There are three major ingredients in most of the nail polish brands:

1. organic solvents
2. thickeners or hardening agents
3. color pigments or other agents for special effects

The most common organic solvents are ethyl acetate and butyl acetate. Chemically these are esters (esters are made by reacting a carboxylic acid with an alcohol and the general formula is R-COO-R' ). These solvents also dry fast so the application of the nail polish is easy. Both solvents are also used as nail polish removers.

The thickeners and hardening agents are nitrocellulose and different acrylate and polyester/polyurethane copolymers. So they are basically plastics that are dissolved in ethyl acetate. When the ethyl acetate (solvent) dissolves (evaporates) then the plastic stays on the surface of the nail as a thin coating.

For color, different materials and dyes (D&C red #7 or # 34 for example; the "D&C" means certified by the Food and Drug Administration) are used. Mica and aluminum powder are used to make the nail polish glittery or pearl-like.