At the disco, many manicures begin to glow brightly. But, when the lights suddenly go out or when you go outside, in the car and other places without special lighting, the manicure behaves differently: for some it continues to glow, for others it stops. Why does one nail polish glow in the dark and the other doesn't? How to explain that in the light of advertising lights they behave the same way? And most importantly: how to get the right luminous polish?
In order to understand this, we should consider some physical phenomena. Everyone knows that phosphorus glows in the dark. In this case, the transition of the chemical form of energy into light occurs. But phosphorus compounds have long been banned for use in cosmetics. Why are some varnishes called phosphor?
Why nail polish glows in the dark
Some substances have the ability to absorb light and then give it back. This does not mean that they are light sources. On the contrary, in order for them to glow, they must be placed under the sun's rays or a lamp. This effect is called luminescence. Translated from Latin "weak glow". Luminescent varnishes glow inultraviolet and neon lighting, which is used in discos and cafes.
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 varnish glows in the dark all night.
In the production of varnishes, cosmetics, fabrics, designer paints, organic phosphors are used, not phosphorus. They are safe, non-toxic and are used even in the production of children's toys. They accumulate light and give it back in the dark, changing the wavelength to a shorter one.
Description of luminous pigments
Colored pigments have appeared on sale, which are used to mix with acrylic powders for nail extensions, sprinkle in designs and add to top coats, both varnish and gel. Now there are dozens of phosphors, which have a different origin and cost. It is possible to industrially color them in red, yellow, blue and green colors and shades.
The most commonly used substances in the production of glow-in-the-dark lacquers are:
- Sodium isothiocyanate, which is added for light green glow. It has a short cycle and quickly stops glowing.
- Rhodamine, glowing red in the dark. It will also go out quickly.
- Strontium aluminate giving turquoise or yellow light. Lights up 16 hoursafter charging. It is now the most popular ingredient in nail polish.
- Zinc sulfide - glows red-violet. A cheap component now being replaced by strontium aluminate.
The powder itself is opaque, its color is almost white with a greenish tinge. In order for it to be fixed on the surface, it is mixed with transparent varnishes. Drying, the coating with phosphors becomes matte. If desired, it can be covered with a glossy top - this does not change the properties of phosphors in a transparent medium.
Why does nail polish stop glowing in the dark
Sooner or later, the polish stops glowing in the dark. When time passes, the glow of the phosphors stops, they go into a calm state. Fluorescent polishes stop glowing immediately. In order for the phosphorescent varnish to begin to show its properties again, it must be “charged”: brought to a light source. Unfortunately, this is not useful for fluorescent polishes.
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 (but not under a fluorescent one). Then the bottle is transferred to complete darkness or lowered into a box. Phosphorescent varnish glows in the dark.
How to choose the right polish
The composition will tell you a lot - what kind of light the varnish glows with can be seen from the pigment included in it. There are a lot of names for pigments, but the following are most often used in varnishes:
- TAT 33, which glows brighter than the rest and gives different colors when glowing.
- MHB-4E,giving a turquoise glow.
- MHP-6D, giving off a purple glow.
Uncertified tritium varnishes are radioactive, their glow is dangerous. If the label does not indicate the composition, most likely the manufacturer has something to hide. Therefore, it is better to opt for products of famous brands.
In daylight, phosphorescent varnishes have a dense texture and a matte surface. They are good for the office, but on vacation it is better to choose neon varnishes: they glow in the dark in the same way as other varnishes with phosphors, but in daylight they look much more advantageous. A phosphorescent pigment has been added to the phosphors.
How to make nail polish glow
To make the manicure glow in the dark, you can apply a top coat with phosphor pigments on it. Light green pigment shines brightest. Manufacturers' recommendations for the ratio of pigment and clear varnish vary and range from 1:1 to 1:10. In the production of paints, a ratio of 1: 3 is used, where three parts of varnish are taken for one part of the pigment.
After adding the powder to the varnish, it must be mixed well until smooth. In the subsequent application to the nails, the operation is repeated by shaking the bottle. If the pigment lay unevenly, the glow will turn out to be ugly.
The video tutorial will help you make your own nail polish that glows in the dark.
To make the manicure neater, a luminous varnish is applied to a white substrate. After it, two layers of varnish with phosphors follow. Seal with a glossy top.
Glowing Gel Polish
Glowing colored nails look especially attractive in the dark. It is difficult to perform some types of design with ordinary varnish. Sometimes it's easier to do it with gel polish. The phosphor and gel are mixed on the palette in a ratio of 1: 4 - four parts of gel polish are taken for one part of the pigment.
The advantage of direct preparation of gel polish before application is that the pigment is well distributed over the entire surface. In the bottle, it settles to the bottom and you have to shake it for a long time. Gel polishes have a thick texture, simply shaking the bottle (as with regular polishes) may not help.
This is what many designs do. One of them is ombre, a stretch of color and light. Stamping and stencil design looks interesting on a luminous background. Some gel polishes, in particular El Corazon, have luminous design elements - stars.
Names of brands of luminous polishes
The most famous domestic brand of fluorescent varnishes glowing in ultraviolet radiation is "Dance Legends". There are a lot of color options for both the office and the disco. The second popular brand is Neil Art. During the day, they look like ordinary varnishes with glitter, which glows green in the evening. Another good polish is Jerden. Glowing varnishes are also produced by Patricia Nails, Smart Enamel, Masura and others.
Glow in the dark gel polish produced by Global Fashion brands,Patris Nail, Rio Profi. To make the coating glow, it is kept in the light for several minutes. The cost of all brands is different, everyone can choose the right bottle.
Conclusion
Glow in the dark nail polish is very unusual. Some scare them at home when they do it for the first time. Of course, it is designed for a holiday, and not for everyday use. Therefore, it is chosen by young girls and show participants who want to attract attention.
