14 cool and functional nail polish crafts! These quick and easy crafts are perfect crafts for teens, or for when you're short on time and all use a common ingredient: nail polish!

The Best Nail Polish Crafts

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Got old, colorful nail polish? Craft with it! These fun nail polish crafts are easy, doable, and a great way to use up the polish you don’t wear. I love finding new, unique things to make with stuff I already have and this is one of my favorite “unusual supplies!”  Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.


14 cool and functional nail polish crafts! These quick and easy crafts are perfect crafts for teens, or for when you're short on time and all use a common ingredient: nail polish!

Nail polish has been my favorite unconventional craft supply for a while now. I always have colors that I did not end up liking, or older polishes that are too thick to really use. I also love getting fun colors on the cheap from inexpensive brands.

If you’re just getting started with nail polish crafts, start with your collection, and add in a multi-pack of colors to have handy. Some nail polish crafts require special polishes. For example, some will call for a crackle effect, some a glitter. But having a rainbow of colors handy will definitely jump start you for most of these. For effects, go for a brand you trust. For solids, use up the cheap brands that you didn’t like!

14+ Fun Nail Polish Crafts

Fashion Upgrades Using Nail Polish

Upgrade an old pair of bangles in minutes! Painted bangles are so much prettier than plain ones. Notice how the texture shows right through.

These neon chain earrings by A Splendid Assemblage are genius and chic! Jewelry making skills involved are very basic and the result is awesome.

14 Awesome Nail Polish Crafts | Crafts for teens

Funky and fun seashell earrings use nail polish in a surprising way! (Hint: it’s not used a a paint in this case).

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Upgrade sunglasses to mimic a designer pair in a simple craft by Real Girl Runway. I can see any teen or tween digging this one!

14 Awesome Nail Polish Crafts | Crafts for teens

Make a gorgeous faux Druzy bottle cap necklace as well as druzy studs, using nail polish for a beautiful gilded edge. Using glass glitter really upgrades things on these.

The possibilities are endless for these mini sunglasses charms! You can adapt it as a pair of shades for your child’s favorite Barbie-style doll too!

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Turn acrylic cabochons into beautiful jewelry using nail polish in this wire wrapped cabochon tutorial!

Pair Eyewear are glasses with interchangeable toppers/fronts so that you can easily switch up your look. Snack Rules teaches how to customize your own toppers using nail polish (and other methods).

Make faux gemstone beads and then turn them into fun wrap bracelets with an easy and trendy tutorial!

DIY wrap bracelets

Colorful Craft Corner made a super cool dragonfly pendant from wire and… you guessed it! Nail polish, of course!

This is one on the top of my to-do list! Make these minimalist color blocked stud earrings by In Honor of Design in minutes!

14 Awesome Nail Polish Crafts | Crafts for teens

Make these color blocked bobby pins by  The Thinking Closet on the quick and cheap! Stack ’em up and give ’em to friends!

I was always a big fan of these washer necklaces by Sunhats and Wellie Boots. Make a bunch, wear a few at once, and give them out to friends.

Nail Polish Crafts for the home

Get crafty in the kitchen with these enameled teaspoons. What a lovely hostess or housewarming gift!

One of my favorites of all time, this dipped rainbow candle is a beauty! It uses one color at a time, with the translucent quality of nail polish really shining, and the hydrodipping technique giving a gorgeous texture.

Make this beautiful rainbow candle as a DIY gift or a pretty home decor! The sheer layers of nail polish look a bit like water colors and the texture adds so much life. I had to try a few times to see the best way to make this dipped nail polish rainbow craft but now I can share my best tips with you so you'll get it right the first time (click for details)

Color code your keys with a fun idea from A Bubbly Life:

14 Awesome Nail Polish Crafts | Crafts for teens

If you can create art on nails, why not make it on canvas? This art canvas by Inner Child Fun can star in the perfect gallery wall.

14 Awesome Nail Polish Crafts | Crafts for teens

Use puffy fabric paint and fill in the spaces with nail polish to make pretty decorated bowls for condiments, keys, jewelry, or whatever you’d like.

Gilded agate coasters from Thou Swell are chicer than plain agate coasters and so easy to make!

These marble dipped vessels by Sugar and Cloth look like they’re made of real marble! The result is amazing.

More things to make with nail polish

This heart magnet has a beautiful enameled look thanks to nail polish. You can also make this on flat wood squares to place on a card.

