To find nail polish near you, you can search for beauty stores or salons in your area. To determine which nail polish products to buy, you may want to consider the ingredients and safety of the product. Here are some details on nail polish ingredients and their potential effects:
Ingredients to avoid:
- Formaldehyde: a known carcinogen
- Toluene: linked to issues affecting the nervous system, birth defects, and developmental problems in children
- Dibutyl phthalate (DBP): linked to reproductive issues
- Formaldehyde resin: a derivative of formaldehyde that can be a skin allergen
- Camphor: can cause seizures and disorientation
- Colophonium: a strong allergen compound that can cause dermatitis and breathing issues
- Organic halides (AOX): can cause nerve damage
- Silicone: can speed up the drying process but may cause many issues
Ingredients to look for:
- Nitrocellulose: a film-forming resin that gives the dried polish a shiny texture
- Polymer, copolymer, or resin: adhesive polymers that add flexibility to the lacquer
- Benzophenone: prevents polish from changing color or fading when exposed to sunlight
- Trimethyl pentanyl diisobutyrate, triphenyl phosphate, camphor, and ethyl tosylamide: plasticizers that keep the resin flexible once its dry
Some non-toxic nail polish brands to consider:
- Essie: considered "3-free" (free of toluene, formaldehyde, and DPB)
- Zoya: 10-free (free of 10 of the most harmful leading polish ingredients)
- 100% Pure Safer Nail Polishes: 10-free of the top 10 most common toxic polish ingredients, including formaldehyde
- Karma Kids Nail Polish: free of many harsh chemicals
- Snails Non-Toxic Nail Polish: completely non-toxic
Its important to note that there is no strong research data regarding whether the chemicals excluded from non-toxic polishes have harmful health effects at the concentrations present in traditional nail polish. However, choosing non-toxic nail polish brands may be a good alternative to conventional polish for those wishing to avoid certain chemicals.
