Friday, January 15, 2010

Why does nail polish smell?

I was polishing my nails last nite and when Jackie (the maid) came into my room she was appalled by the smell and could tell that I was polishing my nails. I also noticed that it made my room smell like that stuff. So why does it have a smell? why can't there be no scent.

(chemical engineers or scientist feel free to answer as well) thanks!Why does nail polish smell?
There is no single formula for nail polish. There are, however, a number of ingredient types that are used. These basic components include: film forming agents, resins and plasticizers, solvents, and coloring agents. The exact formulation of a nail polish, apart from being a corporate secret, greatly depends upon choices made by chemists and chemical engineers in the research and development phase of manufacturing. Additionally, as chemicals and other ingredients become accepted or discredited for some uses, adjustments are made. For example, formaldehyde was once frequently used in polish production, but now it is rarely used.

The primary ingredient in nail polish is nitrocellulose (cellulose nitrate) cotton, a flammable and explosive ingredient also used in making dynamite. Nitrocellulose is a liquid mixed with tiny, near-microscopic cotton fibers. In the manufacturing process, the cotton fibers are ground even smaller and do not need to be removed. The nitrocellulose can be purchased in various viscosities to match the desired viscosity of the final product.

Nitrocellulose acts as a film forming agent. For nail polish to work properly, a hard film must form on the exposed surface of the nail, but it cannot form so quickly that it prevents the material underneath from drying. (Consider commercial puddings or gelatin products that dry or film on an exposed surface and protect the moist product underneath.) By itself or used with other functional ingredients, the nitrocellulose film is brittle and adheres poorly to nails.

Manufacturers add synthetic resins and plasticizers (and occasionally similar, natural products) to their mixes to improve flexibility, resistance to soap and water, and other qualities; older recipes sometimes even used nylon for this purpose. Because of the number of desired qualities involved, however, there is no single resin or combination of resins that meets every specification. Among the resins and plasticizers in use today are castor oil, amyl and butyl stearate, and mixes of glycerol, fatty acids, and acetic acids.

The colorings and other components of nail polish must be contained within one or more solvents that hold the colorings and other materials until the polish is applied. After application, the solvent must be able to evaporate. In many cases, the solvent also acts a plasticizer. Butyl stearate and acetate compounds are perhaps the most common.

Finally, the polish must have a color. Early polishes used soluble dyes, but today's product contains pigments of one type or another. Choice of pigment and its ability to mix well with the solvent and other ingredients is essential to producing a good quality product.

Nail polish is a ';suspension'; product, in which particles of color can only be held by the solvent for a relatively short period of time, rarely more than two or three years. Shaking a bottle of nail polish before use helps to restore settled particles to the suspension; a very old bottle of nail polish may have so much settled pigment that it can never be restored to the solvent. The problem of settling is perhaps the most difficult to be addressed in the manufacturing process.

In addition to usual coloring pigments, other., color tones can be added depending upon the color, tone, and hue of the desired product. Micas (tiny reflective minerals), also used in lipsticks, are a common additive, as is ';pearl'; or ';fish scale'; essence. ';Pearl'; or ';guanine'; is literally made from small fish scales and skin, suitably cleaned, and mixed with solvents such as castor oil and butyl acetate. The guanine can also be mixed with gold, silver, and bronze tones.

Pigment choices are restricted by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which maintains lists of pigments considered acceptable and others that are dangerous and cannot be used. Manufacturing plants are inspected regularly, and manufacturers must be able to prove they are using only FDA approved pigments. Since the FDA lists of acceptable and unacceptable pigments change with new findings and reexaminations of colors, manufacturers occasionally have to reformulate a polish formula.Why does nail polish smell?
well, they smell bad!

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i just wondered

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It is the solvent. I believe that nail polish is just nitrocellulose with coloring. Incidentally, nitrocellulose which used to be used for movie film before safety film (cellulose acetate) replaced it, is also formed into flakes. In this form it is known as smokeless powder. That's right, modern day gunpowder.
yeah thats true..its does smell...1 day i was late 4 school and my mum came up 2 see what i was doin (puttin nail polish on) and i managed 2 hide it but when i came home 4rm school she asked me ';were u puttin nail polish on in the morning?'; and i said no then she told me she had smelt it and she knew back then but she dint ay cos she want me 2 be later 4 skl lol n so then i got in duble truble hehe it wernt funnii actually but anyway..nail polish smells cos each nail polish brand and colour has a mixture of different ingredients (so theres too many to name) and the smell i agree it smells so bad and strong, its got something to do with the high octane acids...i hope that helps..
it's a strong chemical and to stay on your nails for days at a time, it would have to be!
To enable the nail varnish to dry quickly, the polish is mixed with volatile liquids. These liquids keep the nail varnish fluid, and, when applied to the nail, evaporate to leave the colour behind, hard and dry. It is these quickly evaporating gases you smell. They are alcohols, which is why spilt vodka dries quickly. The same sort of chemicals are found in fruit and flowers and other stuff we have evolved to smell, so they interact with the scent receptors in our noses, so we can smell it. If you want nail varnish that didnt smell, or at least didnt smell so strong, you would have to wait ages for it to dry. Try not to buy quickdrying nail varnish, maybe that will help.
You can get scented stuff but the smell of the nail polish will always be there becuase dont forget nail polish is simalar to paint u think the smell of paint will ever change no so its something u have to deal with if u like painting ur nails sorry sweetie best answer i can give
I always thought it was so you could get a buzz while doing your nails.
cuz they got chemical in it!

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