Glowing nail polish that appears on store shelves raises many questions. Here are just a few of them: what are its varieties? Is its composition harmful? What if he's poisonous? How to apply it so that your nails glow like in the advertising brochure? How long will this varnish last and will there be any unpleasant surprises?
To answer all questions, you will have to start with the chemical composition. Often such varnishes are called phosphorus, they even use this word in the name. But phosphorus is banned due to its extremely high toxicity. How can this be? Simply, phosphors have been added to the varnish, which have a glow similar to phosphorus.
What are phosphors
This word has two roots: the Latin lumen, meaning “light,” and the ancient Greek φορός, which means “carrying.” This is what they decided to call substances that convert energy into light. The process of glowing of such a substance is called luminescence.
Inorganic phosphors are used in the production of lighting devices, TV screens, and in x-rays and fluorography. Organic lumogens are involved in the creation of paints for plastic, textiles, various decorations, and cosmetics. This type includes a special LDP pigment, which contains glow-in-the-dark varnish. It is non-toxic and non-radioactive. Its use in cosmetic materials is safe.
Original manicure with glow effect
At home, you can create a French manicure using fluorescent varnishes. In this case, the entire nail plate or only the free edge of the nail is made luminous. Moonlight manicure looks amazing. This application technique will make it more colorful. With it, the hole is left unpainted in rich colors.
The most common type of design using the glow-in-the-dark effect is combined. It looks original with a combination of smooth and sparkling coating in one color. During the day it is monochromatic, but at night only the shining elements stand out. They can be made in the form:
- vertical and horizontal stripes;
- waves;
- patterns.
Under what conditions does the varnish glow?
LDP phosphor can accumulate light and release it only in a transparent environment, which is what determines its texture. If you mix luminous varnish with a dense color, wanting to give it brightness, there will be no effect. Therefore, when using LDP pigment independently, you should add it only to transparent formulations. And it can glow from three to twelve hours. The TAT33 pigment has a wider range of applications: it can be mixed with white gel for a French coat, and then release the accumulated light under artificial lighting and in the dark.
Both pigments in varnishes or gels do not show themselves in the light. On a white background, such varnish will be visible 50% longer than on a dark one. Like luminous varnishes, translucent materials of neon collections (regular, without phosphors) are also applied to a white substrate, so sometimes there is confusion in the names. They are called neon for their very similar glow, and not for their composition.
What happens if you try to brush the luminous pigment into the dispersion layer of gel polish? You will get a luminous layer. It is fixed with a top coat so that the pigment adheres well.
Reflective gel nail polish: photos in different lighting
The choice is not yet as large as many manicurists would like, but soon companies will release new lines and it will be possible to choose a great color to create a radiant manicure for every nail.
You can also use a small life hack: apply gel polish to each nail on a colored base, and it will sparkle with new colors, acquiring a new shade. It is enough to purchase two or three bottles and use ordinary varnishes as a base to create new designs and interesting solutions.
How to “charge” glowing varnish
Phosphors accumulate direct light emitted by its source. Reflected light will not “charge” the varnish. In order to make the polish glow, enough daylight during the day. If you wish, before a party in a cafe where there will be artificial lighting, you can hold your nails to an incandescent lamp or an energy-saving lamp. After an hour-long “charging”, the varnish can glow very brightly for two hours. Then gradually the intensity will begin to decrease. Light green and blue varnishes shine the brightest.
How to make polish glow if it faded at a party? To do this, do not forget the principle of glow of phosphors. As soon as the exposure to direct rays ends, the glow process begins. It is impossible to accurately calculate the brightness of a manicure for a specific hour of the evening. Even when the room is light, but the nails are not exposed to sunlight or lamp light, “discharge” begins. Therefore, in this case, it is better to look for a light source and raise your hands to it.
The glow is especially visible at dusk.
Varieties, what is the difference between them, which is better?
Glowing nail polishes come in a wide variety and range. Light green, blue and pink shades are very popular among young people. The texture of the varnish is easily mixed with acrylic or gel.
If desired, you can add sparkles, stars and other decorations.
Fluorescent nail polishes
Fluorescent nail polish is made with the addition of natural mineral stone - fluorite. It practically does not glow during the day, but shimmers beautifully under ultraviolet or neon lighting. This luminous manicure is easy to use, dries quickly on the surface of the nail plate, and also has increased resistance to the destructive effects of detergents.
