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It takes time to find the perfect nail colors, so why not preserve them? If a polish is getting clumpy, losing its color or bubbling after it dries, there are some ways to salvage it. Of course, it might be time to toss, but you can always get one more wear out of it. To fix your polish's texture problem, you'll only need a few easy ingredients to give you well-manicured nails with the process.
Clumping
The bad news? Your glamorous darker shades will get clumpy faster than lighter shades because they have more pigment in them. On the positive side, many brands make nail polish thinner to fix this common issue. Add only a few drops to your old polish and shake the bottle to mix it properly, then test the texture by applying a thin coat. In a pinch, you can also use nail polish remover instead of thinner.
Thinning
If your favorite polish isn't brushing on as bright and bold as it used to, don't be afraid to mix it with a different shade for a quick refresh. Color tends to darken, so it's helpful to keep a white polish on hand to make it more opaque. Adding a few drops can brighten almost any shade except dark plums, browns or black. Roll the bottle between your hands to let the heat of the motion help blend the pigments.
Bubbles
Air bubbles will appear if you don't let your polish dry properly between coats. To prevent this from happening, apply thin coats. When the first coat is almost dry, let it run under cold water to get it bone dry and sealed. If it's too late and you've already got some bubble trouble, use a bare finger to spread a drop of nail polish onto it. Loosen the bubbles by rubbing your nail gently, then reapply the top coat.
How to Store Polishes
As if your pad wasn't packed with enough beauty products, cosmetic chemist Mort Westman told "Oprah" magazine that refrigerating your nail polish will protect the color and texture. If you do, make sure you keep them in the side door of your fridge, though -- keeping them on the regular shelves could cause an explosion if its flammable contents got into the motor. If you don't want to chance it, you could find somewhere dark and cool to store them that isn't a hazard.
