The MLP Arena

Creativity => Customs => Topic started by: ChocolateStarfire on December 10, 2016, 12:51:42 PM

Title: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: ChocolateStarfire on December 10, 2016, 12:51:42 PM
Hi all,

I was wondering...customizing with nail polish has been the "in thing" lately on YouTube. For years, I've had the notion that customizing with nail polish is a no-no, because the lacquer/varnish could affect the pony's plastic.

So...why is this a new thing?

I've found acrylic paint by Folk Art that has glitter or holographic glitter in it...so...why go for nail polish? Dollar for dollar, acrylics last a lot longer and I find them very durable, even without sealant.

Is nail polish as bad as I once thought? Is it ok to customize with it?

Thoughts??
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: cannibalism on December 10, 2016, 01:08:38 PM
i have noticed lots of people on youtube customizing with nail polish. I think the point is that nail polish is much cheaper than paint, and most kids' parents have nail polish laying around the house, or might even have some themselves, and so can customize with it. The people who are using it on video might not know its bad for the ponies. I think its to make it more accessible for little kids to customize ponies.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: LunaMoonCustoms1212 on December 10, 2016, 01:48:58 PM
Nail polish only needs a few coats, and from my perspective it's the "lazy" way to paint your pony, plus it has a shone that not all people might want.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: lovesbabysquirmy on December 10, 2016, 02:41:07 PM
Definitely don't do it.  I've seen so many ruined ponies at the thrift store.  They hang there, the paint and plastic reacting, melting their hair, their bodies, the plastic bag they come in...  eventually they get thrown in the trash...


1. lack of education about plastics and customizing MLP's
2. apathy towards said education
3. feelings of youthful superiority versus tried-and-true-know-how artist techniques. 

Also parents FREAK right out when you ask them to spend further money on expensive art supplies to "deface" toys that they already spent money on.  Some parents are irrationally fearful of their child using chemicals.  Some parents know that their child's temperament just won't allow for the project to become a multi-room disaster, only to damage furniture, walls, carpet, etc.

:D  in a nutshell... 
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: LunaMoonCustoms1212 on December 10, 2016, 08:26:54 PM
ChocolateStarfire are you talking about MandaPandaToyCollector on youtube, because if you are, she makes her customs in ways that many wouldn't. Hers are made fast, and sometimes not very much care is put into them. I am not saying that she is bad at customizing, it's just that she is doing things that will cause problems in the future.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Snapdragon on December 10, 2016, 11:30:03 PM
YIKES, I hope this isn't going to become a popular trend!! :yikes: I mean, I guess each new generation has to learn by repeating the mistakes of the old, but ...!! :yikes:

I think it's always worthwhile to experiment with new techniques and mediums (my friend taught me to dye Barbie hair with acyrlic paint!!), but for stuff that's intended to go on human bodies, it can generally be assumed that it won't work for pony plastic! Nail polish goes tacky, eye shadow/makeup dries up or fades, hair spray destroys pony hair ... Heck, even dollar store paints might work better than nail polish!
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Taxel on December 11, 2016, 12:11:03 AM
Kids or people trying to "save money" often try and substitute nail polish for part when it comes to art stuff. Usually it ends up being a lot more expensive than just buying a couple $1 safe-for-what-you're-doing paints or a basic little paint set.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Gingerbread on December 11, 2016, 01:35:04 AM
Nail polish is not made to last, so it won't. As has been said it becomes tacky, and ruins hair and plastic by reacting to the vinyl. Pony ends up in landfill.

Lazyness, pure and simple. And a little bit if stupidity - surely even a kid would research "painting pony with nail polish" through Google before starting anything?
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: ChocolateStarfire on December 11, 2016, 09:44:10 AM
So many replies!!   :biggrin:

I agree with cannabalism and Taxel that this technique is probably directed at children because nail polish is rather cheap.

ChocolateStarfire are you talking about MandaPandaToyCollector on youtube, because if you are, she makes her customs in ways that many wouldn't. Hers are made fast, and sometimes not very much care is put into them. I am not saying that she is bad at customizing, it's just that she is doing things that will cause problems in the future.

