If your nail polish look like this... it's time for new nail polish! It has lived it's life! You may be able to get it to remix but, it most likely won't dry right or give you a nice shine. They say the shelf life for nail polish is 2 years but I think it can be longer if stored properly. Polish Storage Tips Avoid Heat Heat and sun exposure can cause changes in the color and consistency of your polish. Store it in a cool, dry, dark place, not the medicine cabinet in your bathroom! Keep it Closed Tight Keep the nail polish bottle's lid tightly closed to keep the solvents in the polish from evaporating . Solvents keep the polish the proper consistency. Clean old hard polish from the neck of the polish bottle to ensure a tight seal. Keep it Extra Cool Some people think refrigerating their polish makes it last longer. I think just a cool, dry place is fine! Store Upright Store nail polish in an upright position. This will prevent a messy leak if the lid wasn't on ti