Can Acrylic Paint Be Used As Nail Polish?

Each time I do nails, I get a different level of satisfaction. And not just nails, anything that to do with crafting, colorful DIYs, sign me up.

I think I just love doing creative things with my hands and since nail art is exactly that, why not?

Nail art is fun, rewarding and stimulating at the same time.

Recently, I run out of nail polish while doing my nails and since I didn’t want to leave my project unfinished, I had to look for an alternative.

Luckily, I had some acrylic paint and I kept wondering if it would be a perfect substitute.

After researching if it would be safe on my nails, I decided to give it a try and guess what…

…the results were more than satisfying, so I decided to write about it and inform you about this amazing hack.

Can Acrylic Paint Substitute Nail Polish?

Some of the amazing art you see is from acrylic paint. Just like in art, acrylic comes out beautifully in nail art. It appears neat and has so many possibilities.

Just use the non-toxic one and see how beautiful your nails will come out.

Like nail polish, start with applying a clear base and proceed to apply your favourite colour.

Acrylic paint is rich in colour and nail artists play with different patterns to bring out that unique look.

I recommend a vibrant color and long-lasting paint for satisfying results.

Acrylic dries very fast, so you don’t need to worry about wasting your time waiting for it to dry.

Even better, it is water-based, so you can easily clean it in case you mess up.

You can take it off with water, but this is only before the final step of applying a clear coat to safeguard the colour and prevent chipping.

That said, you should apply a clear coat not just for protection but also to give your nails that glossy effect, especially since acrylic dries up like matte.

If you choose to skip the clear coat, know you are risking the acrylic paint washing off and the colour chipping.

Feel free to use acrylic paintbrushes to apply the paint as they are well shaped to give you that smooth effect and excellent finish, especially if you are going for that intriguing flower design.

Does Acrylic Damage Nails?

Now that you know acrylic paint is a perfect substitute to nail polish, you may be questioning if your nails are safe after application.

Well, since acrylic is water-based and majority are non-toxic, it won’t damage your nails. Just apply a clear base first, so the acrylic doesn’t stain your nails.

When it’s time to remove it, use regular acetone or nail polish remover.

I prefer acetone as I recently discovered it is easy to use and takes off the paint more quickly.

Can I Mix Acrylic With Nail Polish?

Nail artists mix different nail polish colors to come up with a custom color that turns out very beautiful. The same way, you can mix different water-based acrylic paint for that custom colour but make sure you apply a good top coat, so you seal it well.

However, you can’t mix acrylic paint with nail polish as they have a completely different chemical structure.

Actually, the water in acrylic will coagulate your nail polish.

Since you can mix acrylic paints, try playing with different colours and come up with a unique colour to make your nail art more exciting.

You can even store some in small containers and use them later.

Nowadays, most people prefer acrylic paint to nail polish because acrylic gives that vibrant color effect. In fact, nail techs make those cool nail art designs with acrylic.

An alternative is using acrylic paint pens for neat designs.

The pens can be used over nail polish or with acrylic paint to make those astonishing patterns without any problems.

Final Word On Whether You Can Use Acrylic Paint as Nail Polish

So, if you have been wondering if you can use acrylic paint as nail polish, yes you can.

And not just that, it gives you more vibrant colour and doesn’t damage your nails.

Unfortunately, you can’t mix it with nail polish, but you can combine different paint colors and use it as your nail polish.

Now that you are well informed, all the best as you try out this beauty hack and hope you get excellent results as I did.