Maybe you’ve gotten into clean beauty and started wondering if nail polish is toxic? While no nail polish is totally clean, there are some brands out there that are less toxic than traditional nail polishes. In this post, we’ll highlight and compare some of the least toxic nail polishes.
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Maybe you love nail polish and aren’t quite ready to call a quits? I have been there too, and I completely get it. It’s fun to have painted nails from time to time! While I have never been one to frequent the salon, I like my toenails painted in the summer, and my daughter likes to paint her nails on occasion.
When my daughter was little, we used Piggy Paint, which I highly recommend for little ones, but my girl has outgrown it by a few years now. Doing your nails at home with clean beauty nail polish is much healthier (and safer) than getting them done in the salon.
You can avoid quite a few sketchy ingredients, and the best part, IMHO, is avoiding the strong fumes of the salon.
Do Nail Polish Ingredients Really Matter?
You may be wondering if what you put on your nails actually matters? I mean, doesn’t it just stay on the nail? Actually, studies show that ingredients from nail polish do seep into the skin through the nail bed.
There’s also the inhalation factor—think nail polish fumes, which are especially strong when you visit a salon. Lastly, there’s the environment to think about? Are nail polish ingredients toxic to workers, and will they end up in our air and water? Yep!
- DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate)
DBP minimizes chipping in nail polishes. It is a member of the phthalate family and is classified as an endocrine disruptor. DBP causes birth defects in animals and makes California’s Prop 65 list as a chemical that is harmful to fetal development.
- Toluene
Toluene is a nail polish ingredient that creates a smooth application and finish. Studies show that exposure to the fumes can cause neurological damage, decreased brain function, impaired breathing and more. Exposure in pregnant women, may lead to impaired fetal development—this is also supported in animal studies.
The European Union (EU) restricts the use of toluene in personal care products and advises that pregnant women and children not be exposed to its fumes. It makes California’s Prop 65 list as a chemical that is harmful to fetal development.
- Formaldehyde or Formaldehyde Derivatives Formaldehyde gets a lot of attention as a nail polish ingredient, but thankfully it’s not directly in the nail polish formulas. You may find the ingredient tosylamide/formaldehyde resin nail hardener products. While it is a skin irritant and potential allergen, it is not as scary as it sounds. The EWG gives it a rating of 3.
- Triphenyl Phosphate Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) TPHP is a as a flame retardant and plasticizer in nail polish making it less brittle. A Duke study found that within 10 to 14 hours of applying nail polish, the level of TPHP found in the urine of participants increased by almost 7 times what it was before the polish application.
A number of studies in animals and humans find that TPHP exposure causes endocrine disruption. Recent scientific research also suggests that TPHP may contribute to weight gain and obesity.
8. Parabens are artificial preservatives in cosmetics including nail polish to inhibit mold and extend the shelf life of the product. Parabens are endocrine disturbers linked to decreased fertility, impaired fetal development as well as breast cancer in women.
Does Clean Beauty Nail Polish Last as Long as Traditional Nail Polish?
No, it doesn’t, but you are comparing apples to oranges here. Some of the ingredients required to make a nail polish invincible are the most toxic. We see this consistently with many products. If a product does something especially awesome (no wrinkles, no fading, long lasting) 99% of the time there is an undesirable ingredient responsible for the effect.
If you are a diehard manicure fan, the switch to non-toxic nail polish will come with growing pains. My experience with clean beauty nail polish manicures is hoping it holds up for a few days rather than a few weeks. I have had a pedicure last up to two weeks.
Non-toxic nail polish can be a great option for those who enjoy an occasional manicure, those who has time to redo their nails weekly or kids who don’t mind when it starts to chip.
Maybe one day non-toxic nail technology will improve beyond this, but that’s where we are today. I don’t mean to be a Debbie downer, but I want to set realistic expectations for the cleaner nail polishes I’m about to introduce.
What are the Least Toxic Nail Polishes?
Ella + Mila
This beautiful color is Beach Resort Blue.