Yeah...her customs are questionable in that sense. Some of CookieSwirlC's later videos (from this year versus last) also focus on repainting Breyer stablemates with nail polish because it color changes...and she also uses nail polish on Shopkins, too.

The thing is, MandaPanda and CookieSwirlC are very popular YouTubers for kids, and I worry that these techniques may lead to disastrous results, as lovesbabysquirmy, Gingerbread and Taxel can attest. I love CookieSwirlC in general, but I don't know if she realizes that nail polish, even if sealed, can react to the plastic? Even so, both posters are spreading misinformation that a Google/YouTube search will show as legitimate.  :yikes:

Thanks for the replies! Any other thoughts welcome! Has anyone been successful at all with nail polish?!
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: LunaMoonCustoms1212 on December 11, 2016, 09:54:14 AM
So many replies!!   :biggrin:

I agree with cannabalism and Taxel that this technique is probably directed at children because nail polish is rather cheap.

ChocolateStarfire are you talking about MandaPandaToyCollector on youtube, because if you are, she makes her customs in ways that many wouldn't. Hers are made fast, and sometimes not very much care is put into them. I am not saying that she is bad at customizing, it's just that she is doing things that will cause problems in the future.

Yeah...her customs are questionable in that sense. Some of CookieSwirlC's later videos (from this year versus last) also focus on repainting Breyer stablemates with nail polish because it color changes...and she also uses nail polish on Shopkins, too.

The thing is, MandaPanda and CookieSwirlC are very popular YouTubers for kids, and I worry that these techniques may lead to disastrous results, as lovesbabysquirmy, Gingerbread and Taxel can attest. I love CookieSwirlC in general, but I don't know if she realizes that nail polish, even if sealed, can react to the plastic? Even so, both posters are spreading misinformation that a Google/YouTube search will show as legitimate.  :yikes:

Thanks for the replies! Any other thoughts welcome! Has anyone been successful at all with nail polish?!

Te only thing that MandaPanda does remotely correctly is her rehairs, I was surprised that she did rehairs at all because the rest of the toy looks like a disaster. Oftentimes she reroot a very thin, and cut off a lot of the hair after she reroots, so she wastes a lot of hair. And she hardly ever styles it.

I assume that she is an adult (her hands look like an adult, plus her voice) but her customs look as if a young teenager, or a little kid who didn't know what they were doing made them.

I appreciate her for trying, but she really should have researched more before making a whole youtube channel on how to make pony customs.

This doesn't apply to MandaPanda, but so any people use rare G4s as baits!! It's like they haven't even researched their pony before customizing it.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Snapdragon on December 11, 2016, 09:57:11 AM
You know, I just realized something; I started customizing with nail polish!! :P :yikes:

I, too, was a foolish child, led astray! Thankfully, this was before Youtube videos telling me it was an okay option, and I knew well enough to use a fakie for my experiments - I think I must have figured, "well, maybe nail polish will work for me even though everyone else says no," due to the fact that my mom didn't want to spring for a bunch of 'expensive' acrylic paints. So it was nail polish or nothing, basically! Poor thing, I still have her! (She's where my username comes from, in fact!) She also managed to smear tacky, non-sealed nail polish all over several other collection ponies accidentally! :P The Snapdragon legacy lives on!

I do worry that, as great as Youtube can be, one of the downfalls is dealing with well-known folks who advocate for unsustainable customizing practices, like the nail polish. YT can spread a lot of good information, just as easily as it spreads misinformation.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: ChocolateStarfire on December 11, 2016, 10:10:47 AM
I do worry that, as great as Youtube can be, one of the downfalls is dealing with well-known folks who advocate for unsustainable customizing practices, like the nail polish. YT can spread a lot of good information, just as easily as it spreads misinformation.

I assume that she is an adult (her hands look like an adult, plus her voice) but her customs look as if a young teenager, or a little kid who didn't know what they were doing made them.

I appreciate her for trying, but she really should have researched more before making a whole youtube channel on how to make pony customs.

Yeah...here's what I don't understand...shouldn't most adults on YouTube, since it is a site millions of people visit, be careful with the methods they use for customizing?! Some customizers are kids, and I get that...but if you're an adult, I think you should always caution "Get an adult or your parents to help you" and use the right materials/tools like CookieSwirl and MyFroggyStuff do?! In addition, these YouTubers mean a lot to kids, and I don't know if MandaPanda realizes this or not...she's a role model in every sense. Why would you purposely spread misinformation?!

