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Nail Polish
Nail polish is designed to improve the appearance and condition of nails. It also can protect nails from breakage.
What nail polish does
In its simplest form, a nail polish is a liquid solution of pigments, solvents and film formers. It typically comes in a bottle with a brush applicator. The solution is applied to the nail and then allowed to dry at which point it becomes a smooth, hard, colored film.
How nail polish works
Nail polishes contain a number of ingredients including pigments, film formers, plasticizers, resins, solvents and other additives.
There are two types of pigments used in nail polishes. Mineral pigments like titanium dioxide and colored iron oxides and organic pigments like red #6 and yellow #5. In the US the pigments that are allowed for use in nail polish are strictly limited.
To make the nail polish look right, a film former is needed. The ingredient most frequently used is nitrocellulose. Since it is a dangerous compound to work with there are a limited number of manufacturers who can produce nail polish.
Resins like shellac and acrylic polymers are added to improve the properties of the nitrocellulose film. This makes the film tougher and helps the nail polish last longer. Plasticizers are needed to improve the film flexibility. Camphor and dibutyl phthalate are most often used.
Solvents like alcohols, esters, and ketones are used to help the product spread and dry quickly. Finally, additives like viscosity modifiers and UV protectors may be included.
Nail polish formulation
Here is a standard nail polish formulation (click to enlarge)
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m thinking of making my own glitter nail polish using a premade clear base. Any tips on where I can get stearalkonium hectorite for suspending agent? Any other tips appreciated.
Thank you!
Check out the INCI Directory.
Hi Ashlyn,
In Glitter gel, there is no stearalknium hectorite, because it gives a earthy opaque base, whereas glitter gel is almost clear. If it’s not clear, the glitter wont be visible much. So generally silica is used as antisettling agent for glitters (which are PET polyethylene terephthalate) .
Regards
Good day,
I have a training and distribution company in Capetown. I am looking to expand with different products, namely, nail polish, spray tan and spray-on makeup. Can you suggest any chemist who as to contact to assist in this?
Yes, no worries, yes there are chemists. But exactly what kind of assistance are you looking for. Email me on rajatvnarang@gmail.com with specific description for what you are looking for.
Hi Perry,
Just wondering if there’s anything else we can use besides stearalkonium hectorite that would act as a suspension agent to hold the micas or glitters that we might want to add to the polish?
Thank you.
Hi Nad,
Stearalkonium hectorite is the main antisettling agent………….In certain cases, you can use a combination of stearalkonium bentonite and hydrofumed silica…………..Also there is a combination of alkyd resin with MPA which can be used to hold the base well which won’t allow glitter partices to settle down..
Regards
Rajat
Hi Rajat,
thanks for the info..i will do research for those materials.
I’ve got another question again. Do you know if Magnesium Carbonate will work for this purpose as well?
Thanks again.
Hi Nad,
Magnesium carbonate , though hydrphobic, am not sure about it’s influence, as it has the tendency to release carbon dioxide and water on reacting. I haven’t tried it myself, but it is a good idea to check. Have you ever worked on with it for antisettling?
Rajat
Hey Perry,
THe formulation you have mentioned above is too old, now there is almost a ban on usage of toluene, DBT and camphor is highlighted too. Is any new information available?
Hello Rajat,
Thanks for the information. I’ll see if I can find a newer formula to post.
Hello, I was wondering how much it would be to formulate your own collection of nailpolish of let’s say 20 different colours? If I wanted to make 30 bottles of each colour, how much would that be? Thank you!
If you were making them for yourself you might be able to get clear nail polish and add color. This would cost you however much ~100 bottles of nail polish plus the colors would cost.
Hi Riah, what colors of nail polish are you looking for?