Is Drug Detecting Nail Polish Actually a Thing?

In recent years, drink spiking has been on the increase in the UK. It carries a hefty 10-year maximum prison sentence. So why doesn't that deter the perpetrators? How can you detect if someone has spiked your drink? You might have heard of drug detecting nail polish but is it actually a thing?

The Birth of Drug Detecting Nail Polish-Or Not?

Back in 2014, four male college students from North Carolina State University decided to create a nail polish that detected drugs. Each said they knew someone who’d had their drink spiked and was a victim of sexual assault.

If someone wearing the nail polish wanted to know whether their drink was spiked, they had to stir their drink with a finger. It the drink contained a date rape drug, the polish would change colour.

We aren’t sure what happened to their idea. But in 2018, a nail tech company called Undercover Colors took on the challenge. It said it was developing a drug-detecting nail polish that could detect drugs like rohypnol and ketamine. Just like the students’ formula, the nail polish would change colour on contact with any date rape drug.

The company received millions of dollars of investment. However, ultimately the product became too hard to create in a way that was viable to take to market.

Is There An Alternative To Drug Detecting Nail Polish?

Not to be deterred, Undercover Colors released a drug detecting device that can detect drugs like diazepam and rohypnol. The company says it works like a pregnancy test and it’s only the size of a coin.

That means you can attach it to your keyring and take it out in your purse when you hit the bars and clubs. All you need to do to check your drink is safe is place a drop of your drink on the sample section. You can get a drop on your finger. Wait for between 30 seconds and a few minutes and you should see either one or two lines.

One line means your drink is spiked, so steer well clear. Report it to security, management, or bar staff in the venue you’re in. Two lines means your drink is safe to consume.

Undercover Colors took 4 years to develop the new device. The company claims it’s one of the most effective ways to detect drink spiking. It can detect common date rape drugs in more than 10o liquids including juice, mixed drinks, beer, wine, and spirits.

So there you have it, there’s not a drug-detecting nail polish on the market just yet. Will there ever be one? Who knows. For now, we’ll have to just stick to polishes that have one job; to make our nails look amazing.

For more articles on nail care and the genius products to seriously pimp your mani, check out the rest of our blog.