During application, the fluorescent varnish is evenly distributed and does not leave white marks on the nails. The result is a beautiful and shiny film. The glow effect under artificial lighting is highly bright due to the presence of ultraviolet radiation. Among the large and varied selection you can find a huge selection of colors and shades.
Luminescent nail polishes
Luminescent nail polish has a beautiful glow, unlike other varieties. It will glow not only in the presence of ultraviolet light, but also in complete darkness. To do this, you need to recharge it in the light for three minutes. You need to raise your hands to any light source and enjoy its beauty.
Luminescent varnish has a unique composition; it does not contain toxic substances. It is resistant to water and completely safe for human health. It can be applied to clip-on, extended or natural nails. To achieve maximum effect, it is recommended to apply the first layer of regular white varnish, which will enhance the brightness of the glow. The application technology is carried out step by step:
- The nail plate is cleaned of the old coating using nail polish remover.
- Before applying the luminous varnish, shake in the dark.
- The first layer should be thin.
- To check the uniformity of application, just look at your nails in a dark room.
- If necessary, you can apply another layer.
Neon
Neon nail polish is an indispensable attribute of a modern girl. It will help you stand out at the party and highlight your individual style. This varnish is available in a wide and varied selection of colors.
The most popular colors are yellow, green, orange, blue, pink and purple.
Glowing nail polish is affordable!
The process of applying neon varnish is quite simple, but it is worth considering a few simple rules.
- Regular white varnish is used as the base layer.
- Next, two layers of neon coating are applied, each of which must dry thoroughly.
- At the end, it is important to coat the nail plate with a fixative for longer wear.
- Before a manicure, it is important to carefully treat the nail plate, because such a coating immediately highlights absolutely all the imperfections, imperfect nail shape and deformations.
Neon polishes that glow in the dark will always look beautiful and impressive. It is perfect for the most daring experiments.
Phosphoric
Phosphorus nail polish is a liquid gel with a translucent texture. It is available with or without various shades. In a dark room or room, it glows with a light green or blue color, which attracts the attention of others. Many people practically do not use such varnishes because they contain harmful ingredients. It charges independently under any light source.
The main advantage of phosphorus varnish is its ease of application and use.
It does not need to be brought close to a light source, and its brightness accumulates throughout the day from available light sources.
Gel polishes
Today, the most popular are luminous chameleon gel polishes. They change color depending on the temperature or light source. These polishes look gentle during the day and shine in clubs, parties or discos. Microparticles are added to the gel, which quickly react to sudden changes in temperature or light.
Black or white varnishes are most often used as a base. Chameleon gel polish is distinguished by its increased density, ease of use and application to the surface of the nail plate. A beautiful and smooth glossy finish will retain its attractiveness for three weeks. The light shade stands out favorably and attractively at a disco.
How to make glowing nail polish at home?
Glowing nail polish is affordable, but many of the fair sex want to learn how to make glowing nail polish at home. To do this you will need the following materials:
- phosphorus based glow stick;
- powder with phosphor pigments.
The latter option creates a beautiful effect and is also characterized by maximum resistance to various external factors. The technology for creating luminous varnish with your own hands does not require much effort and looks like this:
- You need to get the liquid out of the phosphorus stick. If you use powder to make your own varnish, you should carefully unseal the tube.
- The resulting material is poured into a bottle with regular varnish.
- All this must be thoroughly mixed with a brush, closed and shaken thoroughly.
- The varnish is applied to the surface of the nail in two layers.
- To check the brightness of the coating at home, you need to hold your nails up to the light to make sure that the color is dense.
- If you need to increase durability and extend the wearing time of your manicure, it is recommended to apply a transparent topcoat.
Fluorescent varnishes and their difference from luminescent ones
At the disco, ultraviolet lights and neon lamps are turned on to create a festive atmosphere. This lighting makes varnishes with finely ground fluorite mineral shine. It reflects the light that hits it and shines very brightly in the twilight. Unlike luminescent varnishes, it does not glow in the dark.
During the day, such a manicure looks very bright - it reflects the light that hits its surface. And in the dim evening light it shines and sparkles. At a disco, under the light of ultraviolet lamps, it looks like luminescent: both are varnishes that glow in ultraviolet. But if the light is suddenly turned off, the fluorescent one stops glowing, unlike the phosphor varnish.
