Nail Polish and Removers

Nail Polish and Removers

For many women, nail polish is the ultimate when it comes to finger nail treatments - and for good reason. Nail Polish has been around for quite some time, and quite recently has become even more popular with many different designs and creations that are available from beauticians around the world. Although nail paints are extremely popular, it is also important for the people that are using it to use nail polish treatments that are safe and natural. There are a wide variety of nail paints available in all sorts of different colors and formulas, but a key factor that is extremely important when it comes to nail products will be the ingredients.

Nail polish is a lacquer applied to human finger or toe nails to decorate and protect the nail plate. Today's nail polish is a refined version similar to the paint on vehicles. This colored lacquer was made of egg whites, Arabic gum, gelatin, and beeswax. Later, they discovered that a mixture of alum, mashed rose flowers, petals of impatiens and orchids, etc., can be applied to the nails to achieve a color ranging between pink and red. Even though the Chinese are credited with the invention of the earlier version of nail polish, there are some researchers, who believe that the honor belongs to the Japanese and the Italians. The invention of modern-day nail polish is dated back to the 1920s. It is said that the formulation was developed by Michelle Menard, a French makeup artist.

The modern-day nail polish comes in tiny bottles attached with a small brush for application. Once applied, it hardens to form a smooth and glossy coating on the nails. Usually, this coating can last for several days before chipping off. Though the formula of preparation of nail polish varies with different manufacturers, the basic nail polish ingredients remain the same. They include film-forming agents, plasticizers, resins, coloring agents, and solvents. While most of them are considered safe, there are certain nail polish ingredients that are said to be harmful.

Basic Ingredients
1. Film-forming Agents: From the 1920s, nitrocellulose has been the primary ingredient of nail polish. It is a film-forming agent that forms a tough, even coating on the nails, and holds the ingredients together. Derived from nitrating cellulose, nitrocellulose is highly combustible, and is a component in dynamite as well as fireworks. It is also the main ingredient in auto paints, cine film, and varnish. However, the difference lies in the fact that nitrocellulose in nail polish is of higher quality.

Nitrocellulose is cellulose nitrate, which is a liquid mixed with microscopic cotton fibers. These fibers are processed to even smaller particles during the manufacturing process. Nitrocellulose is available in different viscosity levels and are purchased as per the desired viscosity of the final product. Though a film-forming agent forms a hard coating, it cannot adhere to the nails properly. So ingredients, like adhesive polymers are also required. Nowadays, certain brands claim to be free of nitrocellulose.

2. Adhesive Polymers: These are chemicals that ensure adherence of nitrocellulose to the nails. Tosylamide formaldehyde resin is an example of an adhesive used in nail polish. Though it is a polymer produced through reaction between toluenesulfonamide and formaldehyde, it is claimed to have no harmful effects, as the product is different from formaldehyde. It is said that the resin does not have any properties of formaldehyde. The resins, along with plasticizers protect the nail polish from dissolving in water and soap solution.

3. Plasticizers: Another group of chemicals that are commonly found in nail polish are plasticizers. These chemicals are meant to make the final product less brittle and flexible. The most common plasticizers are dibutyl phthalate, castor oil, glycerol, fatty acids, camphor, and acetic acid. Combination of different chemicals, like amyl and butyl stearate, are also used for this purpose.

4. Coloring Pigments, Glitters: There are certain ingredients that are used for adding color to the nail polish. A wide range of chemicals are used as coloring agents and they include iron oxide, chromium oxide greens, ferric ammonium ferrocyanide, titanium dioxide, manganese violet, etc. For shimmer, substances like, aluminum powder, ground mica, natural pearls, titanium dioxide, etc., are used.

5. Solvents: These chemicals are used as a medium in which the other ingredients are suspended properly. Once applied, the nail polish spreads evenly and the solvent evaporates. Solvents found in nail polish include ethyl acetate, butyl acetate and isopropyl alcohol. The solvents help the nail polish to dry faster.

Apart from the ingredients mentioned above, nail polish may contain thickening agents, ultraviolet stabilizers, etc. While thickening agents prevent separation of ingredients and ensures proper suspension of sparkling particles, ultraviolet stabilizers protect nail polish from losing color, when exposed to sunlight.

