Clarity:
If you want your final project to be clear, you want to make sure to start with a clear resin. Also realize that clear doesn’t necessarily mean ‘color free’. Some clear resins will cure with a yellow tint, depending on the brand. If you’re unsure about how clear the resin is when cast, check with the retailer or manufacturer before making a purchase. Know that the clearer and more color free the resin, the more it will cost.
I hate having to do all that extra stuff to epoxy to get it glossy!” Sit down, I have a few downsides to share with you. First polyester and some polyurethanes may require that you wear a respirator mask with them. In my opinion, polyester resin will literally take your breath away the smell is so bad. I would NEVER cast this resin in my house or a space that I needed to occupy in the next 12 hours. When I do resin polyester in my studio, I save it for the last thing in the day. I cast, then leave for the day or I will even cast it outside, weather permitting.