Fascinating luminous coating design
Glowing nail polish is applied in the same way as regular nail polish. It can be used as a monotonous covering or to focus attention on a separate pattern that will attract the gaze of others in the dark. The colored jacket looks very original: the long “burning” tips look impressive and stylish. When using fluorescent nail polish, try experimenting with different shades. Paint each finger a certain color and enjoy the club music, surprising the girls and guys dancing nearby with a bright rainbow on their hands. Get interesting ideas for creativity in our photo collection.
Don't be upset if you mistakenly purchased, for example, neon nail polish instead of fluorescent one. After all, this is a good reason to get together with friends for a club party and amaze them with a new look! In conclusion, according to tradition, a short video tutorial with positive nail art for Halloween. Don't be afraid to stand out from the crowd and show the world what you can do!
Phosphorescent varnishes and their differences from fluorescent varnishes
If the bottle says “phosphorus varnish”, you should look at the composition indicated on it. Most often it is strontium aluminate or zinc sulfide. These compounds are not phosphorus, but have a long glow cycle - like phosphorus. They glow in the dark, but in daylight they present a dense, slightly matte varnish.
It glows in the dark with a greenish-bluish light, accumulating energy during the daytime. It will not sparkle and sparkle during the day, like fluorescent varnish in the sun.
This happens because the varnishes have different compositions: for fluorescent ones, sodium isothiocyanate (yellow-green color) or rhodamine (red color) is used. These compounds have a short glow cycle and quickly return to a quiet state in the dark. Only constant exposure to ultraviolet light causes fluorescent varnish to glow.
How to Create a Shimmering Design
Manufacturers quickly realized that the popularity of coatings was gaining momentum and quickly released several different products for stylish design:
- Reflective gel polishes "Cat's eye". This is an incredible combination of magnetic and shimmering particles that form patterns;
- Classic gel polish. This product gives a dense luminous coating;
- Top with shimmer effect.
How to use a reflective product depends on the manufacturer and the product - read the instructions carefully, since if the application technology is violated, the coating may not shine.
How to apply reflective gel polish:
- Prepare your nail for coating - do a manicure in the way you like. Nowadays, combined manicures, as well as hardware manicures, are especially popular. The classic edged cut fades into the background due to its traumatic nature;
- Apply primer, if necessary, and a thin layer of base coat;
- Apply a colored substrate of the desired shade in one thin layer, followed by drying in an LED or UV lamp;
- Apply reflective gel polish in 1-2 layers. The number of layers depends on the saturation of the coating with shimmering particles and the effect you want to achieve;
- Dry each layer in a lamp. It is recommended to apply a top coat with a sticky layer to the reflective layer, as it will make the shine more pronounced.
It is not recommended to use a matte topcoat - it absorbs shine, or to use a separate topcoat if the reflective product itself is a topcoat. Keep in mind that your nails will not glow in daylight. You can check the effect by taking a photo with a flash, shining a lamp on your hands, or exposing it to bright sunlight.
Types and brands of varnishes
In the production of varnishes, phosphor pigment is now more often used. Brands of famous luminous varnishes:
- Domestic varnishes “Dance Legends” cost 200 rubles per 15 ml bottle. They are applied directly to the nail, as they contain a base. In the daytime they look like a dense color coating, some with shimmer. There are both light and dark tones. In the dark, the polish begins to glow and can change color: pink will turn green or blue, blue - green, coral - turquoise. These are the colors of the phosphors.
- Domestic varnish “Luminofor” costs 150 rubles per 11 ml bottle. Apply to a white backing. Three types of this varnish have different colors during the day: orange, white, transparent with a yellow-green tint. In the dark they glow yellow-orange, blue-green and yellow-green. When it enters the room from the street, a glow begins. You can charge the varnish from any lamp and from sunlight.
- The domestic brand “El Corazon” produces varnish with phosphors. A 16 ml bottle costs 179 rubles. Several dense colored varnishes glow in the dark with a greenish light.
- ISHOWTIENDA varnish, popular on major international online trading platforms. A 7 ml bottle costs from 80 to 100 rubles. After application, it turns your nails into small lanterns in the dark, reminiscent of fireflies. For a brighter glow, it is applied to a white substrate.
There are many other brands available for sale. It is difficult to determine their quality without seeing the composition. If the varnish contains radioactive light compounds with tritium, they should not be purchased. Harmless pigments are MHB-4E, MHP-6D and TAT 33.
