Getting Started

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Here are some basic tips on polish making supplies and hopefully this info will be of some help. I found the best way to learn is just by experimenting with samples and playing around with different products to see what effect they give. Always start with a small amount (using the smallest size spoon in our spoon set, a few scoops of each product) and then you can add more as needed. If you add too much product it will be difficult to fix, so swatch as you go.

Making a nail polish top coat with glitter is not at all difficult! You just need empty bottles, glitter suspension base, mixing balls and of course, the glitter. Add 2 mixing balls, some glitter and suspension base to the bottle and shake well! Use our measuring spoons to make adding glitter to a nail polish bottle much easier. Different glitters will require different amounts. Start with a few small scoops and keep adding more until you get the desired effect.

To create basic colors, we recommend our ProColor. These are colored pigments made into a liquid/paste for ease of use. We offer these concentrates because many ‘matte’ pigments that add color (lakes, ultramarines, etc) can be clumpy and hard to break up. The ProColor is very rich and must be diluted with suspension base. Some ProColor is thicker than others and will require base added directly to the bottle they arrive in to make for easier dispensing and to help keep the product from drying out over time. You can mix any of our ProColors together to create different shades. These are plain and are not shimmery. If you want to add shimmer or sparkle you can add glitter, flakes, or other pigments (pearlescent pigments, micas) to the ProColor. If you want to lighten any color just add our White ProColor. Adding white will generally make Crème polishes and not using white will create more of a jelly finish.

You can also make colored polishes using micas but these are very sheer and can take quite a bit of product to get an opaque look. I would also recommend our Pearlescent series for fun bright colors! These are very easy to use, just add a small amount to your bottle and base until you get the desired effect. The micas and pearlescent series are shimmery in nature.

For all polishes that contain glitter, use our Glitter Suspension base. For polishes that do not contain glitters you use our Mica Suspension base. The difference as to why you would use one over the other is their ability to suspend. Glitter base is thicker and will suspend heavier particles. For matte polishes we offer Matte Suspension base and you can add any additive to this.

We always recommend buying small amounts and just experimenting. You will learn the most this way!

Here is some info on our products:

ProColor – add color

Mica - add color and shimmer

Pearlescent pigments - add color and shimmer. Are richer in color than regular micas

Flakes - will add “flecks” to polishes and sparkle. Some will add color as well.

Shimmers - will add shimmer to any creation. White shimmer will add white, blue will add blue shimmer etc.

Glitter - unless they are matte will add sparkle to any creation. They start with the smallest size .002” and go up - .004, .008, .015, .025, .032, .035, .040, .062, .094, etc.

You can mix any of these products together to make different looks.