There must be a competition among brands to be free of the most ingredients ;). I don’t know that there are truly 17 things to worry about in nail polish, but none the less Ella + Mila is “17-Free.” I think it was “7 free” a few years ago when I began purchasing the nail polish
Their nail polishes do not contain acetone, animal-derived ingredients, bisphenol-A, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, nonylphenol ethoxylate, parabens, phthalates (including DBP), styrene, sulfate and toluene to name a few. I don’t want to bore you with the full list, but you can click on the image to see full details! Ella + Mila is vegan and cruelty-free and made in the U.S.
My daughter and I use this nail polish personally and really like it. As mentioned above clean beauty nail polish is not as long lasting as traditional, but this brand works well enough for me to buy it. I mostly paint my toes and get about two weeks of it looking pretty good.
I don’t paint my fingernails much, because literally my two activities as a blogging mom are typing and washing dishes, so it’s just not worth the work for me. The last time I painted them, it lasted maybe three good days. I suspect it may last a full week for someone with different daily habits.
Ella + Mila offers a Me Collection for kids (smaller size) as well as Mom and Me sets that make for a fun mother-daughter activity.
Karma Naturals
This shimmery neutral color is Beach Bronze.
Karma Naturals is vegan and cruelty free. Their blend of plant-derived ingredients is “7 free.” You won’t find toluene, formaldehyde, DBP, camphor, xylene or formaldehyde resin in their formulas. Admittedly, I have only tried the clear coat of this brand, but I hope to try a color soon and compare it to Ella + Mila soon.
The Beach Bronze color is currently in my cart, so I may take the plunge soon. The customer reviews and the price point seem to be similar to Ella + Mila.
Karma Naturals offers a fantastic nail polish remover that I love. It doesn’t have a strong smell, and it works great if you know this trick! It seems to take a few seconds to start working, so apply the remover to each nail then go back and start scrubbing. Letting it sit on the nail for just a bit, makes all the difference.
The brand offers a really cute children’s nail polish set if you happen to be shopping for a little one. These make great gifts or stocking stuffers.
Mineral Fusion
This zen color is Seas the Day.
Mineral Fusion and I go back a few years now. I’m a huge fan of their makeup, mostly because it’s so affordable in the scope of clean beauty brands, I have tried a couple of their nail polishes too and been pleased with them.
I can’t say if the Mineral Fusion nail polishes last longer than Ella + Mila, since I paint my nails so infrequently, but I would say they are comparable. Their nail polish formula is vegan free of toluene, camphor, DBP and formaldehyde. It is cruelty-free and certified carbon-free.
Mineral Fusion has 64 colors to choose from to cover all of the seasons, holidays and special occasions. Their price is similar to other clean beauty nail polish brands (even a tad cheaper at times) and their reviews are great.
I particularly love that Mineral Fusion easy to find and available at Whole Foods! They have an A+ nail polish remover too.
OPI Nature Strong
This fun color is Tempura-ture is Rising!
OPI having a clean line was news to me when I wrote this post! I discovered it when researching brands. The formula looks great, and the reviews are also A+. Considering OPI is what most nail salons use, I feel like this is worth checking out.
Some of the reviews appear to be part of a new product promotion so be sure to read the reviews that look a little bit more like real life. The “9-free” natural origin formula contains no animal-derived ingredients and up to 75.6% Natural Origin and 84% Bio-sourced ingredients.
The packaging contains 20% post-consumer recycled materials. I’m eager to see if the OPI Nature Strong lives up to brand reputation, but I still haven’t tried it. Let me know if you have and what you thought of it.
Conclusion
So, what are the least toxic nail polishes? It’s never going to be perfectly clean and natural, but there are lots of better choices on the market to help you reduce your exposure to harsh toxins. Some of these cleaner nail polish brands include Ella + Mila, Karma Naturals, Mineral Fusion and OPI Nature Stong.
Be sure to let me know if there is a clean beauty nail polish that you are loving right now. If you are cleaning up your beauty routine, check out my related post, Clean Beauty Lipstick Under $15. As always, thanks for stopping by!