Nail products can contain potentially harmful ingredients, so it is important to use them safely by following labeled directions and paying attention to any warning statements. Here are some details about nail product ingredients and materials:
Chemicals in Nail Products
- Nail products can contain chemicals that can affect worker health, such as toluene, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, and methyl ethyl ketone.
- California has banned 26 potentially toxic chemicals found in many cosmetic products, including some nail products.
- Some nail products contain resins that form a strong coating on the nails, rather than hardening the nails themselves. For example, toluene sulfonamide/formaldehyde resin (TSFR) is used in some nail polishes to make the coating tough and resilient.
Safety Measures
- Employers are required to provide information and training to all workers who use the product about the chemicals potential hazards and how to use the product safely.
- Employers should read each Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and make sure they understand them. They must also make the SDSs available to their workers, such as nail technicians, in a place near the product so workers can conveniently access the information.
- Consumers can use the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database to learn which products contain potentially harmful ingredients and how they could affect their health.
Positive Aspects
- Some nail products claim to be free of certain harmful chemicals, such as the "toxic trio" of toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate.
- There are safer alternatives to some nail products, such as water-based nail polishes.
Negative Aspects
- Many nail products contain potentially harmful ingredients, but are allowed on the market because they are safe when used as directed.
- In a study run by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, a limited number of nail salon products claiming to be free of one or more of the toxic trio tested positive for the chemicals of which they claimed to be free.
In summary, nail products can contain potentially harmful ingredients, and it is important to use them safely by following labeled directions and paying attention to any warning statements. Employers are required to provide information and training to all workers who use the product about the chemicals potential hazards and how to use the product safely. Consumers can use the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database to learn which products contain potentially harmful ingredients and how they could affect their health. However, there are safer alternatives to some nail products, such as water-based nail polishes.
