Nail Care

There are many nail polish brands on the market that claim to be all natural nail enamel.  But finding natural nail polish is like finding a needle in a haystack. It's nearly impossible. Most people pick out each piece of straw, or purchase one nail polish after another, only to find that they hadn't found that right product.  Wouldn't it be better to know better what your looking for? Then if you know what your looking for you'll know how to detect what the fakes are.  So here is a list of things that can help you find that natural polish you've looked high and low for:

1. Read the ingredient list. If it's not available, just pass it up.  If it contains formaldehyde, toluene or Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) then it's not all natural, it's not safer. Skin Deep's Cosmetic Safety Database gives Dibutyl phthalate or DPB, a score of a 10 when it comes to risk factors. Less is best. The best nail polish options will be without these ingredients. You should also look for less FD&C Color additives or highly refined colorants.  Today there are manufacturers like PeaceKeeper who produce nail polish without the 3 No No's above, and without FD&C Color additives. You can choose from their pre-made color options, or even make your own by using their clear nail enamel and adding loose mineral colors to them to make a designer shade. It's possible to make green nail polish, brown nail polish, pink nail polish...

2. Look at how many nail polish colors the brand offers.  If they offer dozens, then you can conclude that they are not all natural or their formula is possibly less than safe.  Nail polish brands that offer neon nail polish shades is a dead ringer for not natural.  Consumers who want a non toxic nail polish need to understand that there are limitations to safer nail enamels. Don't let these limitations make you feel your losing out though.  You'll enjoy the benefits of safer nail polish when you notice your nails not staining as much; less splitting nail beds; healthy looking nails will grow better as well.

3. Some additional ingredients we feel a must to mention are synthetic fragrances that mask odor. Synthetic fragrance blends can mean hundreds of different chemical components to make up one signature smell.  Opt for formulas that do not use these fragrances. Often they are blended with other ingredients and may not be listed on the label such as DBP.  Colophony (rosin) and synthetic preservatives make up the final list of what to avoid.  Colophony is the solid residue from crude turpentine.  Skin Deep gives turpentine a mark of 7 on their safety score while Rosin is given a mark of 8.  Information coming in suggests that it is a human immune toxicant, so why not avoid this ingredient as well.