Snapdragon-what a horror story! At least you learned from your mistake...I hope the kids who choose to customize do so, too...
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: cannibalism on December 11, 2016, 12:04:19 PM
So many replies!!   :biggrin:

I agree with cannabalism and Taxel that this technique is probably directed at children because nail polish is rather cheap.

ChocolateStarfire are you talking about MandaPandaToyCollector on youtube, because if you are, she makes her customs in ways that many wouldn't. Hers are made fast, and sometimes not very much care is put into them. I am not saying that she is bad at customizing, it's just that she is doing things that will cause problems in the future.

Yeah...her customs are questionable in that sense. Some of CookieSwirlC's later videos (from this year versus last) also focus on repainting Breyer stablemates with nail polish because it color changes...and she also uses nail polish on Shopkins, too.

The thing is, MandaPanda and CookieSwirlC are very popular YouTubers for kids, and I worry that these techniques may lead to disastrous results, as lovesbabysquirmy, Gingerbread and Taxel can attest. I love CookieSwirlC in general, but I don't know if she realizes that nail polish, even if sealed, can react to the plastic? Even so, both posters are spreading misinformation that a Google/YouTube search will show as legitimate.  :yikes:

Thanks for the replies! Any other thoughts welcome! Has anyone been successful at all with nail polish?!


cookieswirlc is HUGE with kids, my niece is only 4 and she has been watching her videos for about two years straight. nothing distracts that toddler like sticking a phone in front of her with youtube open to cookieswirlc! i don't know if she's at all interested in customizing anything, shes probably still too young, but all the toys and big sets she shows on her channel have lead to many a "can you buy that for me?"
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: babyblueducky on December 11, 2016, 09:01:01 PM
Has anyone left a comment to both of the youtubers and let them know the hazards and effects of using nail polish on custom toys?

I never used nail polish when I started customizing, I was able to get my hands on acrylic paints but I used embroidery thread for the hair.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: LunaMoonCustoms1212 on December 12, 2016, 07:27:55 AM
Has anyone left a comment to both of the youtubers and let them know the hazards and effects of using nail polish on custom toys?

I never used nail polish when I started customizing, I was able to get my hands on acrylic paints but I used embroidery thread for the hair.

I never have, but they probably wouldn't notice, they get thousands of comments. I dont have a youtube account, but i guess one of us could try.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: ChocolateStarfire on December 12, 2016, 02:17:47 PM
Has anyone left a comment to both of the youtubers and let them know the hazards and effects of using nail polish on custom toys?

This is a good idea. What links or photos should be shown as proof of the issue with nail polish?
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: vira on December 12, 2016, 02:58:36 PM
i think MandaPanda has been told, since she made this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utXMFH1DBxo&index=15&list=PLdWZaCl8Zrdk-gzIp13aqd5wYzhx4wEa6) video comparing nail polish vs acrylic paint.

imo, it wasn't a very good comparison. she should have used two identical ponies, instead of two different ones. she complains about the acrylic taking so many coats when the nail polish only needs one; of course it'll need multiple coats! youre covering blue plastic!  :P

i'm not sure she understands that customization takes patience. if you go the quick way, your custom will degrade quickly too!

like others have said, if it were just for her own enjoyment, i couldnt care less! but since she has almost 100k subscribers, its very disappointing that shes spreading bad information. :-(

its sad to think that some kids have definitely hurt their ponies with harmful customization techniques, when all they wanted was to be creative!
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: ChocolateStarfire on December 12, 2016, 08:25:50 PM
Eek, I found something worse...http://www.wikihow.com/Customize-Your-My-Little-Pony-Using-Sharpie-Markers

Post Merge: December 12, 2016, 08:30:08 PM

Is it OK to use nail polish on Breyer resin, versus the vinyl in MLPs? I wonder if that makes a difference in the way the customs stay over time?

vira- Totally agree with you! MandaPanda should redo the challenge with two Rarities and see if that makes a difference. I bet it will! :)
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: MangleCrafter on December 13, 2016, 04:07:03 AM
I did a bit of research, and some nail polish is actually also bad for humans, and even nail care products.
 "Nail care products contain, in varying amounts, many toxic and potentially hazardous ingredients. ... Researchers have identified toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate – nicknamed the 'toxic trio' because of their serious health impacts – as three chemicals of high concern for salon workers."
 
