😷 Do you recognize that strong, recognizable smell that drifts outside onto the street from nail salons?

Don’t inhale it!  It can be a sign of airborne toxic chemicals. Nail salons contain air quality that is hazardous to both customers and workers. 

🙅‍I don’t support nail salons. More than 375,000 nail technicians work in salons across the United States and face health hazards. According to the United States Department of Labor:

"Workers exposed to chemicals found in glues, polishes, removers, emollients, and other salon products may experience negative health effects such as asthma and other respiratory illnesses, skin disorders (e.g. allergic contact dermatitis), liver disease, reproductive loss, and cancer. Nail salon workers can be exposed to biological hazards if they come into contact with infected skin, nails, or blood from a co-worker or client. Diseases that can result from exposure to infected blood include hepatitis and AIDS. Nail salon workers can also get fungal infections, such as athlete's foot, from clients.” Nail salons are a hazard to us and to the workers. Do not bring your kids into the salon. Paint your nails and your children's nails at home in a ventilated area, using the safest nail polishes that you can possibly find.💅

 

Avoid Conventional = Toxic Nail Polish

These ingredients listed below are the most toxic fund in nail polish. So avoid that if you found any of these in your nail polish. The “toxic trio”:

• ❌ Dibutyl phthalate (DBP): An endocrine disruptor, dibutyl phthalate shown to affect the reproductive system and is linked to cancer, DBP has been used as a plasticizer and solvent to increase wear. DBP has a rating of 10 (the most toxic) in the EWG Skin Deep database. It is a phthalate and acts as a plasticizer.

• ❌ Formaldehyde: Classified as a known carcinogen, formaldehyde is often used as a preservative, nail hardener, and strengthener in conventional polishes.

• ❌ Toluene: Included in some polishes as a solvent to smooth application, it has been linked to impaired human reproduction and development, impaired breathing, being harmful to the nervous system, and nausea.

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Then they added to the list  2 more and they created the big five:

• ❌ Formaldehyde resins. A derivative of formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin is often used as a hardener and in large doses can be a skin allergen.

• ❌ Camphor:  Added to some polishes for high-shine, camphor can cause allergic reactions in large doses, causing irritation, dizziness, nausea, and headaches.

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Then they added these to the list and they created the big 10:

• ❌ Xylene: Used by some brands to help polish from getting gloppy, xylene is also a known allergen and a possible carcinogen.

• ❌ Parabens: Used as preservatives, parabens get a bad rep for having estrogen-mimicking effects which may trigger hormonal problems.

• ❌ Fragrances: toxic undisclosed chemicals mix

• ❌ Phthalates: or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid. They are mainly used as plasticizers

• ❌ Animal ingredients: ingredients derived from animals.

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Avoid these too:

• ❌ TPHP: triphenyl phosphate is also known as TPP, research suggests it causes changes in hormone regulation, metabolism, and reproductive systems. It has been used in polish as a plasticizer which makes the polish flexible yet durable.

• ❌ Ethyl Tosylamide 

• ❌Solvents: ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, isopropyl alcohol, may cause drowsiness or dizziness.  According to the European Chemicals Agency database (ECHA)

• ❌Diacetone alcohol: it can cause respiratory issues and even damage to the liver and kidneys, diacetone alcohol is suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child according to ECHA.  

• ❌ Di-HEMA Trimethylhexyl Dicarbamate: film-forming ingredients, it poses a risk of sensitization from misuse of the products

• ❌ Nitrocellulose: possible allergenic 

• ❌ Tert-butyl hydroperoxide

• ❌ Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer: acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, and 2-Ethylhexyl acrylate seems ok but may increase the risk of respiratory irritation.

 

AVOID PARAFFIN PRODUCTS:  they are petroleum-derived, and found in manicure treatments!

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Avoid Greenwashing Nail Polish

Greenwashing nail polish brands claim to be "10-free": free of DBP, formaldehyde, toluene, formaldehyde resin, and camphor, Xylene, Parabens, Fragrances, Phthalates, Animal ingredients.​ But then they still use 

• ❌ Benzophenone-1: Human endocrine disruptor - strong evidence. Significant wildlife and environmental disruption. In vitro and in vivo estrogenic activity; increased uterine weight in immature rats. Linked to endocrine disruption, toxic ingredient, UV absorber,  used to block color fading, is linked to endocrine disruption carcinogen to the California EPA’s Proposition 65 list 

These are greenwashing nail polish brands. So avoid that!

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Safer Nail Polish

✅ I collected the most natural and safe nail polish brands I was able to find, without the toxins of the traditional solvent-based polish, and more than just  "10-free"!​​​ Nail Polishes listed here are also Biodegradable, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free Vegan, and Cruelty-free and do not contain any animal by-products.

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There are just a few brands I recommend brands and they are all listed here.

Our demand and choice for safer products will shape the market giving greenwashing companies no option but to offer better products and be more transparent with the consumers!

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💅When going to a nail salon bring your safer nail polish with you.

The majority of nail salons are a smelly and toxic environment 

• It is very important that we consider the safety standards for those who work in nail salons that are exposed every day to those fumes, we need to demand cleaner safe nail salons for everyone. 

• Always consider safe options for yourself and those around you. CHECK MY NAIL SALON PAGE 

🌸 I  also collected the Safest  kids' nail polish 

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• 🌿My number one nail polish recommendation is Kapa Nui the best with no odor, eco-packaging, and cute colors. 10% off promo code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL

• 🌿My number one nail polish remover recommendation is Piggy Paint Nail Polish Remover. It works great also with Kapa Nui Nail polishes 15% off promo code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL

 

Shop with my links to support my research! 💖