How to mix nail polishes

In terms of color, mixing nail polish follows the same principles as mixing paints. With different polish colors and a little practice, you can get exactly the shade you’re looking for.

Different techniques will also allow you to apply the colors side by side on your nails.

01: Mix the varnishes

Select the varnishes to be mixed. Choose the two shades that you are going to mix. It is recommended to use only two colors because, by mixing more than two, the consistency of the product could be pasty. Moreover, by mixing varnishes with the same base (glitter, transparent, opaque, matte, etc.), the product obtained will be more successful.

• It is often best to start by working with primary colors. For example, to prepare a purple varnish, mix a red varnish and a blue varnish. To obtain a green varnish, mix a yellow varnish and a blue varnish.
• Similar colors also mix very well. To make a bright orange, for example, combine a dark orange and a yellow. To soften a dark pink, add a touch of white varnish.
• Varnishes of the same brand will generally mix better. Indeed, their formulas will be the same, and the two products will mix more easily.

02.Choose your work surface

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A plastic paint palette will be the easiest utensil to use and clean, but you can use any clean, flat surface that you don’t mind staining. Paper plates, parchment paper, and aluminum foil are very often used to mix varnishes.

• Do not mix varnishes on a polystyrene surface. The varnish will destroy the material and leave holes in it.
• You can place a layer of newspaper on your workspace to protect it from paint splashes.

03.Apply the varnishes to the mixing surface

Open one of the bottles and, without wiping the brush on the rim, apply a drop of the varnish to the surface. Repeat the operation until you have about 10 drops of product on the palette.

Then open the second bottle and, again, without wiping the brush on the rim, apply about 5–10 drops of the product next to the first small puddle.

• Start with just a few drops of each polish, so you don’t waste product if you don’t like the color you get.

04.Mix the two varnishes

With a toothpick, bring a little bit of each color to the center, between the two clusters, and gradually mix the two shades. Mix little by little until you get the color you are looking for.

• If you want a swirl of color, stop blending before the two shades are fully incorporated together.
• Once you’re happy with the shade you’ve achieved, remember to write down how much of each polish you used so you can reproduce it later.

05.Adjust the shade

This step is optional, but you can lighten or darken the shade by adding a drop at a time of the lightest or darkest varnish, depending on the desired effect.

• To lighten the shade even more, you can also add a drop of white varnish. However, do not use black polish to darken the tint, as the polish mixture will then take on a black undertone.
• For a more translucent effect, add a drop or two of clear varnish.

06.Clean the varnish brush

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Take the brush out of the darkest bottle of polish you used for your mixture.

Wipe the edges of the brush on the inside of the rim of the bottle in order to eliminate excess product. Dip a cotton ball in the remover.

Fold the disc over the brush and rub to remove the varnish.

• Once most of the polish is removed from the brush, inspect the bristles of the brush and remove the cotton fibers. This will prevent these fibers from getting caught in the varnish when you apply it to your nails.
• Use the darkest polish brush to apply the mixture to your nails. When you return the brush to its bottle, the color mixture will be less likely to contaminate the darker shade than the lighter shade.

07.Apply varnish

Once you have achieved the shade you desire, paint your nails as you normally would with the paint mixture. Once the polish is dry on your nails, apply a clear top coat to protect your nails and make the polish last longer.

• If you used a disposable palette, such as a paper plate or a piece of parchment paper, throw it in the trash.
• If you used a plastic palette, remove the polish with nail polish remover and a cotton swab, then wash it with soap and water.