How Toxic is Your Nail Polish?

Sometimes all it takes to add instant glam to your look, brighten your mood, and keep you on top of the latest fashion trends is swiping a few coats of polish on your fingers and toes. Unfortunately, the ingredients that make conventional nail polish so vibrant, shiny, and long lasting are not nearly as attractive.

In fact, those petite bottles of nail polish contain three ingredients that can be detrimental to your health and the environment. Toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), known as the “toxic trio,” are among the many chemicals that can be absorbed into the body through the nail bed. Each of these ingredients can have harmful effects on our body including, eye, throat, nose, and skin irritation. Research show that exposure to these toxins can be linked to reproductive and thyroid issues. If you’re interested in learning more about these chemicals, The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a great source with an article about the highly toxic ingredients in nail polish.

So what can we do if we still want pretty nails, but don’t want to run the risk of harming our health? The good news is that there are companies that offer nail polishes that are not formulated with harmful chemicals.

Here’s a list of safe, eco-friendly brands that offer all of the appeal of conventional nail polish without the chemicals:

1. Honeybee Gardens
2. Acquarella
3. PRITI NYC
4. Sumbody
5. Mineral Fusion

Just remember that your nails are part of your skin, so before painting them, check the label to make sure you’re not applying a polish that contains toxic ingredients.

Are you willing to try an eco-friendly brand of nail polish?