It also contains different nail oils, which could increase the chance of the polish chipping off. We have seen ponies like the G1 ponies slowly degrading over time by themselves, imagine nail polish customs twenty years later.
Here is the list of full ingredients that are used in nail polish:
Nail polish consists of a film-forming polymer dissolved in a volatile organic solvent. Nitrocellulose that is dissolved in butyl acetate or ethyl acetate is common. This basic formulation is expanded to include the following:

Plasticizers to yield non-brittle films. Dibutylphthalate and camphor are typical plasticizers.
Dyes and pigments. Representative compounds include chromium oxide greens, chromium hydroxide, ferric ferrocyanide, stannic oxide, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, carmine, ultramarine, and manganese violet.
Opalescent pigments. The glittery/shimmer look in the color can be conferred by mica, bismuth oxychloride, natural pearls, and aluminum powder.
Adhesive polymers ensure that the nitrocellulose adheres to the nail's surface. One modifier used is tosylamide-formaldehyde resin.
Thickening agents are added to maintain the sparkling particles in suspension while in the bottle. A typical thickener is stearalkonium hectorite. Thickening agents exhibit thixotropy, their solutions are viscous when still but free flowing when agitated. This duality is convenient for easily applying the freshly shaken mixture to give a film that quickly rigidifies.
Ultraviolet stabilizers resist color changes when the dry film is exposed to sunlight. A typical stabilizer is benzophenone-1
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: LunaMoonCustoms1212 on December 13, 2016, 04:41:09 AM
I did a bit of research, and some nail polish is actually also bad for humans, and even nail care products.
 "Nail care products contain, in varying amounts, many toxic and potentially hazardous ingredients. ... Researchers have identified toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate – nicknamed the 'toxic trio' because of their serious health impacts – as three chemicals of high concern for salon workers."
 
It also contains different nail oils, which could increase the chance of the polish chipping off. We have seen ponies like the G1 ponies slowly degrading over time by themselves, imagine nail polish customs twenty years later.
Here is the list of full ingredients that are used in nail polish:
Nail polish consists of a film-forming polymer dissolved in a volatile organic solvent. Nitrocellulose that is dissolved in butyl acetate or ethyl acetate is common. This basic formulation is expanded to include the following:

Plasticizers to yield non-brittle films. Dibutylphthalate and camphor are typical plasticizers.
Dyes and pigments. Representative compounds include chromium oxide greens, chromium hydroxide, ferric ferrocyanide, stannic oxide, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, carmine, ultramarine, and manganese violet.
Opalescent pigments. The glittery/shimmer look in the color can be conferred by mica, bismuth oxychloride, natural pearls, and aluminum powder.
Adhesive polymers ensure that the nitrocellulose adheres to the nail's surface. One modifier used is tosylamide-formaldehyde resin.
Thickening agents are added to maintain the sparkling particles in suspension while in the bottle. A typical thickener is stearalkonium hectorite. Thickening agents exhibit thixotropy, their solutions are viscous when still but free flowing when agitated. This duality is convenient for easily applying the freshly shaken mixture to give a film that quickly rigidifies.
Ultraviolet stabilizers resist color changes when the dry film is exposed to sunlight. A typical stabilizer is benzophenone-1

good thing I don't use nail polish, but just think of what that does to the pony  :drunk:
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: MangleCrafter on December 13, 2016, 07:38:51 AM
Eek, I found something worse...http://www.wikihow.com/Customize-Your-My-Little-Pony-Using-Sharpie-Markers

Post Merge: December 12, 2016, 08:30:08 PM

Is it OK to use nail polish on Breyer resin, versus the vinyl in MLPs? I wonder if that makes a difference in the way the customs stay over time?

