Frankly,my Dears ~ Creating your personal custom Polish

[Stormy Heart]

Here is the Tips and Tricks place for making your own polish from scratch using clear bases, colorants, micas, & pigments. Additional elements such as glitter, flakies, holos, etc. will also be discussed.

It's a help line, support with the learning curve, a place for seeking and offering advice, sharing experiences and generally putting our heads together for the benefit of all.

I'd like to suggest that we try to title our posts with keywords to facilitate searches. Alternately, bold your keywords in the body of your post to make it easy to find.

examples:
don't overfill the decanter
Blend slowly

It will be fun and helpful if everyone posts her top 'One thing I am sure of'
to get us started.

I would like to thank Mothbeast, to whom I owe my own exploration into this endeavor. She is a great inspiration.

Creative people have curious minds, and all questions are good ones.

Finally, consider this:
Playing with Color balances the Chakras!

Have Fun and let's roll !

:storm:

 

[pibblepolish]

I keep q-tips handy & run them through the funnel to clear any excess pigment out so I'm not contaminating the next bottle with the old color. It's faster than washing the whole thing.

I also keep a small jar of water handy because it's a great place to dump out unwanted/excess polish; it spreads out thinly & dries quickly into a disc that can be tossed in the garbage.

 

[sharknbark]

I also keep a small jar of water handy because it's a great place to dump out unwanted/excess polish; it spreads out thinly & dries quickly into a disc that can be tossed in the garbage.

Does adding water break down/neutralize np ingredients? (I ask b/c some states require that np not be placed w/regular trash disposal b/c of np ingredients like nitrocellulose, but curious now if diluting w/water changes things - http://www.epa.gov/region9/waste/solid/house.html#6)

 

[inhisboxers]

Does adding water break down/neutralize np ingredients? (I ask b/c some states require that np not be placed w/regular trash disposal b/c of np ingredients like nitrocellulose, but curious now if diluting w/water changes things - http://www.epa.gov/region9/waste/solid/house.html#6)

It's probably incase your "trash/bin" has flammable stuff & nail polish ingredients are flammable too you wouldn't want to be cooking up a storm there would you? LOL

Also I'd deposit the nail polish with newspapers and throw it in a bag just to be in the safe side so hopefully all those liquids would dry up by the time they chill in the papers....

 

[sndypchez]

Yay thanks for this thread! I'm still learning about making polish from scratch!

I've been experimenting with my different pigments and I can't get the polish to be of a creamier/flat color consistency. The pigments I used do not have sparkle but I can't get the polish to get more opaque. What's the best way to get a creamy type of color? Do you normally make a white base and then add colored pigment?

 

[pibblepolish]

Does adding water break down/neutralize np ingredients? (I ask b/c some states require that np not be placed w/regular trash disposal b/c of np ingredients like nitrocellulose, but curious now if diluting w/water changes things - http://www.epa.gov/region9/waste/solid/house.html#6)

Hmm, no idea. I wasn't even aware of that. It looks like only AZ, CA, HI, & NV have those regulations, though.

 

[pibblepolish]

Yay thanks for this thread! I'm still learning about making polish from scratch!

I've been experimenting with my different pigments and I can't get the polish to be of a creamier/flat color consistency. The pigments I used do not have sparkle but I can't get the polish to get more opaque. What's the best way to get a creamy type of color? Do you normally make a white base and then add colored pigment?

How much pigment have you added? You might just need more. Also, what kind of pigment are you using?

 

[Star13]

Yay thanks for this thread! I'm still learning about making polish from scratch!

I've been experimenting with my different pigments and I can't get the polish to be of a creamier/flat color consistency. The pigments I used do not have sparkle but I can't get the polish to get more opaque. What's the best way to get a creamy type of color? Do you normally make a white base and then add colored pigment?

You'll have more luck put in a couple drops of white base (it really doesn't make much to make it more opaque)

 

[sharknbark]

Hmm, no idea. I wasn't even aware of that. It looks like only AZ, CA, HI, & NV have those regulations, though.

