Our Fav Nontoxic Nail Brands and Why You Should Care
Being a mom of four girls, I have my fair share of “spa days” at home where I treat my littles to their own mani pedi sessions. We love having our girl time together and making memories with my littles is something that means a lot! Memories are the things that I cherish most and when I strive to live a more healthy and non toxic lifestyle, I cannot ignore the unsafe ingredients that are used with nail polishes.
In 2015, The New York Times shared an article that states “A growing body of medical research shows a link between the chemicals that make nail and beauty products useful — the ingredients that make them chip-resistant and pliable, quick to dry and brightly colored, for example — and serious health problems. The prevalence of respiratory and skin ailments among nail salon workers is widely acknowledged. More uncertain, however, is their risk for direr medical issues. Some of the chemicals in nail products are known to cause cancer; others have been linked to abnormal fetal development, miscarriages and other harm to reproductive health.”
When I read this, it really made a light bulb turn on above my head and helped me realize how toxic those products really are. Before that moment, I never thought twice about painting my nails or removing the chipped paint for that matter.
The chemicals that are in common nail polishes can cause harm, especially with repeated exposure. I’ve found after researching that there are toxins in nail polishes that can cause harm because they pass through your blood stream. These toxins should also be avoided by women who are pregnant or nursing, as well as children who have not yet passed puberty. Choose polishes that avoid the “Big Five” chemicals: dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, and camphor. You can read more about these ingredients and why they are bad for you by clicking here. By doing this, you can reduce your toxic load and also enjoy painting your nails.
Since I transitioned to a non toxic lifestyle, there have been a few brands of nail polishes that I really like. The first one that I learned of is called Piggy Paint. It’s made especially for children and comes off very easily in the bath. The other brands that I love that stand the test for my nails as well as the girls are: Cote, Zoya, Ella + Mia. Dazzle Dry is another brand that I use and LOVE but for myself when I get an actual manicure in the salon. It’s a step nail polish system and it does last a lot longer than normal polishes. Do you have a favorite non toxic nail polish brand? Share it in the comments and let’s strive to make better choices together.
