Manicure and pedicure products are designed to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize hands and feet. They may contain a large variety of ingredients, and many products have multiple functions and may fall into more than one category. Here are some details about the ingredients and materials used in these products:
Positive:
- Soaks: These are designed to cleanse and soften skin and nails in preparation for the rest of the manicure or pedicure service. Some products contain minerals, honey, and a variety of herbal extracts and oils to condition the skin.
- Scrubs: These achieve the same exfoliation goal with mechanical abrasives such as sugar crystals, salt, pumice, polymer beads, or finely ground nutshells. Sugar and salt crystals are broken down by water and some alcohols, so these products are often oil-based, with added surfactants to enable the oil to wash off on contact with water.
- Pedicure exfoliants: These tend to be a bit stronger as feet tend to have thicker, tougher calluses. Some pedicure exfoliants use a high pH (alkaline) rather than low pH (acidic) to achieve exfoliation; either will work to soften calluses.
Negative:
- Some nail products contain potentially harmful ingredients, but are allowed on the market because they are safe when used as directed. For example, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) has been used most commonly in nail polishes and some other products, such as nail hardeners, while dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and diethyl phthalate (DEP) are used occasionally. In FDA’s latest survey of phthalates in cosmetics, conducted in 2010, however, DBP was found in only a few nail polishes, while DEP and DMP were not found in any of the nail.
- Toluene sulfonamide/formaldehyde resin (TSFR) is used in some nail polishes to make the coating tough and resilient. TSFR also helps the polish adhere to the nail, adds gloss, and helps the product flow well when applied. There is evidence that some people may become allergic to TSFR.
- Another common ingredient in many formulas on the shelves of nail salons and stores today, including many “X-Free” options, is benzophenone-1. This ingredient is a UV absorber that helps prevent nail polish from changing color or fading when exposed to sunlight.
Ingredients or materials:
- Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil: Some specialized manicure lotions contain skin lightening or sun protection (SPF) ingredients.
- Surfactant (= soap): This is usually present in soaks to clean the skin.
- Resin: This is the tough material that holds polish together. Nail polish traditionally requires two types of resin: film-forming and adhesive. The film-forming resin gives the dried polish a shiny texture, while the adhesive polymer adds flexibility, so the lacquer is less brittle.
- Solvent: This makes the polish easy to apply and dry relatively quickly. It helps the lacquer spread easily over the nail, and as the polish dries, it evaporates to leave behind dry lacquer.
- Coloring agents: These are used to give the polish its color[[6]](h...