Oh sorry, should've said prior that the link only showed those states b/c it was from a region-specific search b/c EPA site allows for state or region searches. (Started looking b/c of this vid: http://earth911.com/news/2011/11/08/how-to-recycle-nail-polish/).

A glitter Q: how much of difference does it make to just add to store-bought glitter np vs. adding more suspension base?

 

[HebrideanSprite]

Any recs or help for making colours duochrome or heck even adding shimmer of a different colour? I've been trying to accomplish this over the last couple of days and I'm not having much luck. Is a big part of it just adding more? (I have the TKB sparks, hilites, moondusts and travel to series- kinda lost). Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[Stormy Heart]

Any recs or help for making colours duochrome or heck even adding shimmer of a different colour? I've been trying to accomplish this over the last couple of days and I'm not having much luck. Is a big part of it just adding more? (I have the TKB sparks, hilites, moondusts and travel to series- kinda lost). Any help greatly appreciated!

Great topic. All your choices have different particle sizes so results will vary. The larger ones show up better with more sparkle and flash. Crystals (Mermaid) and Moondust work best (easiest) for me. Also, if colors match base exactly they seem to get lost if you are blending for shimmer. A little contrast is good.
I premix mini pots of each of these fancies and blend them into my new polish until swatches look right. Making up small bottles of simply clear+ one of these pigments helped me see how much pigment is needed for color, sparkle or duo flash. Too much becomes opaque and one color can dominate another losing the duo effect. Sometimes, yes, just add more sparkles straight to polish but just a tiny bit at a time. Don't forget to swatch over both light and dark color to see all travels and duos. Opposite colors will dominate over light and dark and you have a better sense of where you are with your pigment ratios.
Patience is the best ingredient of all.
Oh, keep notes! Get a notebook and write your formulas. It helps keep track of what works best for you.
That's all I have so far, I hope someone with more experience can help us on this one.

 

[Stormy Heart]

...

A glitter Q: how much of difference does it make to just add to store-bought glitter np vs. adding more suspension base?

You will have enough viscosity but way more sparkles ! So it's up to you and whatever results you are going for. Sometimes it's just the kick you need and if it has tinted base, you can take advantage of that, too.

 

[kristchun]

I had the bright idea that I could try to make a blood red Jelly. But it all turns pink red. Im working with very tiny amounts just to test it. Can anyone recommend an colors to work with to try to achieve this? I used several random reds that I have and clear topcoat and a tiny amount of black. I eventually want to put some glitter in to it and have it look like another franken Ive seen done. I know it takes a lot of trial an error but Id appreciate a nudge in the right direction.

 

[kristchun]

I should add that I would like to make it kind of a see thru blood red so when I do add glitter it's easily visible.

 

[HebrideanSprite]

Great topic. All your choices have different particle sizes so results will vary. The larger ones show up better with more sparkle and flash. Crystals (Mermaid) and Moondust work best (easiest) for me. Also, if colors match base exactly they seem to get lost if you are blending for shimmer. A little contrast is good.
I premix mini pots of each of these fancies and blend them into my new polish until swatches look right. Making up small bottles of simply clear+ one of these pigments helped me see how much pigment is needed for color, sparkle or duo flash. Too much becomes opaque and one color can dominate another losing the duo effect. Sometimes, yes, just add more sparkles straight to polish but just a tiny bit at a time. Don't forget to swatch over both light and dark color to see all travels and duos. Opposite colors will dominate over light and dark and you have a better sense of where you are with your pigment ratios.
Patience is the best ingredient of all.
Oh, keep notes! Get a notebook and write your formulas. It helps keep track of what works best for you.
That's all I have so far, I hope someone with more experience can help us on this one.

Thank-you so much for all your advice. I have been keeping notes and it's made a world of difference. I was finally successful yesterday and managed to make a duochrome shade I'm really proud of. Your suggestions really helped!