vira- Totally agree with you! MandaPanda should redo the challenge with two Rarities and see if that makes a difference. I bet it will! :)
Customizing ponies with Sharpies is even worse! It looks to be alcohol based, and it bleeds on the vinyl in most cases. As for the nail polish-resin case, it doesn't have a really good reaction either.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Raindrop on December 13, 2016, 11:40:22 AM
Note that in addition to flaking off and potentially damaging the plastic, nail polish also tends to yellow badly over time. 
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: MangleCrafter on December 13, 2016, 12:13:38 PM
Note that in addition to flaking off and potentially damaging the plastic, nail polish also tends to yellow badly over time.
That's true. Nail polish is not meant to last forever, it's like painting your pony with lipstick or eyeshadow.
Yellowing also occurs on cheap glue and varnish, but not that worse of a scale, it depends. But varnish is meant to seal paint, nail polish is a one time thing for nails. It's not meant for ponies.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: vampyrefay on December 23, 2016, 11:15:48 AM
I recently got into an argument over this on a youtube video, please don't use nail polish on your customs
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: rolllerblades on January 02, 2017, 09:11:03 AM
It's frustrating to see MandaPanda complain about how many coats she has to use with acrylic paint, but she wouldn't have that much of an issue if she spent the same budget on paints as she did on nail polish. Sure there's not as many colors as the 99¢ acrylic paints but you've got to learn to mix your own colors eventually!
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Darkhorse on January 02, 2017, 11:05:08 AM
I've only used nail polish a couple times, and it was because I liked the iridescent color.  I painted it over acrylic and it turned out kind of cool :)

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Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: lovesbabysquirmy on January 02, 2017, 11:30:18 AM
Painting with nail polish in small places OVER acrylic paint would seem to be reasonably okay - but again, not a long-lasting paint type, so I would worry about that...  But it's a beauty of a custom!  ooooh pwetty...
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: LunaMoonCustoms1212 on January 02, 2017, 12:01:23 PM
those are such nice customs, the nail polish really makes it stand out!!  ;)
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: glitterball on January 02, 2017, 01:07:44 PM
I've only used nail polish a couple times, and it was because I liked the iridescent color.  I painted it over acrylic and it turned out kind of cool :)

Those are *STUNNING*  :faint:  :thumb:

Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Baby Sugarberry on January 02, 2017, 03:42:40 PM
Nail polish should never be used as permanent paint.

It's often loaded with toxic chemicals, and dyes that can soak into the vinyl, it gets tacky with age more often than not as it reacts with other chemicals in the toy or even itself.  There are no effects you can get with nail polish that can't be achieved with fine art materials, but of course that's far more expensive than a cheap bottle or two of nail polish.  It's sorely tempting with all those gorgeous colors, but I've seen too many horror stories over the years to ever, ever trust nail polish on a plastic surface. 
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: ChocolateStarfire on January 03, 2017, 09:26:50 PM
@Darkhorse--OMG those are some lovely ladies!

If anyone has before and after pics, I am curious to see...Darkhorse, I am assuming you sealed the paint, so I don't think the nail polish would wear off...?

It seems like everyone has discovered that nail polish is toxic and that MandaPanda should use acrylic paint. I agree with both statements. It's especially important that kids use nail polish in an area that's open to the air (well ventilated) and possibly with parent supervision, should they choose to use it at all (preferably on their nails versus a toy).

 ^.^
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Taxel on January 03, 2017, 10:29:28 PM
@Darkhorse--OMG those are some lovely ladies!

If anyone has before and after pics, I am curious to see...Darkhorse, I am assuming you sealed the paint, so I don't think the nail polish would wear off...?

Sealer isn't a magic wand that can protect from stuff - bad customizing supplies, plasticizer leak, Sharpie, etc. In some cases sealer can even make problem stuff worse because it introduces even more potentially incompatible chemicals into the mix.

I used Sculpey Gloss Glaze to seal some polymer clay hearts I painted with nailpolish when I was like 13. A few I left alone at first and glazed after they got tacky, some I left alone. I honestly think the glaze made it all worse... they went tacky fast so I left them in a box for years. Last year or so I pulled them out and they were all stuck together like a giant brick of nasty hearts.

