The Super Easy Hack That'll Ensure You Can Always Open Your Nail Polish

Over 100 million people wear nail polish, according to Statista, and if you're reading this right now, then you're likely one of them, and that's just for the U.S. alone! Nail polish is an instant way to perk up any ensemble, but there's nothing more annoying than going to reach for your favorite shade only to find that the cap won't budge.

A sealed cap is obviously important for extending the shelf life of your nail polish, but trying to get it open can sometimes feel like an impossible task. If no amount of tugging and twisting seems to be getting the job done, rest assured that there are plenty of hacks out there that promise to get that stuck jar of nail polish open in no time. All you'll need is a few household items like scotch tape and rubber bands. Curious as to how exactly these tricks work? We'll show you how below.

It's time to show your nail polish who's boss! This first hack involves rubber bands, an item you likely already lying around your home or apartment. For this trick, you will only need one rubber hand, but it's fine to use more if you want (more on that later).

To get your nail polish open, Real Simple associate editor Stephanie Sisco recommends wrapping a "rubber band around the cap several times for a better grip." Once the rubber band is in place, simply twist and apply as much strength as you can. With a bit of persistence, the cap should come clean off. If you want to experiment with more bands, you can try using two for some extra grip.

When it's time to finally paint your nails, consider trying nail polish cocktailing, which is simply mixing and layering various colors for a unique look if you've never tried it before.

Next, say hello to scotch tape! This unsuspecting yet nifty item does wonders for opening stuck nail polish caps. Who would've guessed? Thankfully, this hack is easy to pull off — quite literally. Simply grab about 6 inches of length of tape and stick it around the polish lid, but be careful not to attach it to the bottom of the bottle; otherwise, your cap won't be moving at all. Now without cutting the tape, flip the tape so that the sticky side is on the outside facing you, and then continue winding the rest of the length of tape around the lid. Although it may take some effort, the cap should come off more easily compared to just using your hand alone.

Did you know that nail polish itself has a few tricks of its own? It can be used to remove scuff marks from bags and shoes. If that isn't motivation for getting your cap off your nail polish, we don't know what is!