I know, I know. There are more important topics to discuss in the world, but today we are going to talk about nail polish. I've been hearing my crunchy friends criticize the health risks of toxic nail polish, and frankly I've covered my ears and hummed a happy tune.
I've converted to homemade lotion; I do my best to be green; and I source local, organic, sustainable food. With all these health and eco-conscious things accounted for and more, I draw my line at my mani-pedi's! You see, here in Southern California, we spend quite a bit of time in flip-flops. Add that to a culture of Hollywood-inspired beauty and glamour, and it's no wonder there's a nail salon on nearly every street.
As a busy working mom, a trip to the salon means a precious, inexpensive retreat from the hustle and bustle of my hectic life. Someone else fusses over me for a change, pampering me with a routine of cleansing, kneading, and prettying. The nail salon is my sanctuary, and I don't really want to give that up.
Recently my almost three year old discovered the joy of painted fingers and toes. There is nothing sweeter than a mommy-daughter date to the salon, but with neon pink on my little one's nails, I finally started to worry about the health risks…
Is nail polish REALLY toxic?
Until recently, many polishes contained a set of ingredients called the “toxic trio” – toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and formaldehyde.
Toluene is a clear liquid that makes nail polish smooth and quick drying. It is toxic to the liver and kidneys.
DBP acts as a binder to make nail polish last longer. It can contribute to developmental and reproductive problems, and both toluene and DBP can cause dizziness, headaches and fatigue.
Formaldehyde hardens polish and keeps it from chipping, but it is also a carcinogen that can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose and throat.
The nail bed is surprisingly permeable, so if you're wearing nail polishes that contain these ingredients, they will be absorbed through the nail bed. Not good.
Here's the good news:
While the United States does not currently restrict chemicals used in beauty products, since the mid-2000's many brands have independently removed some or all of the toxic trio from their polish formulas. In fact, the two most commons brands I see at nail salons (this one and this one) do not contain toluene, DBP or formaldehyde.
Destined to be my new favorite, this brand of polish, is toxic trio-free, has fun colors, AND goes on beautifully with only one coat!
According to this extensive report from the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, when the offending compounds are removed from nail polish, the reports of health issues are ‘sparse'.
You can check your favorite polish brands by visiting the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep site.
Truly non-toxic nail polish
While many companies have eliminated the toxic trio, these nail polishes may still contain chemicals that can cause allergic and respiratory reactions in those who are super sensitive. Some of these ingredients include acetates, alcohols, fragrances, chemical dyes and more.
If you're worried about the risks of toxic nail polish, it is important to check the labels to ensure that the products you plan to use are safe.
Luckily, even if you're pregnant or otherwise wanting to avoid chemicals, it doesn't mean you need to miss out on pretty pink toes! Several brands of water-based polishes are available that are safe for chemically sensitive folks including this one for kids and this one that has a great selection of colors.
The catch? Water-based polish dries in the same amount of time as other mainstream nail polishes, but it can take 4 to 6 hours for the polish to reach maximum hardness and become scratch resistant. Also, because the water evaporates, the polish should be removed after a week. After that, it becomes difficult to remove. Sounds like a fair trade for truly non-toxic nail polish, no?
Do your nails need to breathe?
According to the experts, finger nails are made of keratin; they don't need to breathe like your skin does, though continuous polish can stain and otherwise discolor the nail.
Because the nail itself is permeable though, the issue is less about the nail breathing and more about what passes through the nail to the nail bed (the skin under the nail).
Personally, I mostly only paint my toes (and not my fingernails) and try to give them a break or two in the boot-covered months of winter.
Top tips for healthy painted nails:
- Apply and remove nail polish at home or choose a well-ventilated salon for the safety of yourself and the salon workers.
- This should go without saying, but choose a salon with good hygiene practices to avoid fungus and other infections.
- Know your polish: Choose a brand that's free of toulene, DBP and formaldehyde, and bring your own if necessary. Check your brand at the Skin Deep site.
- Nail polish remover (acetone) can be drying to the nail, so avoid frequent polish changes and use in a well-ventilated area.
- Dispose of old nail polish properly: Nail polish made before 2007 is much more likely to contain the toxic-trio, so these need to go. But DON'T pitch them in the trash… Instead dispose of nail polish the same way you'd dispose of any other oil based paint or solvent to avoid leaching toxicity into the soil and groundwater.