I've also had experience with Sharpie on plastic that was sealed over. It turned dark orangey over time and the words went fuzzy... super nasty. I had to throw the stuff away.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Wardah on January 07, 2017, 08:24:02 AM
Nail polish is not made to last, so it won't. As has been said it becomes tacky, and ruins hair and plastic by reacting to the vinyl. Pony ends up in landfill.

Lazyness, pure and simple. And a little bit if stupidity - surely even a kid would research "painting pony with nail polish" through Google before starting anything?

I wouldn't always chalk it up to laziness. There are some effects that can't be done with the acrylic paints you can find at Walmart. At one point I was even tempted to try and find a way to make nail polish work but then I found this site that sells special effect pigments called solarcolordust.com . I was able to do a color shifting LPS chameleon without using nail polish.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: vampyrefay on January 10, 2017, 05:28:42 PM
Has anyone left a comment to both of the youtubers and let them know the hazards and effects of using nail polish on custom toys?

  I did on mandapanda's lisa frank tutorial video and she told me everyone has different styles and one of her hard core fans started on me (i'm eliza belsie on the comments)
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: ChocolateStarfire on January 11, 2017, 04:18:22 PM
Has anyone left a comment to both of the youtubers and let them know the hazards and effects of using nail polish on custom toys?

  I did on mandapanda's lisa frank tutorial video and she told me everyone has different styles and one of her hard core fans started on me (i'm eliza belsie on the comments)

I saw your comment on the video, and I agree with what you said.

CookieSwirl's customs have been made with acrylics lately, which makes me happy...so I don't feel a need to comment on her vids. I worry that if I comment on MandaPanda's channel it will result in the same response.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: LadyMoondancer on January 12, 2017, 11:07:14 PM
Nail polish was popular for customizing in the late 90s when custom ponies were a new idea.  My very first customs, I used nail polish for their symbols.  (Used their natural body colors, so no issue there.)  The trouble with nail polish, as others have said, is that it gets tacky over time!  Acrylic paint is so much better.

I also tried to customize a pony using Sharpie marker back then.  Terrible idea, it didn't work at all.

That said, if MandaPanda is determined to use nail polish to customize then she's going to do it, I guess.  You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: Shaiyeh on January 17, 2017, 02:28:37 AM
I looked at some of the videos, and I hate to be mean but omg, I've been cringing so hard at the heavy use of nail polish. Please, do not use it.
In my early days I'd seal my custom ponies' eyes with high-gloss top coat. It yellowed, but didn't go tacky, but yeah... it's not a very becoming look.
I also have a custom made by someone else who I'm sure has pearly nail polish on her symbols, because they have smudged and are super tacky, to the point that she's gotten stuck to a thing she was stored next to :( Imagine painting a whole pony, eeek. D:

I also want to say, americana acrylics aren't bad for customizing. they're cheap, and look clumpy and bad if you don't thin them down, IMO. Before I switched to warhammer/vallejo/citadel paints (yay higher budget) I used to use Americana, but I'd always thin them down enormously. water works just fine. Sure you have to make a ton of layers, but they're all really thin and smooth, and dry super fast. It's totally worth the end result, instead of trying to speed through things and get a sad looking final product. (I still thin down my citadel paints with thinner+water, tho. but yeah)

I clicked on here with fingers itching to make a custom, but now I'm like nuuuu, what has the world come to ;_;


Also about the "toxic trio" in nail polishes (there's actually a toxic quintet, if we're to be really picky), is not present in many of the bigger brands, and most indie brands use 3-free/5-free polish base. Dollar store nail polishes and generally cheap brands, however, often have them. So for nail polish for your fingernails, stick with reputable brands and indie sellers to stay safe :3
Title: Re: Customizing with Nail Polish...?
Post by: PJSparkles on January 18, 2017, 05:21:48 AM
I actually watch mandapanda and cookieswirlc on youtube, but I agree with all of the aforementioned points--nail polish is just a "lazy" way to get solid coats of paint fast. I've made myself nauseous for several hours just trying to paint my nails with my bedroom door closed for 20 minutes or so, I can only imagine how that would affect a small child.

I was considering experimenting with some nail polish, but reading the comments about it eating the plastic on the horse has changed my mind :P
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