Design
This coating is completely no different from ordinary varnishes in its characteristics. It is also applied to the base and covered with a fixative, except that the base layer should be made a little thicker, since, theoretically, the penetration of substances that provide glow into the nail tissue may not be very useful. This is especially true for varnishes that contain phosphorus, as it is especially toxic. Glowing varnishes are also covered with a protective topcoat.
Thanks to this ease of application, using this varnish can be completely similar to using a simple coating. Accordingly, there can also be a wide variety of designs. It looks good when applied in one tone, however, in designs it can also attract everyone's attention. In addition to simple patterns and designs, you can use this varnish to create a French coat, making the free edge area and lunula glow. Moon manicure also looks interesting in this version.
Considering how much glowing nail polish costs, almost any girl can afford to purchase several shades of it, creating interesting multi-color designs. They can glow in a variety of colors, but the most interesting and universal solution would be to purchase a transparent luminous coating that can make any varnish glow. With its help, you can create elements that will only be visible in the dark, for example, drawings and inscriptions. Transparent glowing nail polish can be bought in a store or ordered online.
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Types and brands of gel polishes
Many brands have released glowing gel nail polishes. When purchasing them, you should choose well-known and respected brands to avoid purchasing low-quality products.
- Global Fashion neon gel polishes look bright during the day and glow in the evening. The cost of the bottle is 299 rubles.
- Gel polishes with phosphors Patrisa Nail, bottle capacity 8 ml. During the day it looks like a polish with glitter, in the evening the glitter begins to glow green. A bottle costs 340 rubles.
- Fluorescent gel polishes Rio Profi bottle volume 7 ml and cost 299 rubles. These dense rubber gels, in a variety of bright colors, glow green, blue or orange.
You can purchase glowing gel polish for a lower price on a large online site, but you should check for a quality certificate. Conscientious sellers undergo the certification procedure and always provide a copy of it along with the product.
Why does nail polish glow in the dark?
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Some substances have the ability to absorb light and then release it. This does not mean that they are light sources. On the contrary, in order for them to glow, they need to be placed under sunlight or a lamp. This effect is called luminescence. Translated from Latin “faint glow”. Luminescent varnishes glow in ultraviolet and neon lighting, which is used in discos and cafes.
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Luminescence is divided into fluorescence and phosphorescence and differs in the duration of glow in the dark. Fluorescent varnishes immediately stop glowing when the light source is turned off, while phosphorescent varnishes continue to glow even in complete darkness. Gradually the intensity of the glow fades, but the polish glows in the dark all night long.
In the production of varnishes, cosmetics, fabrics, and designer paints, organic phosphors are used rather than phosphorus. They are safe, non-toxic and are even used in the production of children's toys. They accumulate light and release it in the dark, changing the wavelength to a shorter one.
Description of luminous pigments
Colored pigments have appeared on sale, which are used for mixing with acrylic powders for nail extensions, sprinkling in designs and adding to top coats, both varnish and gel. Now there are dozens of phosphors that have different origins and costs. It is possible to industrially dye them in red, yellow, blue and green colors and shades.
The most commonly used substances in the production of glow-in-the-dark varnishes are:
- Sodium isothiocyanate, which is added for a light green glow. It has a short cycle and stops glowing quickly.
- Rhodamine glows red in the dark. It will also go out quickly.
- Strontium aluminate, giving a turquoise or yellow light. Lights up for 16 hours after “charging”. Now it is the most popular ingredient in varnish.
- Zinc sulfide – glows red-violet. A cheap component that is now being replaced by strontium aluminate.
The powder itself is opaque, its color is almost white with a greenish tint. In order for it to adhere to the surface, it is mixed with transparent varnishes. When dry, the coating with phosphors becomes matte. If desired, it can be coated with a glossy topcoat - this does not change the properties of the phosphors in a transparent medium.
Why does nail polish stop glowing in the dark?
Sooner or later the varnish stops glowing in the dark. As time passes, the glow of the phosphors stops and they go into a quiet state. Fluorescent varnishes stop glowing immediately. In order for the phosphorescent varnish to begin to exhibit its properties again, it needs to be “charged”: brought to a light source. Unfortunately, this is not useful for fluorescent varnishes.
When purchasing varnish, you should first place the bottle in the area of the light source - for example, under an incandescent or energy-saving lamp (not under a fluorescent lamp). Then the bottle is transferred to complete darkness or lowered into a box. Phosphorescent varnish glows in the dark.