Are you worried about toxic nail polish? Have you found a water-based polish that you like?
I dig the Mint brand polish!!!!
What about this brand? Acquarellapolish.com EWG rates their products at 0-1. I love them!
So happy for this post! I’ve been enjoying manicures lately as a way to pamper myself inexpensively, but all those chemicals freak me out a bit. The new shellac craze adds even more necessity for chemicals since they are more difficult to remove. How do you feel about the lotions they use for hand // arm massages? I’ve been passing on those — it doesn’t seem worth it. Thanks for sharing these sites and polish recommendations!
I bring my daughter’s body cream that she makes. My nail tech sells them, too.
Very nice and informative article. Thanks for sharing.
Aquarella, no smell to it, which is nice. painting nails is like a once in blue moon thing for me, I like my natural nails, just buff them so they grow and are shiny. 🙂
I’ve switched to using Julep nail polish. They are “4-Free” (formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, and DBP). I can’t say enough good things about that company, they’re just amazing. 🙂
I love Scotch Naturals & Hopscotch for the tiny toes. When you use it properly (follow the directions with the base & top coats), it stays on long & looks great. http://scotchnaturals.com/
We like Piggy Paint!
We really love polish…but we found unless you remove it completely and leave it off for a while…you can get toe fungus under it.
I stopped painting my nails a couple years ago. Now I love the healthy “natural” glow that they have! They used to turn yellow with polish and always had to be painted. I did buy some kids-safe, all natural stuff last summer for a wedding, but it was impossible to get off, so I’m back to au natural…. So I hope my baby girl will follow suit …. but thanks for an informative read 🙂
Gah, don’t show me these! I stopped using nail polish when my son was born because of the toxins in it. I use to compulsively buy them (though still rarely wore them) all the time. If I see these in a store near me I may be forced to buy some!
I love my Scotch Naturals!!
Piggy Paint and SunCoat are both great options, too! 🙂
I was going to say, we use SunCoat too! Created by a chemist/mom in Canada who knew what was in the toxic stuff, and decided she wanted to create a better option for her daughter.
Great read. I do worry about this. I, much like you describe, love to have my toes done FOR me during the summer. And now that my daughter is 10 – she loves to join me! I am thrilled – and admittedly surprised that Opi brand is toxin free. That is the brand in most of the nail salons. So good news there!
Going to schedule a pedi today!
Thank you for addressing this issue! It couldn’t have come at a better time. :^)
This is a great post, thank you! I have avoided nail polish mostly (maybe once a summer on my toenails) because I just don’t have time to do the research. I’m ordering some of that Mint right now for my toes and for the kids (my 7-year-old son loves it too).
This was really good to read! I’ve recently found a local company (Butter London) that is safe like the ones you mentioned.
I use HoneyBee Gardens brand too and the one next to it at Whole Foods (I forget the name). When I get the occasional pedicure, the salon I go to has SpaRitual brand without formaldehyde and I ask them to use that or I bring my own from home. My favorite is clear or light pink like the one used for french manicure. I am a baker and cook and always have my hands in the sink and so I keep my nails short and manicured with clear or nothing at all. I think I just use polish when I go to a wedding or party. 🙂 .
Any one heard about Zoya? I wanted to try it
Yes and I love Zoya nail polish! I’ve been a fan for a couple of years now. They always have a special or such on their FB page too!
I love Vapour Organic. They came out with new colors too. There’s a nice coral and a pink color. Can’t wait to try them out!
I adore Zoya polishes!!! They have hundreds of colors, many of them insanely gorgeous, AND they’re top-5 free!! Their remover is also fantastic, and smells SOOO much better than any others I’ve used!
I just found Zoya polish and am so hooked! The colors are amazing and they wear wonderfully.Me and my Pixie Dust colors are having a nail love affair!
So all of Essie and OPI polishes are free of the toxic trio? I wonder if using a base coat from one of them under regular nail polish will prevent the top coats to be absorbed? I really don’t want to spend 8+ dollars for one bottle of polish but I will if I have to.
Update: just check one brand I own a ton of Sinful Colors. They are 3 free and made in the USA.
