1. Prevent new costume jewelry from tarnishing with clear nail
When air hits the metal, the metal oxidizes and changes color. Clear lacquer locks out the air, helping keep your costume jewelry looking new. Try a clear nail polish like Duri Miracote Fast Drying Topcoat. (Note: This will not work on already-tarnished accessories.)
2. Prevent a run in your stockings from getting worse with clear nail polish.
You’ve been there: You’re at work or an event and notice you have a run in your tights. To keep it from getting worse, keep a mini bottle of clear nail polish with you and paint it over the tear. As it hardens, it will help stop the run in its tracks.
3. Instantly change the color of costume jewelry with nail polish
If you’re tired of that old statement necklace, dangling earrings, or cocktail ring, change the look it by painting the faux jewels with a pop of color, like neon green, orange, pink, or even a chic white shade to create your own DIY version of a Tom Binns Design. Simply lay the accessory flat on a paper towel or, for earrings, hold by its back in your hand, and begin to paint.
4. Paint your regular bobby pins a vibrant color or with glitter polish to add some color to your hairstyle.
If you want to amp up your regular old bobby pins, hold the bottom piece (the side that juts out further) apart from the top piece and paint the tops only. Then, slip them onto an envelope or note card to let them dry.
5. Thread a needle faster by running the thread over a base or top coat.
If you’re trying to sew on a button and the thread is frayed, it can be really frustrating to try to fish the thread through the tiny needle’s hole. But, if you drag the cut thread through the a nail polish brush a few times, it will harden the thread and allow you to slip it right through the needle’s eye with ease.
6. Paint your keys so that you can tell which key is for which lock.
If you just moved into a new pad, an easy way to remember which key goes with what lock is to color-code your keys. Plus, it makes your keychain look that much prettier. And don’t worry, a coat or two won’t interfere with your key slipping into the key hole.
7. Seal envelopes with a clear top or base coat.
If you hate licking envelopes, seal them easily by painting the underside of the flap (where you would normally lick it) with clear polish.
8. Store your nail polish upright in a box with painted stickers on top to indicate the colors.
To keep your polishes organized, paint a strip of polish on an adhesive file folder label, punch out a hole, and stick the paint sample on the top of the nail polish bottle. Repeat this for all of your polishes, set them in a box, and store them in a cool, dry place.
9. Use nail polish to add a pop of color to the sole of your shoe.
Use polish to paint the sole of your high heels (think: Christian Louboutin) as an easy (and cheap!) way to update them for spring. Colored opaque formulas work best since they won’t reveal the true color of your sole, but you can go for highly glittered paint if you so desire too. Avoid getting paint on other parts of your shoe by placing masking tape along the edge where the shoe meets the sole, the same way you would when painting a room. Once you’ve covered the sole in paint with a fluffy paintbrush or an old buffing foundation brush, allow it to dry before applying a second coat. If another layer isn’t needed, pull off the tape to reveal a neat polish job.
10. Cover up a scratch on scuffed shoes or boots.
It can be hard to find shoe polish for colorful kicks, so try finding a nail polish that matches instead. But don’t rely on a bottle-to-shoe comparison, since the color can look different when it’s applied. Put the hue on your nail first and give it a minute to dry to make sure it’s a close-enough match to your shoe