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How to Store Nail Polish So it Lasts

how to store nail polish
Foto: CC0 / Pixabay / Bru-nO

Did you know that heat and sunlight can affect the life of your nail polish? Learn how to store nail polish properly to get maximum enjoyment out of it.

Chances are, anyone who loves painting their nails has a large selection of nail polish at home. After a while nail polishes can become gloopy, dried out, or simply not usable if not properly cared for. Instead of adding a new nail polish to your collection, learn how to store nail polish using a few simple tips.

How to Store Nail Polish

Always ensure that the bottle is covered if you want your nail polish to last.
Always ensure that the bottle is covered if you want your nail polish to last. (Foto: CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash / Dan-Cristian Pădureț)

To maintain the longest lifespan on your nail polish, do use the following tips:

  • Keep away from heat: sunlight and heat can actually discolor and change the polish, making their lifespan shorter, not longer. Keep your polishes away from heat sources for longer life.
  • Store in a cool, dry place: by storing your nail polish in a cool, dry place, the color will be maintained and the polish won’t harden prematurely.
  • Stir/use often: if you have really old nail polish, you might notice that it is the first one to dry up. This is due to the lack of use. Stirring and using your nail polish more often will keep it from hardening or drying up. Instead of adding new colors, simply use the ones you already have (and love).
  • Store upright: store the polishes in an upright position so that the polish has no chance of leaking out the lid or drying up.
  • Fully close the lids: make sure that you fully close the lids of your polishes or they risk leaking and drying up faster once exposed to the air.
  • Cover the opening while in use: while you are using your nail polish, the air is seeping into the opening of the bottle. To really maintain nail polish freshness, cover the bottle with a coin while you’re using it in order to keep air from getting in/drying up your polish.

Storage Tips

Always store nail polish upright and away from heat.
Always store nail polish upright and away from heat. (Foto: CC0 / Pixabay / MusicTobi)

If you want to maintain a longer lifespan on your polish, don’t do the following:

  • Store nail polish in the bathroom: the changes in temperature can create havoc on your polish. Keep it in a place where the temperature is consistent.
  • Leave nail polish on the inside of the lid: if you leave some nail polish on the inside of the lid, it will harden and dry, forming a sort-of bridge into the rest of the bottle. Once the nail polish is exposed to air it starts to dry out, so wipe the lid before you close it.

There is an unproven tip to store nail polish in the refrigerator to slow down the discoloration of the polish. While some say it works well, others question the safety of having a flammable item inside an electric space that could spark. It’s probably best to find a cool dry drawer or under the bed storage space to store your nail polish.

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