Tips for Long-Lasting Nail Polish
1. Choose the Best: There are a few tips for selecting the best nail polish. The first one is, never to purchase the nail polish which dries out fast, because it also chips faster. Also, opt for the nail polish that declares itself for being a long-lasting nail polish. Always buy a good quality top coat, nice coat and color coat, for creating the long-lasting effects on your nails. Also, never select too thick nail polish, opt for the nail polish which is flowing.

2. Prepare the Nails: Always make sure that you apply the nail polish on totally clean and well moisturized nails. Otherwise, any nail polish is useless for the nails that are dirty or oily or both. You should also remove the remnants of the previous nail polish with a nail polish remover, before applying the new one. Brush each nail and also file and buff them to give them the perfect shape, so that the nail polish doesn't get peeled off the nails.

3. Coat them Well: You must apply the nail polish, when you are free and have plenty of time for the polish to get completely dry, before you resume with your work. Once you clean the nails, apply a base coat which will act as a platform for the color coat to cling onto the nails. Afterwards, apply two thin coats of your favorite nail polish color and let it get completely dry. Lastly, apply a flawless top coat, by holding the nail polish brush in horizontal direction.

4. Polish with Care: Always maintain enough time span between each coat and apply next coat of polish only when the previous one gets totally dry. If you are in rush, then you can put the nails in iced water for a few seconds so the nail polish can get properly dry. As a rule of thumb, never do the jobs like opening stapler pins, soda bottles, combing hair, scratching, etc. with newly applied nail polish because these things can smudge your nail polish! Once you learn these nail polish care tips, then you can experiment with the nail polish designs, in order to get more trendy.

If someone doesn't take proper care of the nails before and after applying the nail polish, then even the best nail polish is useless. Apart from that, these are a few nail polish brands that you can try - BWC Nail Color, Revlon, Milani nail lacqer, Sally Hansen and Cover girl.

Finding the Right Nail Polish
When choosing a nail polish is whether or not the brand you are opting for is a long-lasting nail polish. The nail polish should also be consistent and should not chip very easily. These are important things to look for. Most of us are not aware that there is difference between nail polishes and nail lacquers which are thicker in their consistency and last much longer. All the best brands come with a use before tag and it is important that you throw the nail polish if it is past the expiry date as it may be harmful. While applying nail polish ensure proper nail care. Use nail conditioners before you apply the nail paint to protect the nail bed. This will protect your nails from yellowing.

Using the contrast between your complexion and the color of the polish you choose will put an elegant emphasis on your overall look in a sensual way. An important thing you can do is coordinate the color with your complexion. The shade of the polish must compliment the color of your skin, instead of pointing it out too boldly.

If you want to find a good quality nail polish, there are specific things that you can look for. Price and brand does not necessarily denote a better polish, so look for certain qualities like the following:

• A polish that looks true to its color in the bottle when you put it on your nails.
• A fast drying and fast setting polish.
• Along lasting polish.
• A polish that won't chip or crack.
• Good pigmentation.
• A wide variety of colors to choose from.
• A fair price for what you get.

Here are some tips on applying nail polish that will make you look glamorous and well-groomed.
• Remove all traces of old nail varnish from your nails before applying a new coat of nail polish.

• Use a good quality nail polish remover soaked in a cotton ball and wipe your nails in one single quick motion.

• Avoid using nail polish remover that contains acetone as this might damage your nails and make the polish chip off easily.

• File your nails with a nail filer and avoid filing the corners of the nails as it makes the nail brittle.

• If you have short fingers avoid shaping your nails in a square tip as it makes your fingers look stubby. Oval shape in nails looks flattering on all types of finger shapes.

• Before applying polish, swipe your nails with a nail polish remover. This is because your nails might have traces of oil or dirt on them which will cause the nail polish to smudge or chip.

• Apply a base coat over your nails before applying nail polish as it helps in strengthening the nails.

• Wipe the nail polish brush on the mouth of the bottle to remove excess nail paint and then sweep the nail polish on each nail in three strokes.

• For best nail enamel application, apply a thin layer of polish on the middle of the nail and then one stroke on  the left and one on the right. Repeat this technique on all the fingernails of your hands.

• Allow the first coat to dry completely, before applying a second coat of nail polish.

• If you do not want your nail polish to smudge then avoid moving your fingers for a few minutes after applying nail polish.

• Apply a thin layer of a transparent topcoat so that the nail polish looks glossy and the nail paint does not chip.

• Use an orangewood stick that has been dipped in a nail polish remover along each side of the nails to fix any mistakes.