I love Zoya too! I also use a lot of Essie or Butter, they’re both 3 free. Here’s a great list of polish companies that have taken out the toxins. Be advised that some of these companies do practice animal testing still, so research before you buy 🙂
http://www.goddesshuntress.com/2012/03/30/the-list-3-free-and-5-free-nail-polishes/
Squid,
I love your site and I love the Mint Polish suggestion! For the kiddos there is also Piggy Paint! 🙂
Thanks for this! I love having coloured toenails, and my daughter has picked up on the habit. I really wanted a less toxic version so that we can still have our girly toe painting sessions, but some brands are painfully expensive. Mint polish looks great 🙂
It’s very easy to find out any matter on net as compared to books, ass
I found this post at this site.
I’m a big fan of Zoya! They are big 5 free, have TONS of amazing colors to choose from, and the polish stays nice for a very long time.
Hi Emily, thanks for a very informative article. I try to eat healthy and minimize my environmental impact as well, but only recently have I started thinking about the nail polish I wear and if it is toxic or not! I’m thinking I need to make a change! I’ve heard that Honeybee Gardens is a good brand, has anyone tried it?
I love my mani/pedi but skip the polish and just get my toenails and fingernails buffed to a beautiful shine.
How do you feel about Jamberry nail wraps? I have used them and think they are awesome. Non-toxic and made in the USA 🙂
Hi Mel – Thanks for your comment. I haven’t tried them myself, but that sounds like another great option. 🙂
Please be careful with the Jamberry nail wraps. The company markets them as “non-toxic,” but when I asked the company if the vinyl contains phthalates, they said that that information is “proprietary,” and that since the vinyl does not come in contact with your nail, it doesn’t matter. But vinyl off gasses continually, so skin contact is irrelevant, imo.
I wore them daily for a few months last year, I actually was selling them successfully, and had some bad health problems that went away once I learned they may contain phthalates and finally stopped wearing them. Can I prove the wraps caused my problems? No. But I can no longer sell them now in good conscience, I only want to work with companies that are transparent about their ingredients. It is a very easy company to earn money with, too. But I now believe there is no such thing as “non-toxic” vinyl.
Want pretty nails? Buff them. Or get a safer brand of nail polish, and use citrus essential oils instead of harmful nail polish removers. The possible health risks with wearing vinyl are not worth the risk.
I have been so impressed by my Jamberry nail wraps. They’re completely nontoxic and last up to 2 weeks on fingers and 6 weeks on toes. I’m kind of obsessed. Check out the website and email me if you have questions! 🙂
I can’t stand the smell of nail polish or how it lingers, let alone all the ugly chemicals in it. I was given a sample of a Jamberry nail wrap and loved it. You should try it out. I will change your nails life!
Love Zoya nail polish. Not alot of chemicals and the colors are amazing.
I have a friend who sells Jamberry nail wraps and even though my first application didn’t last as long as it could’ve (I didn’t watch the tips and tricks video until AFTER I had applied them lol), I thought they were awesome! I’m super rough on my hands so any time I’ve EVER painted my nails, they always end up chipped or scratched or both by the end of the first day so I don’t find polish to be worth it at all, especially since I like to paint patterns. Why waste all that time putting it on for just a few hours of wear? Jamberry is SO much better for me because it actually stays on and is easy to apply and comes with the patterns already on them! I love it! 😀
I’ve ditched nail polish for good, cos I ALWAYS pick it off and thus damage the nail underneath. My fingernails are OK, cos they haven’t been painted for at least a year (Apart from the fact that my middle finger was trapped in a door!) but my big toe nail (left foot) is having to re-grow a healthy nail, and it’s nearly there, yay, but looks kinda ugly. Oh well, punishment fits the crime. 😉
I’m going to put another shout out for Jamberry. In addition to the nail wraps, which are so awesome and so pretty (with little girl sizes, too!), they have 6-free lacquers and a gel system. I’ve tried them all and been super pleased. Yes, I sell them, but if I didn’t love the product I would never promote it.
Does anyone know of a gel polish with base and top coat that are non toxic?
I received 6 côte brand polishes and base/top coat today and can’t wait to try them. https://coteshop.co/ They aren’t rated yet on EWG but are 5 free. They have a decent amount of colors. Will be interesting to see how long they last. I just don’t like that their nail polishes are final sale. If you don’t like it you are stuck with it and that’s harsh at $18 a bottle and they are TINY bottles. I’m also trying Zoya Nail Polish and Treatments (they have a great return policy) but my order hasn’t come in yet. Their colors are VERY extensive.