Make this stunning and easy mosaic heart magnet craft for kids, teens or adults! It's such a simple and easy-to-gift valentine's day craft, that's perfect for year-round too!

Check out these chunky wooden alphabet magnets by Arts and Crackers – they are so cool. I am sure your little one will love it!

15 more cool and functional nail polish crafts! These quick and easy crafts are perfect crafts for teens and tweens, or for when you're short on time and all use a common ingredient: nail polish!

Crafting Ireland teaches how to make versatile enamel dots as used in this pretty card.

14 Awesome Nail Polish Crafts | Crafts for teens

 Glitter Magnets by Finding Zest are another easy and functional craft your tween will love!

14 Awesome Nail Polish Crafts | Crafts for teens

Make these adorable custom pencils for back to school, by Arts and Crackers. Click the image for the full tutorial.

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The Craft Train shares this rock painting genius – use nail polish to craft ladyrock bugs! She shares some tips for using the nail polish with kids too.

You’ll want to store these marbled makeup brushes by A Bubbly Life out in the open. (A clear makeup container does the trick.)

Add sparkle to your home with glittery snow flakes by Muslin and Merlot.


Want to learn how to make jewelry out of anything (including nail polish!?) Get the book!


What nail polish craft ideas can you add to the list? Comment below!

Want more? Check up my follow-up post – featuring NAIL POLISH HACKS – alternative ways to use your nail polish (other than crafting).

Looking for more uses for nail polish. Check out these 12 GENIUS NAIL POLISH HACKS! These life tips offer solutions to everyday problems!

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49 Comments

      1. I’ve taken earring holders shaped like animals or flowers ( the gold tone stands) and used nail polishes to paint them, and ring holders- lots if fun!!

  1. put a few drops of nail polish Into a cup of water, and stick in anything u want!it will create a snazzy water watercolor effect that will blow people away!

  2. I love these so much!! I think I’ll need to update a pair of sunglasses I don’t like. I was going to toss them out or give them away, but if I can salvage them that’s even better! Thanks for including my pencils!!

  3. Last year for Christmas I painted some small flat rocks with old nail polish as a gift for my sisters. Just add a name or phrase with sharpie, maybe a small sticker or two and spray it with a sealer. And presto! A fairly cheap little gift everyone seems to love.

  4. Use clear to seal a tiny decopage earring – drip onto a card [hold card vertical and drip polish, it will run down like in streams — faded draw pulls , shine like new with a coat of clear – miniature makers, use over signs to make them shine – use polish to stipple through a stencil which makes it shinny and bright – edge up a paper stencil to toughen up and give more use [after polish dries, trim up the edges]

  5. Wow is there nothing that cannot be re-cycled. Such fun., You can also use your nail varnishes to colour clear plastic projects. Gives the effect of Stained Glass.
    Love this

  6. Looking forward to trying this myself. I’m wondering if it chips easily just like on nails. I was thinking of designing accessories and I hope the nail polish will not peel off that easily. The accessories are going to be a giveaway. Probably using top coat will help resolve the issue?

  7. Hi I enjoyed reading your post and I have found some wonderful ideas for me to try thanks for posting it take care of yourself and I look forward to reading your new posts Debra Veda

  8. I use nail polish to paint pop bottles instead of sharpies, then I get a bigger selection of colors and a shiny finish.
    Works on pop cans to. I have great color for my butterflies, beautiful.

  9. You are so creative and I really appreciate you passing on your ideas. I’ve done a couple nail polish crafts, but you go beyond.Thanks so much.

    1. Hi! You only use it dry. If a little flakes gradually, I wouldn’t worry, Any painted hair accessory chips. It’s actually very hard-wearing. Your nail polish on your fingers is less so because of the constant abuse it gets.

  10. Wow this is a beautiful craft ideas. Please can this nail polish be used on glitter tumblers?

  11. i have used nail polish to decorate plain rocks. i used diffrent colors and they turned out great.

  12. Maybe you can add this idea:
    Marbling mugs by puting some drops of nailpolish in water. You can google for it and find many options.

  13. I use nail polish to refresh buttons on clothing and bonus! I don’t have to sew the back on! I just put a piece of cardboard behind the button.
    I have also “repainted” faux stones on jewellery to change it up a bit.

  14. I made square and triangle designs on my door sidelights then used nail polish to create a stained glass look.

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