EDIT AT BOTTOM!

Lately there has been A LOT of talk when it comes to Indie Polishes and issues. It is to be expected though. There is a huge boom in this industry and a lot of people are rushing to supply the masses. What I want to do though is take a little time to explain some things and to help some people understand that it isn't always a case of impropriety on the behalf of a seller. Things happen. 

Let's talk glitter. Glitter is fun to play with in polish but you have to have the right kind. Anyone who has ever "frankened" or designed their own polish knows that you can't just use ANY glitter. It has to be what we call "solvent resistant". The definition of Solvent Resistant (A polymer's ability to resist chemicals or solvents that would otherwise degrade the polymer) isn't always deciphered correctly. The Solvent Resistant glitters have the ability to keep their shape in solvents or chemicals but that does not necessarily guarantee that they will not fade slightly, curl, or bleed. It isn't solvent PROOF, just resistant meaning it will not disintegrate when placed in solvents and chemicals and used up to a certain heat point.


I think somewhere someone decided to take on the meaning of solvent resistant and twisted it in our minds to where people now think it means these glitters should remain perfect in polish. Not only is this false, it is just plain foolish. Everything changes in time. Every cosmetic you buy will change over time. Most of the things you can read online or in books/magazines will tell you an average shelf life for a nail polish is 2 years. After that it can dry up, lose pigmentation, separate, or become clumpy, gloopy, or thick/thin. Indie polishes are no exception.


I can tell you that I do my research and I test my products as much as I can, but I also have to stress that I do not have a team of scientists or even an assistant that I can call on to do a bunch of tests for me. And I know most of the other indie sellers do not have that either. I will admit, some people need to test a little more and maybe for a little longer. Even I have been guilty of rushing into polishes. But please understand that we are all doing our best to provide you with safe and pretty products that are made with love and take A LOT of time. 


I do have some glitters that curl a little. Now I have only experienced a few bar glitters slightly curling on my nail from one of my polishes. Does that mean everyone will have the same experience? No. Some may experience more curling and some may not experience it at all. I do have a disclaimer that does state that some polishes will have slightly curling glitters, especially bar glitters. If this doesn't bother you, great! If it does, steer clear of polishes with bars in them. I understand it being a pain, especially if you don't have the time or patience to work a couple of layers of top coat over a polish to tame the wild glitter.


Separation has been an issue I have heard lately. I have seen talk of pigment separation but also of glitter sinking which doesn't really qualify as separation but it is a pain and can really make a polish a pain to apply if you have to dig for glitter. Separation and sinking can happen for a number of reasons. Once again the testing comes into play. Test your glitters and your base.  I have several glitters that I use that are a little heavier than others and tend to spend most of their time at the bottom of a bottle. Most of my amazing customers have told me it does not bother them. They flip it upside down or stir the polish with a tooth pick and they can get the glitter just fine. It bothers some others and that is understandable. This is obviously a personal preference deal. Glitters can sink. I am always looking for new glitters and try to focus on glitters that are lighter so I can avoid the sinking and digging. 


Pigments can separate because a base is too thin. But as long as you have stainless steel beads/balls in your bottle you should be able to give it a few good hard shakes and paint your nails with no problems. I have mainstream polishes that separate horribly after sitting for long enough. By Mainstream I am taking about Orly, OPI, Sally Hansen etc. I think as Indie artists we should all try to use materials that make our products appealing not only by the appearance but also the ease of use. If your polishes separate a lot because you are not using a good base it will have people upset because they have to work so hard. But as consumers, please remember, we test but we cannot always guarantee that a polish will not react to how you store it or how you use it.




So here is just a quick run down of issues and some quick fixes:


SLIGHTLY curling glitter: Try using a couple layers of top coat OR dabbing the curled glitters off.
If your polish has glitters that are referred to as "taco glitters" which is a short way of saying the glitters are curling so much they are curled in half then contact the seller with pictures and ask them what the next step is. I can tell you that my policy is to pay for you to ship the item back to me if I cannot see from the pictures what the issue is and I will offer you a refund, exchange, or a replacement. You will need to speak to the seller of your "taco glitter polish" to see what their policies are.


Pigment separation: If you have the steel beads in your bottle (DO NOT ADD ZINC COATED BBS!) and you don't mind giving your bottle a few shakes when your using it then I wouldn't worry about it. BUT if the seller does not have any kind of disclaimer about separation and not using a proper suspension base then I would contact the seller with pictures. The seller may not know the base is no good or they may not have done their research on how to properly make the polish before selling it. My polishes are made with the correct bases and if there is ever any pigment separation I hope you will contact me with pictures immediately so I can make sure you get the polish you paid for.


Sinking Glitter: As I said before, some glitters are heavy and will spend more time closer to the bottom of a bottle but you should be able to set the bottle upside down for a few, shake it upside down, or stir it with something and not have to do too much digging. However, unless someone has not used the correct base or someones base has just gone bad, you should not have a polish that has all the glitter sunk to the bottom. This is when you need to contact the seller with pictures. 


Thick polish: Sometimes polishes are just made thick. I have mainstream Holo polishes that I have to thin all the time. This is an easy fix. Add a couple drops of thinner to a thick polish. In my experience polish thinner has NEVER changed the color or suspension of a polish. Polishes stuffed with glitter can sometimes be a little gloopy and difficult. Try thinner. If for some reason your polish does not thin out and is a huge pain to deal with, contact the seller for more advice on how to work with the polish. Maybe there is a trick to it. I know I have dabbed heavy glitter polishes on before and it not only ended up being easier it also helped me make sure I had glitter spread out evenly on my nails.


I really hope that this post has helped to clear up some questions for people. I know there are a lot of you out there that are very weary of Indie Polish. That is ok, I understand. I am not going to sit here and tell you to buy my stuff. What I will say is this; the Indie scene is amazing. There are a lot of talented polish makers out there right now and we are seeing things we have never seen before. How lucky are we to have SO many options? It is ok to have your doubts. Remember that it is ok to question things. I would be more than happy to answer questions anytime and I know most of the other polish makers would too. I think I speak for a lot of us when I say we would much rather you come and talk to us and ask us questions then to assume and accuse. 


Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope It helps!


EDIT: Someone emailed me and asked if I would be willing to say something about the BB's put in polish. There honestly isn't much to say on the subject except this: If you are planning on selling your polishes and not just making them "for fun" you need to invest in stainless steel BBs/Balls. Zinc coated bbs are not acceptable. They will start to break down in polish chemicals. If you receive a polish and the BBs are turning the polish funny colors or falling a part you need to send the seller a picture and request an exchange/refund. I am sorry if you are a seller and feel like I am calling you out, I am just trying to help. This is unacceptable to our customers and it very well should be. It is one thing to have to shake your polish a bit but you cannot use a polish with rust or nasty particles in it.