Can You Use a UV or LED Lamp to Dry Regular Nail Polish
In this article, I will be exploring whether a UV or Led Lamp can really be used to dry regular nail polish.
Can You Use a UV Lamp to Dry Regular Nail Polish
A UV or LED lamp won’t help to significantly speed up the rate at which your normal nail polish dries.
You see regular nail polishes dry due to the evaporation of the liquid part of the polish which comprises mainly of volatile solvents such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, and alcohol. Citation.
And the UV light produced from either a UV or LED Lamp won’t help to significantly speed up the rate of evaporation of these solvents.
Now if your lamp produces a significant amount of heat it can potentially help to speed up the rate of evaporation. But I won’t advise using it since the drying process might take a long time and too much exposure to intense UV light can be dangerous. Citation.
Why Does UV Light Cure Gel Polish
Gel Polishes don’t dry like normal polishes instead they are dried or cured via a chemical reaction induced by the UV light from either a UV or LED lamp. Citation.
You see gel polishes contain Photoinitiators that react with UV light to cause a polymerization reaction which causes the gel polish to harden and cure. Citation.
Tips on How to Make Your Normal Nail Polish Dry Faster
1- Invest in a Nail Fan
A nail fan is a specially designed fan used to dry regular nail polish.
The fan works to gently blow warm air over your nail polish which causes the solvents in the polish to evaporate faster. By using a fan you can speed up the rate at which your polish dries by 30-40%.
For a great nail dryer I recommend Makartt Air Nail Dryer, you can click here to see the current price for one on Amazon.
Now if you don’t want to invest in a Nail Fan you can use a hairdryer on the lowest speed settings.
2- Use a Nail Polish Drying Spray
Nail Polish Drying Sprays use special chemicals that when used on your nail polish speeds up the rate of evaporation of the liquids in the nail polish making it dry faster.
These sprays are very effective and can make your nail polish dry within minutes.
I have a very detailed article on my recommended brands of fasting drying sprays and how to correctly use them, you can click here to read it.
3- Apply Thin Coats
One of the easiest ways to make your nail polish dry faster is to only apply thin coats of nails polish.
I have found that a manicure using regular nail polish tends to finish faster when you use multiple thin coats of polish instead of one or two thick coats.
You see when you use thin coats of polish the solvents can evaporate faster.
Citation and References
The Science Behind Quick-Dry Nail Products
UV Light Cured Gel: How It Works
Tips to Make Nail Polish Dry Faster
