Among nail art trends, matte nail polish is one of the hottest. The effect creates a sleek and sophisticated look, and can be made even more unique when paired with shiny nail tips or other designs in a monochromatic style. If you are looking to try out this look, there’s no need to re-stock your collection of colors. Here are three tips on how to make your nail polish matte.
Steam
Possibly the easiest way to make your nail polish matte is with steam. Paint your nails as you normally would and then heat up a pan of water (no need for a large pan). Once you have some steam, place your hand over it for 3-5 seconds. Move your hand and fingers slowly as you hold it in the steam, to be sure it reaches all parts of the nails and creates an even matte finish. This should make your polish matte without effecting the coverage or color.
Powder
Another popular way to make your nail polish matte is by mixing it with a powder of some kind. This usually includes cornstarch, baking powder, or even fine flour. To do this, place a few drops of your polish in a clean dish, and then mix in tiny amounts of the powder into it with a toothpick.
The amount of powder you use will depend on the amount of nail polish, but you should only mix small amounts of powder at a time. The polish should remain spreadable, but may be thicker than usual. It may also not look matte when it is wet, but will be matte as it dries.
Matte Topcoat
A matte topcoat is a good idea if you are going for this effect anyway, since you always want to wear a topcoat to prolong your manicure. As with the powder method, some topcoats will change or lighten the color of your polish, so be sure to do your research if you want to avoid this effect. In most cases, a topcoat that looks milky or cloudy in the bottle will have an effect on the color of your polish, but some may only lighten it, while others may dramatically change its color.
Making nail polish matte can be fun and create a beautiful effect, but you should know there are better polishes than others for this. The best polishes to make matte are solid colors. Multi-hued, pearlescent, and glittery polishes may not look very good when mixed with powder, steam, or matte topcoat. If you would like to experiment with glitter over your matte polish, try dusting some loose glitter onto almost-dry nail polish.
As with all manicures, you can increase the longevity of your matte nail polish through proper nail preparation before the polish, using two coats of polish, topping with a high-quality topcoat, and caring for your nails after they’ve been painted. Of course, once your polish begins to chip and wear, you can have fun trying out another color.
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