Nail Polish Hardness
What is the hardness of nail polishes? What makes a nil
polish harder? Can you explain the different ingredients involved in
making a nail polish?
Nail polish consists pigments (for coloring), solvents usually more than
one so that the polish is fluid when applied and dries at a controlled rate
to balance dry-time and flow of the polish to make a smooth, high gloss
finish. Typically, the solvents are alcohols (such as isopropanol), esters
(such as butyl acetate) and ketones (such as methyl ethyl ketone). Then
there is a polymer (such as an acrylate or methacrylate, but not
exclusively). It is the polymer that governs the viscosity, hardness, and
durability of the polish. The harder the polymer, the harder will be the
nail polish, but there is a limit, a balance, because if the polish is too
hard it will become brittle and crack off the rather flexible nail beneath.
Hope this helps. There is a lot more involved but these are the basics.
Click here to return to the General Topics Archives
Update: June 2012