Glowing nail polish that appeared on store shelves raises many questions. Here are just a few of them: what are its varieties? Is its composition harmful? Is he poisonous? How to apply it so that your nails glow like in an advertising booklet? How long will this polish last and will there be any unpleasant surprises?
To answer all the questions, you have to start with the chemical composition. Often such varnishes are called phosphoric, they even use this word in the title. But phosphorus is banned because of its extremely high toxicity. How can this be? It's just that phosphors are 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 "bearing". So they decided to call the substances that convert energy into light. The process of glowing such a substance is called luminescence.
Inorganic phosphors are used in the production of lighting fixtures, TV screens, X-rays and fluorography. Organic lumogens are involved in the creationpaints for plastic, textiles, various decorations, cosmetics. This type includes a special LDP pigment, which contains a varnish that glows in the dark. It is non-toxic and non-radioactive. Its use in cosmetic materials is safe.
In what conditions does the varnish glow
LDP phosphor can accumulate light and give it out only in a transparent medium, which is the reason for its texture. If you mix a luminous varnish with a dense color, wanting to give it brightness, there will be no effect. Therefore, when using LDP pigment on its own, it should be added only to transparent formulations. And it will be able to glow from three to twelve hours. Pigment TAT33 has a wider range of applications: it can be mixed with white French gel to give off the accumulated light in artificial light and in the dark.
Both pigments in the composition of varnishes or gels do not manifest themselves in the light. On a white background, such a 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 on a white substrate, so sometimes there is confusion in the names. They are called neon for a very similar glow, and not for the composition.
And what will happen if you try to drive a luminous pigment with a brush into the dispersion layer of gel polish? Get a glowing layer. It is fixed with a top so that the pigment holds well.
How to "charge" luminous polish
Phosphors accumulate the direct light emitted by its source. Reflected light will not "charge" the varnish. In order to make the varnish glow, enough daylight during the day. If desired, before a party in a cafe where there will be artificial lighting, you can bring your nails to an incandescent or energy-saving lamp. After an hour of “charging”, the varnish can glow very brightly for two hours. Then gradually the intensity will begin to decrease. Light green and blue nail polishes shine brightest of all.
How to make nail polish glow if it fades at a party? To do this, do not forget the principle of the 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 at a certain hour in the evening. Even when it is light in the room, but the sunlight or the light of the lamp does not fall on the nails, "discharging" begins. Therefore, in this case, it is better to look for a light source and bring your hands to it.
Glow is especially visible at dusk.
Fluorescent varnishes and their difference from luminescent ones
Discotheques turn on UV lights and neon lights to create a party atmosphere. Such lighting makes varnishes with finely ground mineral fluorite shine. It reflects the light falling on it and shines very brightly in the twilight. Unlike fluorescent polishes, it does not glow in the dark.
Daytime this manicure looks very bright - it reflects the light that hits its surface. And in the dim evening light, it shines and sparkles. At the disco by ultraviolet lightlamps, it is similar to luminescent: both of them are varnishes that glow in ultraviolet light. But if the light is suddenly turned off, the fluorescent one stops glowing, unlike the phosphor varnish.
Phosphorescent varnishes and their differences from fluorescent ones
If "phosphoric varnish" is indicated on the bottle, you should look at the composition indicated on it. Most often it is strontium aluminate or zinc sulfide. These compounds are not phosphoric, but have a long glow cycle - like phosphorus. They glow in the dark, but in daylight they are a dense, slightly matte polish.
Glows in the dark with a greenish-bluish light, accumulating energy in the daytime. It will not sparkle and sparkle during the day like fluorescent varnish in the sun.
This happens because the varnishes have a different composition: for fluorescent ones, sodium isothiocyanate (yellow-green color) or rhodamine (red color) is used. These compounds have a short glow cycle, quickly returning to a dormant state in the dark. Only constant exposure to ultraviolet light makes the fluorescent varnish glow.
Types and brands of varnishes
In the production of varnishes, the phosphor pigment is now more often used. Brands of famous luminous polishes:
- Domestic varnishes "Dance Legends" worth 200 rubles per bottle of 15 ml. They are applied directly to the nail, as they have a base. In the daytime, they look like a dense color coating, some with a shimmer. There are both light and dark colors. In the dark, the varnish begins to glow andcan change color: pink becomes green or blue, blue becomes green, coral becomes turquoise. These are the colors of the phosphors.
- Domestic varnish "Luminofor" worth 150 rubles per 11 ml bottle. Applied on a white background. Three types of this varnish have a different color 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.
- Domestic brand "El Corazon" produces varnish with phosphors. A bottle of 16 ml costs 179 rubles. Several dense colored varnishes glow in the dark with a greenish light.
- ISHOWTIENDA polish, popular on major international online shopping sites. A bottle of 7 ml costs from 80 to 100 rubles. Once applied, it turns nails into little lanterns in the dark, reminiscent of fireflies. For a brighter glow, it is applied to a white substrate.
Found in the sale and many other brands. Their quality is difficult to determine without seeing the composition. If the varnish contains radioactive light compositions with tritium, they should not be bought. Harmless pigments are MHB-4E, MHP-6D and TAT 33.
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 buying low-quality products.
- Global Fashion neon gel polishes look bright during the dayand glow in the evening. The cost of a bottle is 299 rubles.
- Patrisa Nail phosphor gel polishes, bottle capacity 8 ml. During the day it looks like a polish with glitter, in the evening the glitter begins to glow green. The bottle costs 340 rubles.
- Luminescent Rio Profi gel polishes with a bottle of 7 ml and a cost of 299 rubles. These thick rubber gels, available in a variety of vibrant colors, glow green, blue, or orange.
You can buy luminous gel polish for less on a major online site, but you should check for a quality certificate. Conscientious sellers go through the certification process and always provide a copy along with the product.
Conclusion
The use of lacquers that glow in the dark expands the possibilities of design. It has already become popular to do a "water manicure" with their help. On a luminous background, craquelure and opaque decorative elements stand out interestingly - stars, kamifubuki and ribbons. A drop of phosphor polish can make the rhinestones glow amazingly.
Try one of these fancy polishes. Maybe you will create your own unique design.
