Toxic Beauty - Nail Polish

There’s a reason that your nostrils twitch and wrinkle and shrivel up when you walk within 15 feet of a nail salon. You know that chemical-y smell? It’s a cocktail of toxic chemicals.

You wouldn’t think that such scary nail polish could be sold on shelves all over the country – and not just sold – but flying off the shelves! We do have strict laws in Australia. But they’re labelling laws. Companies do not actually have to alert consumers to the possible risks around the ingredients and chemicals used in such products – they’re only obliged to label them. On top of that, chemicals that have been banned from nail polishes in Europe are still considered safe in Australia. Do you really want to take the risk?

So while we patiently wait for the science to travel ever-so-slowly from Europe (by boat, it seems, or possibly a message in a bottle), we’re going to help you learn more about the dangers of toxic nail polish. We’ll outline what look for, and where to find less toxic nail polish or pregnancy safe nail polish.

The most toxic ingredients to watch out for are these three:

• Dibutyl phthalate
• Formaldehyde
• Toluene

Two more chemicals that are at the very least a skin irritant, with potential toxicity are:

• Formaldehyde resin
• Camphor

And because we’re not even sure how to pronounce some of these properly, let alone remember them, there’s a fantastic term that has emerged for summarizing safe nail polishes into what’s known as either three-free nail polishes or five-free nail polishes. Which, sadly, is not a giveaway, but is a nail polish that is free of either the top three chemicals, or the top five chemicals mentioned above. Butter London was one of the first companies to use the term.

What's the risk with nail polish?

When the list of risks of these known carcinogens and toxins include cancer risks, developmental issues in babies and children, birth defects, asthma, hormone disruptors, nervous system damage and skin irritation, you can see why there is cause for concern. In fact, there’s enough cause for concern for the European Union, the United States and Canada to impose precautionary bans on such products in children’s toys, whilst further studies are undertaken to reach a more conclusive result. How many of us have played dress ups with the kids, painting a little nail polish deemed acceptable for adults but not for children who are still developing?

See, there’s what the ACCC has classified as a ‘safe’ or prescribed amount of these chemicals in products that pass the test for acceptable levels, taking into consideration its absorption and excretion rate, breaking down and being metabolized by the human body. But formaldehyde, for example, is also found in ‘safe’ levels in some textiles and clothing, household cleaning products, shampoos, conditioners, toothpastes, cleansers, hair straightening solutions, timber materials, wall papers and plastics. How many of those do you come into contact with on a daily basis? Perhaps enough to perhaps surpass the ‘acceptable’ exposure limits? Thought so. Changes your perspective, doesn’t it?

The ACCC has also ruled that nail hardeners may have a much higher ‘safe’ limit for free formaldehyde, for example, compared to many other cosmetics. Nails are quite porous, so it’s not just the nervous nail-biters that are at risk here. There is blood flow directly under the nail beds where toxins can travel through to the bloodstream. Yet somehow, where 0.2 percent of formaldehyde is permitted in your facial cleansers, up to 5% is permitted in your nails, where there’s a pathway to the bloodstream. So how much do you really trust the current research?

What's the alternative to toxic nail polish?

But this doesn’t mean that you have to give up your glamorous ways. Not even in the slightest. Because when enough people raise concern, something magical happens. New products emerge. The consumers speak and the manufacturers listen. So three free nail polishes and five free nail polishes entered the market. Remember that these terms don’t necessarily mean that they’re non-toxic. Nail polish should definitely be an occasional use product, but there are better choices out there.

5 Free Nail Polish Brands

Zoya polish is 5 free and doesn't contain the top five nasties. It's a vegan nail polish, too. It's hard to get hold of in Australia, but Zoya nail polish UK & US is easy enough to get hold of through Amazon.

8 Free Nail Polish Brands

German brand Benecos nail polish is 8 free and is 90% natural, too. This nontoxic nail polish easy to get hold of in Australia, as well as in the UK.

Butter London nail polish is free of the top five nasties, and also free of ethyl tosylamide, xylene, and TPHP. You can get Butter nail polish just about everywhere, including Australia, the UK and the US. I've used and like their long lasting nail polish 10X laquers.

9 Free Nail Polish Brands

Côte nail polish is free of the top five nasties, plus there's no triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), xylene, ethyl tosylamide/epoxy resin, or parabens. It's also gluten free. This is another non toxic nail polish that's hard to find in Australia and the UK, but readily available in the US through Amazon.

10 Free Nail Polish Brands

Ere Perez is 10 free, vegan and is made with 85% plant based, natural ingredients. You'll be hard pushed to find this anywhere but Australia, though.

Hanami nail polish is another Australian brand. It's 10 free, cruelty free and vegan, too.

And Kester Black is another great Australian brand that's 10 free.

Outside of Australia, Cult brand JINsoon is 10 free, vegan and long lasting.

12 Free Nail Polish Brands

Another good brand that’s not available in Australia, but is widely available in the UK is Nailberry. They have a 12 free formula, that’s vegan, halal and gluten free, too.

Orly is another 12 free nail polish brand, and you can find that easily in the US.

Water Based Nail Polish

One of the safest options for nail polish is a water based one. Some of these are peelable, others are not.

No Nasties Kids makes a water based, peelable nail polish. They’re only available in a couple of colours at the moment, and only in Australia, but the ingredients are so much better than mainstream nail polishes. I’d be happy to use these on kids.

SOPHi is a US brand of water based nail polish.

And there’s also Aquarella, which is easily available in the US and the UK, but a little harder to come by in Australia.

Oh, and another thing - avoid nail salons. Very, very few of them use low toxin nail polish, and the air in those places is enough to make you sick. Save the manicures for home!