How to Make Clear Nail Polish at Home

Co-authored by Kristin Pulaski and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: January 7, 2022 References

Clear nail polish is great for protecting your nails while maintaining a natural look, and in a pinch, you can use it as a base or top coat for other colors. If you want to save a little money on your cosmetics, you can easily make a few alternatives to clear polish at home. We’ve pulled together a few different recipes you can try out to make your nails really stand out!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Glue and Water

1
Fill an empty nail polish bottle ¾ full with clear school glue. You can buy empty nail polish bottles from cosmetics stores, or you can clean out a bottle that you have at home. Take any clear school glue you have and squeeze it into the nail polish bottle. Leave a quarter of the bottle empty so there’s room to add some water.^{[1]
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- If you don’t have clear glue, white school glue may also work but it could look slightly hazy once it dries.
2
Top off the bottle with water. Use a pipette or funnel so it’s easier to pour your water into the bottle. Slowly add water until it reaches the neck of the bottle. Otherwise, if you fill the bottle up to the brim, the polish could spill out as soon as you put the brush in.^{[2]
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3
Shake the bottle to mix the polish. Screw the cap onto your bottle of polish so none of it spills out. Vigorously shake the bottle until the water and glue are thoroughly combined. When you see little bubbles throughout the entire mixture, then it’s ready to apply!^{[3]
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- Shake the polish every time before you use it just in case the glue and water separate.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Glue and Sanitizer

1
Put 1 tsp (4.9 ml) of school glue in a bowl. You can use either clear or white school glue since they’ll both dry transparent, though white school glue might look a little hazier. Pour your glue into an empty nail polish bottle or a small bowl.^{[4]
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Add about 1 tsp (4.9 ml) of hand sanitizer. You can use any store-bought hand sanitizer to help thin out your glue. Just squirt a little bit into the same bowl as your glue.^{[5]
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Combine the mixture. Give the bottle a good shake or stir the ingredients together with a spoon until they’re both thoroughly combined. Once the polish has an even consistency, you’re ready to apply it to your nails.^{[6]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Wearing the Polish

1
Apply your polish to your nails in a thin layer.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.} Dip a nail polish brush into your homemade polish, and wipe off the excess on the edge of the bowl or bottle. Just drag the tip of the brush across your nail in a long, smooth stroke. Cover your entire nail with the polish so it’s completely protected.^{[8]
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- Avoid applying your polish in thick layers since it will take longer to dry and give your nails a bumpy, uneven surface.^{[9]
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  Expert Source
  
  Kristin Pulaski
  Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
  Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.}
2
Let your nails dry completely. It usually takes around 10 minutes for your nails to dry, so just sit and relax. Be careful not to touch your nails or do anything with your hands that could scratch or stick to the wet polish. Once your nails feel dry and not tacky, then they’re ready.^{[10]
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- You can also point a hair dryer at your nails to help them dry faster.
- Homemade polishes usually last for 4–5 days.^{[11]
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3
Paint over the polish if you want to use it as a base coat. If you want to temporarily apply another color to your nails, paint a layer directly over the homemade polish once it’s dry. Whenever you want to get rid of the top color, just pick along the edges of your nail with some tweezers to peel the polish off easily.^{[12]
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- This works extremely well since it allows you to remove polish without any remover.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I make my nail polish dry faster?

Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
Kristin Pulaski is a Professional Nail Artist and the Founder of Paintbucket, a self-owned and operated nail salon based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has over five years of experience running Paintbucket and is licensed as a nail technician. Paintbucket offers nail art manicures, pedicures, and soft gel extensions along with customized packages for wedding and bridal parties. She holds a BA in Managerial Science from Manhattan College.

Kristin Pulaski

Salon Owner & Nail Specialist

Expert Answer

Always apply it in a thin, even layer, especially if it's a base coat. When applying colored polish, apply multiple thin coats instead of one thick coat.