Nail Polish Remover
A nail polish remover is an organic solvent that is used to remove previously applied nail polish from nails. There are many different types of removers on the market and different brands may have different chemical compositions. The principle ingredients in most, however, are acetone, ethyl acetate or butyl acetate, and alcohol.

These chemicals are known to dehydrate the skin, cause irritation to eyes, and make nails dry and brittle. They also have a distinct chemical smell and are highly flammable. To counter the dehydration and brittleness effects, many removers also contain conditioning ingredients like castor oil, cetyl palmitate, or lanolin.

Some removers are acetone-free, but this does not necessarily mean that the product is without side effects, so shoppers should screen the ingredients list carefully. Instead of acetone, the nail polish remover may contain the more toxic methanol. Consumers looking for safer and less-toxic options can opt for water-based products.

Nail polish remover is available as individual felt pads saturated with remover, in foam and remover containers, and in bottled liquid form. The saturated pads are pressed on to the nail to remove the polish. A foam and removal container has a hole on top through which fingers are pushed into the foam inside to remove the polish.

With liquid removers, the remover is taken on a cotton ball or tissue and wiped over the nail to strip away the fingernail polish on it. Depending on the type of polish, the number of applied coats, and the type of remover, one application may be enough. Several applications may be necessary for dark or thick polish.

To understand how nail polish remover works, it is necessary to know that fingernail polish and the remover both contain similar organic solvents; the nail polish also contains drying agents, thickeners, hardening agents, and coloring agents. The organic solvent in a nail polish is what keeps it in a liquid state. A solvent in the remover is what dissolves the hardened polish and returns it back into its liquid form. When the remover is applied to the nail polish, the molecules interrupt, loosen, and break the polymer chains of the polish. This dissolves the hardened polish and transforms it back into its original liquid form so that it can then be wiped off the nail.

Given below are some of the things that are easily found in our house that remove the nail polish as effectively as any other fingernail polish remover:

1. Nail Polish: You have a bottle of nail polish at home. All you have to do is apply a thick coat of new nail polish on your nails and wipe it off immediately before it gets dry. The old nail polish will come off the nails with a new one. Isn't it easy, quick, and inexpensive?

2. Hot Water: If you have weak fingernails, then hot water is again one of the best natural homemade nail polish removers you can use. You need to heat a bowl of water to the temperature that you can tolerate. You must soak your fingers in the hot water for fifteen minutes. Once the nail polish becomes soft, scrape it off gently. This idea may be time-consuming but hot water is a complete natural nail care substance.

3. Perfume: Your perfume too can help you get rid of the ugly nail polish. Perfumes contain acetone which is one of the active nail polish ingredient found in commercial nail polish removers. If you are ready to spare some amount of it then try this idea. Take few drops of perfume on the cotton swab and wipe off the nail polish.

4. Rubbing Alcohol: Rubbing alcohol is one of the natural yet effective substance that has antibacterial qualities. It contains ethanol and ethyl alcohol that helps removing the nail polish. It may solve various fingernail problems if you are suffering from any. It is easily available in the market in small bottles for cheaper price. Take few drops of rubbing alcohol on the cotton swab and rub off the nail polish.

5. Hairspray: If you have hairspray or mousse then removing nail polish can be easier for you. Hairspray contains ingredients that are used in commercial nail polish removers. So, take a small amount of hairspray on the cotton swab and see the old nail polish getting vanished within few minutes.

6. Toothpaste: Toothpaste too is a strong contender when it comes to homemade nail polish removers. Using toothpaste as a remover can be a little messy but it is one thing that is readily available in every household. You need to apply small amount of toothpaste on your nails and then wipe it off with cotton gently. The old nail polish will come off the nails along with the paste.

Apart from this you can also use paint thinner, or a mixture of vinegar and citric fruits to remover nail polish at home. Acetone nail polish remover is also efficient but its safety is questionable. So, take your pick from the above nail polish removers and see your nails getting cleaned to don some more colors again!

Myotcstore Related Products:

Nail Polish Remover Regular - 4 Oz

Nutra Nail Gel Perfect Nail Color Kit - 1 ea

Milani Nail Lacquer, Tip Toe Pink 0.45 Oz - 3 ea

Cutex strengthening nail polish remover - 6 oz

Kiss All or One Artificial Nail Remover, 2 ea

BWC attitude nail color, Deepest Mulberry - 0.33 oz