How long is the shelf life of nail polish? Can you use nail polish if it expires?

Nail polish is not recommended for daily use, because frequent use may increase the risk of cancer. So how long is the shelf life of nail polish? Can nail polish still be used after it expires?

Generally speaking, the shelf life of nail polish is 12 months, or one year. If stored well, the shelf life of nail polish can reach 18 months, or one and a half years. It should be noted that unopened nail polish cannot exceed one and a half years. Expired nail polish is more volatile than normal nail polish and has greater side effects on nails. A simple way to determine whether a bottle of nail polish is expired is to see whether the texture of the nail polish appears thick and easy to clump.

Nail polish cannot be used after it expires. Expired nail polish cannot be evenly applied to the nails. Not only will it become thick and heavy after being applied to the nails, but it is also easy to clump, so it is not recommended to continue using it. Ordinary nail polish consists of two types of ingredients: one is solid ingredients, mainly pigments, glitter, etc.; the other is liquid solvent ingredients, mainly acetone, ethyl acetate, phthalates, formaldehyde, etc.

The texture of nail polish is also an effective way to determine whether it is expired. Compared with new nail polish, nail polish with an earlier production date will appear thick and easy to clump, and it is not easy to apply evenly when using it. Because when nail polish is left on for a long time, the various ingredients in the nail polish begin to clump, and it is no longer easy to mix them together.

Hazardous waste. Nail polish contains a lot of chemical ingredients, and the solvent ingredients of ordinary nail polish are basically toxic or harmful substances. These chemicals can enhance the hardness, wear resistance and brightness of nail polish. However, during the drying process of nail polish, these substances will be released into the air, causing headaches.