How To Make Homemade Nail Polish

You may have thought that you'd tried out almost every beauty DIY possible, but you'd be wrong. The next DIY trend is set to be custom-made nail polish, and FYI, it's super easy to make and the results are incredible!

Have you ever spent days trying to find that perfect nail polish shade, but you were unable to source it? That's where DIY nail polish can come in handy. Instead of looking for that perfect color in numerous stores, you can create your own in just a matter of minutes. Honestly, it's so easy to create your own custom polish, you'll wonder why you didn't start making your own color combinations sooner.

According to Byrdie, creating homemade, custom nail polish is actually super easy and budget-friendly. DIY nail polish is really easy to create once you know the best method to go about it. If you love the idea of creating your own custom-made nail polish colors, our trusty guide will help you to get started and it'll allow you to make all your dream nail polish shades with ease.

This is what you need to make homemade nail polish

According to YouTuber Alexandra's Girly Talk, making your own nail polish is actually super simple, and you don't need many materials to get started. Alexandra explains that in order to start creating your own range of custom polishes, you only need a few staples — these consist of eyeshadow and clear nail polish. You'll also need a small mixing bowl and a tool to scrape out the eyeshadow from the container.

For making homemade nail polish, Byrdie suggests pouring out a small amount of the clear polish if the bottle is brand new, so that you don't cause an overflow when adding the color pigments from the eyeshadow to it. It's also a good idea to opt for a clear polish that comes in a clear bottle, so it's easier to see how pigmented your color looks after adding some of the eyeshadow to it. 

Follow these steps to complete the process

To create your nail polish in effort to make the best new shade, start by scratching up the eyeshadow with a small tool and pour the pigment into your mixing bowl (per YouTube). As Alexandra explains in Girly Talk, you'll then crush the chunks out of the eyeshadow once it's in the bowl to ensure the color mixes smoothly with the clear polish. For this, Byrdie recommends using a cuticle tool to make crushing up the eyeshadow easier, explaining that only a small amount of force is needed as most shadows break up fairly easily.

Next, use a small plastic bag to create a funnel by cutting one corner off and filling the bag with the crushed eyeshadow, which can then be decanted into a clear bottle of nail polish. If your clear polish is brand new, you'll funnel the eyeshadow pigment into the small mixing bowl along with the polish. The crushed up eyeshadow will settle at the bottom of the bottle if you're mixing it this way, so it's a good idea to screw the bottle lid on tightly and shake it up to mix the pigment into the clear polish (per Byrdie).

The great thing about going DIY with your polish is that you can create the perfect color — whether it's a matte shade or a shimmery hue, you're in control of the final color and style of polish.

Pro tip: For a creamier polish, Alexandra recommends using a base of half clear polish and half white polish. Mix the two together before adding in the colored eyeshadow of your choice.