Q&A for How to Thin Nail Polish

You can put a few drops of acetone into the nail polish and mix it together, but this will make the quality of the polish a little worse.

No, because polish is alcohol-based; it won't blend properly, and will affect the quality of the polish.

In my experience, no. When I tried what you suggested, my polish got too clumpy and dried out.

Yes, but as it has a UV-activated chemical, regular polish thinners are not compatible. You will need to buy a thinner specifically for gel nail polish.

Some removers use ethyl or methyl acetate instead of acetone to remove polish. Those might work well, but if the remover also has water, fragrance and colour in it, it might still ruin the consistency of your polish further. Try to get a remover without other additives for best results.

Start with a small drop of nail polish on your brush (you can wipe excess nail polish back into the bottle). Then start at the top of your nail (closest to your cuticle) and paint a stripe down the middle, then go back to the top and go down each side of the nail. When painting multiple layers make sure to allow enough time between each layer for drying.

I just now tested this method and it worked very well for me (use 91% rubbing alcohol, you can get it at Walmart). Nail polish is alcohol based, so you want a high percentage rubbing alcohol (not sure about how this would work for UV gel polish). Do not use acetone/nail polish removers to thin polish, it will ruin the structure of your nail polish and may make it crack/chip once it is dry, causing a very short wear manicure!

You can but it is not as effective as nail polish thinner and it will not last as long. It will begin to crack after a couple of uses.

Try checking the label on the side of your bottle for an arrow on the corner. Many labels peel back to reveal more information, which often include the ingredients. Chemicals like iron oxides, titanium dioxide, mica, anything with 'lake' in the name are all pigments. Chemicals ending in acetate or acrylate are what hardens as your nails dry. The rest are typically alcohols, polymers, or other chemicals that keep the polish the right thickness, or in a liquid state. These chemicals are very similar to polish thinner (not acetate). Unfortunately every bottle is different, this list is far from comprehensive. If you can at least get the ingredient list, you can search individual chemicals online.

You'll need to get nail polish thinner and add a couple drops of that in. Adding thin polish to thick polish won't do anything. Avoid putting polish remover in the polish, because that'll dry it up faster.

Add a very small amount of rubbing alcohol into the bottle and shake.

I've done it successfully. Can't say for sure because brands differ, but I'd say it's safe to give it a shot.

It is best not to. Buy a little bottle of nail polish thinner, it lasts a long time. Using something else to thin the polish can make the polish less strong and more likely to chip.

If nail thinner is not available, then a few drops of nail polish remover can also be used.

Well, nail lacquer is a thinner and helps make the nail polish more easy to apply.

No. You can use nail polish remover instead as it works so much better.

Yes, because nail polish is meant to be stored at room temperature.

There is no difference between the two.

Yes, but after a few tries it will eventually crack, as rubbing alcohol is not normally used for cleaning the nail.

It should be at your local drug store around the makeup and nail sections.

Yes, but it is not a long term solution. You should only need to add a few drops to your polish, and roll the bottle between your hands until it is completely thinned.

It would work fine, unless it is a matte, fast-drying polish. You may need to seek alternatives since the nail polish thinner may affect the matte effect of your polish. It is good to try though!

Just add more water. Since it's water-based, it will blend nicely and thin out the polish in the process. Just add it into the bottle with an eyedropper.

Hot water will work, but it is not a permanent solution. If you have tried this and it does not work, try using a nail polish thinner or nail polish remover.