Our toes are out on full display in flirty little sandals and pretty flip-flops, so most of us want to sport a gorgeous pedi, right? But, it gets a bit confusing because most of the nail salons around town (whichever town you happen to live in), don’t have a great selection of the non-toxic ones. It might be that you need to create a little mani/pedi kit of your own, and represent for Gorgeously Green! So, here’s how to pick a healthy nail polish.
THE NASTIES
The main 5 ingredients that you want to avoid:
DBP (dibutyl phthalate) Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a member of the phthalate family of chemicals, is used in nail polish to minimize chipping. …
Toluene. Toluene is the nail polish ingredient used to create a smooth application and finish. …
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde resin
Camphor
The Good News
There are now at least 15 nail polish brands who have always been free of these toxins, or have recently removed them. Even some OPI shades are now toxin-free.
I’ve tried SO many different brands, but here are 5 that I like a lot, and each one offers has a slightly different edge over other brands.
Water-based, so a great alternative if you want to avoid all solvents. It’s totally odorless. It doesn’t last quite as long as some of the others, but great if you really want to go completely clean and green. They have 18 shades to choose from.
Its edge: Water-based/solvent-free
One of the healthiest on the planet. They have 36 adorable shades. My absolute favorite shade for a summer pedi from this line is the Raspberry Sorbet.
Its edge: 100% biodegradable, and free of 7 toxic chemicals.
Priti NYC $15.00 & some are on sale for $9.00)
Super trendy, Priti NYC is the nail polish of choice for the Paris, NYC, and London runways during fashion week. They are a whopping 8-free (free of eight nasty chems), and they have over 100 shades.
Its edge: An enormous selection of simply gorgeous shades for every season and occasion. Very on trend, and you can’t find a lot of the shades anywhere else.
SpaRitual was one of the first on the clean beauty scene. Shel Pink the owner is a huge advocate of “slow” (gorgeous self care), beauty.
Its edge: The color selection is insane, and they have these really cool unique polishes, such as top effects.
Deborah Lippmann ($18.00 – $20.00)
I adore Deborah’s polishes, but her new Gel Lab Pro polishes take polish to a whole new level, especially for those of us who want a gel type of polish. This line is infused with all kinds of healthy, nourishing ingredients, and she’s also created a special flatter, contoured brush for a salon-worthy manicure (and I sure need all the help I can get when I am doing my own!)
Its edge: High tech patented gel-like formulas, very long-lasting, truly chip resistant.
But a green & clean mani-pedi involved more than the polish, right? What about the polish remover? You definitely want to go green with that too!
