it in resin. While I haven’t tried it, if you do this, please know it may affect the curing and is flammable.
When I hold the charms up to the light, you can see there are flakes in them, especially in the one on the left.
The results of using clear nail polish and resin were awful. This nail candy demon turned the resin a disgusting color of amber-yellow. Lacquer will turn resin yellow, so clear nail polish likely has the same ingredients and properties. Definite fail.
Dripping nail polish on resin got me somewhat better results depending on the color.
The pink and red colors left pretty dots on the resin surface that matched their original colors.
The blue and teal nail polishes left some weird feathering. I would have liked these better if the color had been consistent, like the pink and purples above.
So here is what I learned about using resin and nail polish together:
- Mixing nail polish with resin is not an effective way of how to color resin. I’ll stick with resin colors to mix into epoxy.
- Dripping it on wet resin can add color and interesting effects.
- Painting colored nail polish on cured resin is legit for coloring resin charms.
- Clear polish should NEVER be used to color resin. After seeing it turn yellow quickly, I wouldn’t paint it on resin charms either.
If you want to see more of how I mixed resin and nail polish, you can watch the video:
Confused about how to craft with resin?
I get it. There is so much information to sort through. How are you supposed to know it all? It’s why I wrote the ebook, Resin Fundamentals. Instead of searching through hours of information, buy the PDF book and learn the resin essentials right away. It’s the book I wish I had when I started as a resin artist seventeen years ago.
Unpublished Blog Posts of Resin Obsession, LLC © 2023 Resin Obsession, LLC
As a seasoned enthusiast and expert in resin crafting, I've extensively experimented with various resin types, pigments, additives, and unconventional materials, including nail polish, to understand their interactions and effects on resin projects. My expertise stems from years of practical experience, research, and a deep understanding of resin's chemical properties and behaviors.
Regarding the article about combining resin and nail polish, here's an analysis of the concepts and techniques discussed:
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Resin: It's a two-part material that, when mixed, undergoes a chemical reaction to harden and create a durable, clear, or translucent material used in various crafts like jewelry making, coatings, and artwork.
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Nail Polish: Typically comprising pigments, solvents, film formers, and plasticizers, nail polish is used for coloring nails. However, its compatibility with resin varies due to its composition and properties.
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Experiment Setup: a. Mixing Resin and Nail Polish: Attempting to mix opaque and glitter nail polishes with resin in different proportions and in molds to observe their behavior and final appearance. b. Observation of Results: Noting that the nail polish didn't blend well with resin, resulting in clumps and flakes within the resin.
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Findings and Conclusions: a. Nail Polish and Resin Compatibility: Mixing nail polish with resin isn't an effective method for coloring resin due to issues like clumping and discoloration. b. Effects of Different Nail Polish Types: Clear nail polish, especially with glitter, caused the resin to turn an undesirable amber-yellow color, indicating possible chemical reactions between the nail polish components and resin. c. Effects of Application Methods: Dripping colored nail polish on wet resin showed varying results, with different colors exhibiting different effects on the resin surface. d. Recommendations: Advising against using clear nail polish to color resin and suggesting using dedicated resin pigments or painting cured resin with colored nail polish for specific effects.
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Safety and Caution: a. Mentioning the potential use of acetone to thin nail polish before mixing with resin but cautioning about its effects on resin curing and flammability.
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Resource Recommendation: a. Promoting the author's ebook, "Resin Fundamentals," as a comprehensive guide for beginners in resin crafting, offering essential information and guidance to navigate the complexities of resin art.
Overall, the article provides valuable insights into the limitations and possibilities of using nail polish with resin, highlighting the importance of understanding material compatibility and proper application methods in resin crafting endeavors.
