I have an old necklace that I love, but the finish on the chain has started to tarnish and wear. I saw a Pinterest tip recently that said you could paint chain with nailpolish, and I figured it would be the perfect way to give my necklace new life!
I tested a variety of colors on different kinds of chain, and here are some of my very scientific findings:
-Colors show up best on silver chain.
-Dark or bright colors work best, but it’s most important that the color is pretty opaque.
-Glittery nail polish turns into a train wreck!
-Shimmery nail polish is pretty on chain, as long as the base isn’t too translucent. Then you just can’t see it.
-Unfortunately, the more expensive polishes yields the best results (essie, OPI, etc.).
-Don’t use more than 2 coats of polish or the chain will start to gunk up and stick (Gunk up? Really? It may or may not be a word, but I think you get the idea!).
All you do is:
1. Remove any charms and take off the clasp (unless you’re going to try to paint those, too).
2. Paint 1 thin layer of nailpolish on chain. Make sure there isn’t too much excess polish on the brush, or it will cover the holes in the chain and the chain won’t fall naturally when you’re done. Let it dry.
3. Paint second thin layer of polish on chain. Let it dry.
4. Reassemble necklace and enjoy!
I also made a new necklace by painting small sections of chain that I had leftover from a previous jewelry project. I mixed painted and regular chain to make a long necklace that I can layer with other pieces.
