expired nail polish?? can i still use it?

Question

i have this bottle of avon fingernail polish from last year.. and when i first looked at it.. there were two layers in the bottle, on the bottom and most of it was the reddish color, but on top was like a clear coat transparent stuff...

it looks like the chemicals separeted.. but can i still shake it and use it?

Answer 1

if you put it upside down and it is all slow and clumpy no don't use it but if it is fast or medium speed going down sure why not but when you buy nail polish put it in your fridge makes it live longer!!!

Answer 2

Your question isn't clear. What you are seeing is the various components separating. The coloring agents probably settled and the top clear layer is all solvent. Are you asking whether there's any ill effect in using it or whether it will work as you intended?

There will not be ill effects in using it. It's not like eating expired food or medication. Nail polish is a mix of various organic solvents, binding agents, and coloring agents. It's a bottle of polymer in a solvent. It doesn't get moldy or anything like that.

However, you may not get as good a result as you would like. It may not color evenly. You may get a gooey clump of color. It may not spread as well as you like to get an even coat. The only way to tell is to try it on your nails. Shake it up and roll the bottle in your hands. Let it settle so the bubbles come out. See if the colors mixed. Brush it on something to see how well it mixed if you don't want to unnecessarily expose and dry out your nails using it as a testing surface.

I've cheated doing this before and it worked. I have access to a ball mill in a lab. It's basically two sets of rubber rollers designed to roll and mix the contends of a cylindrical water bottle for hours and hours on end. The polish bottle I had was a small cylinder so I just set it on the mill and let it turn and turn for a few hours. It worked out great.

Answer 3

Yeah. My nail polishes always separate like that and I just shake them up and use them just fine! I've had a lot that are like 5 years old. I don't think they can expire, unless they harden up or get all gloppy and weird. They just want you to buy more. I had a chapstick thing that was past expiration date, but chapstick doesn't expire and it still works fine, so ya I think they just want you to buy more.

Answer 4

you could shake it up really good and try it on a couple nails before you do your whole hand. just to make sure i've had nail polish that was 1 year and a half and it was still useable
well good luck

Answer 5

Add a little bit of nail polish remover to the mix to emulsify the product, then shake it up, and its ready for use!

~Charlie Murder

Answer 6

You should be fine. If it happens to be a little thick, or its harder to apply, just add a drop or two of nail polish remover to thin it back out. I've done this many times and it's never failed me yet. Good Luck!

Answer 7

You can still use it, but I've noticed that when I use older stuff it is harder to put on, like it clumps more, and it seems to chip more. If you can find the color new, then just buy some more.

Answer 8

I wouldn't use it, like you said it separated and you don't shake the bottle you tilt it back and forth a couple of times, if it doesn't come together discard it!

Answer 9

I don't think anything bad would happen to you if you did, except that the color might look a little drab. If, when you shake it, it restores its original color, go ahead.

Answer 10

You can still use it, but it won't cover as well, and it will flake and clump up more than it did 3 months ago. So, instead of drying it with hot air, or letting it air dry, try to dry it with cold air, as cold air generally makes it stay longer, so it will counter that.