Everything you need about Natural Nail Polish

 

When it comes to nail polish, natural technology is a work in progress; but we’re still trying to offer the ‘cleanest’ nail polish formulas possible. We’ve discussed the natural nail polish industry before, and been transparent about what the term ‘natural’ means or can mean when applied to nail polish.

What’s Lurking in Your Nail Polish?

As much as we love a freshly painted pair of fingers and toes, we need to point out what kinds of toxins we’re putting on our nails. These harmful ingredients can infiltrate our skin, enter our mouths when we use our fingers to eat, and ultimately enter our bloodstream!

The top 6 most toxic nail polish ingredients include dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, parabens, and camphor.

Dibutyl phthalate, or DBP, causes mild skin and eye irritation after exposure and potentially impacts developmental growth and the reproductive system. But consider this: how often we paint our nails or have them painted, and how long the polish is on our fingers and toes. It’s easy to see how ‘mild irritation’ can become an issue over time.

Formaldehyde will be the most familiar ingredient to some of you, as a key component in embalming fluid, the harsh preservative used on corpses. When exposed to this chemical, many of us experience watery, burning, and/or itchy eyes and discomfort in the throat, leading to coughing and wheezing. Long-term or repetitive exposure can lead to asthma and damage to the inner nose and throat, lining.

Toluene is a chemical solvent found in tar and has a strong odor, similar to paint thinners. In moderate to large doses, the negative side effects impact the nervous system, immune system, lungs, and organs.

Xylene has not been verified as a carcinogen yet but has an immediate impact on the body. Side effects include headaches, dizziness, nausea, and more.

Parabens are the umbrella term for several types of preservatives used in hair and cosmetic products. The most dangerous side effect of parabens is their ability to mimic the hormone estrogen in the body. But while additional estrogen doesn’t initially sound serious, it can disrupt normal bodily functions, create harmful imbalances, and ultimately lead to tumors and cancerous cells.

Camphor is one of the ingredients responsible for nail polish’s sharp, bitter odor, but it can also cause nails to become chronically dry, brittle, and discolored. Ultimately, none of these ingredients are safe for pregnant or nursing mothers, and the rest of us should avoid them if possible.

Decoding Natural Nail Polish

Natural nail polish is typically water-based nail polish made with natural ingredients. Unlike conventional nail polish, it’s free of the most common chemical culprits. Natural polish has become popular in the last few years because of health concerns associated with regular nail polish. Studies confirm that the chemicals in traditional polish can cause cancer and reproductive issues. Additionally, they are harmful to the environment.

The ingredients in natural nail polish have not been changed from their essential forms, and nothing has been added to them. The strong smell of nail polish is distinct and dangerous. The natural polish also lacks the strong odors of traditional nail polish that are distinct and dangerous. These odors are not present in natural formulas because the chemicals are what cause the smell.

We have a fairly comprehensive notion of the ingredients in nail polish that are toxic. However, the list of toxic ingredients is almost like a sliding scale. Generally, it’s believed that there are ultimately the six harmful ingredients described earlier. But there are as many as 20 ingredients some companies will leave out, deeming them too ‘toxic’ for their formulas.

These brands will typically state themselves as anywhere from “3-free” to “7-free” to even “20-free”, and the lists may vary depending on the brand. We proudly offer 20-Free nail polish, and we’ve set the bar high by offering cruelty-free and vegan polishes as the perfect mani or pedi glaze.

Natural vs. Non-Toxic Nail Polish: What’s the Difference?

Fortunately, we now have a greater understanding of the common toxic ingredients used in nail polish. This has laid the groundwork for brands to purposefully omit them during production, resulting in the “-free” standard.

When we discuss what defines clean, natural nail polish, one of the best metrics we can use is how “free” they are. This indicates a specific number of potentially harmful chemicals not included in the nail color formula.

Here’s a rough roadmap, using some of the more common Polish ingredients as examples:

5-free
Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor

7-free
Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, and xylene

9-free
Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens, and acetone

10-free
Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens, acetone, TPHP, TBHP, gluten

15-free
Formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, TPHP, parabens, bismuth, MIT, MEHQ, gluten, fragrance, animal derivatives

20-free
Formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, formaldehyde resin, xylene, parabens, fragrance, phthalates, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), ethyl tosylamide, triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), animal ingredients, methylisothiazolinone (MIT), hydroquinone monomethyl ether (MEHQ), gluten, palm oil, sulfates, bisphenol-A, acetone, nonylphenol ethoxylate

As mentioned, we’ve got a color guide to 20 free nail polishes in the shimmery, red, pink, or nude categories. No other nail polish, not even the cleanest formula, can adhere to 100% PURE’s strict purity standards. This led to the creation of our nail polish sub-brand “Zer0”, which includes 0/20 of the most common nail polish toxins.

Our natural nail color brand, Zer0, is trailblazing 20-free. We’ve taken particular notice of parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, and toluene, which are known to cause skin irritation and potentially organ toxicity. As with every one of our products, we are committed to keeping Zer0’s nail polish formula cruelty-free.

Treating yourself to a professional paint job, or even whipping out your nail polish stash and getting to work on your own is truly a luxurious, self-loving experience. A neat set of groomed, even nails is made that much better by a great pop of color for a date night or just a night to yourself!