Traditional nail polish is one of the most toxic beauty products on the market. It is packed full of chemicals that are harmful to breathe and harmful for fingernails. Chemicals like formaldehyde (a known carcinogen), dibutyl phthalate (known to cause reproductive issues), toluene (known to cause dizziness), and many others. These chemicals are especially harmful to pregnant women and children, and quite frankly I wouldn’t want them on my fingernails either. The EPA actually classifies nail polish as hazardous waste! Thankfully there are a variety of nontoxic options available. I put together a list below of some of the best nontoxic nail polishes available.
Piggy Paint polish is the brainchild of Melanie Hurley. She made it a goal to create a water-based polish when she was what other toxic brands did to a styrofoam plate. She was horrified because she was using those toxic polishes on her daughter’s fingernails. In creating Piggy Paint, she made sure that it was a non-flammable, virtually odorless, hypoallergenic polish that was also cruelty-free! This is one of the more affordable brands of eco-friendly polish on the market. Piggy Paint also has cute little nail art embellishments that stick on fingernails. This brand has an EWG rating of 1. The Environmental Working Group is an American activist group that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of agricultural subsidies, toxic chemicals, drinking water pollutants and corporate accountability.
Suncoat is a water-based polish that is toluene and formaldehyde free. It contains 70% water and uses mineral pigments and natural coloring. Suncoat is available in 65 colors. It’s an environmentally friendly polish doesn’t have a strong odor, doesn’t cause natural fingernail discoloration, and has an EWG rating of just 1. It can last for weeks on toenails and lasts for several days on fingernails. Adding a clear topcoat will increase the longevity of this polish.
Butter is my personal favorite of all the nontoxic nail polish options out there. They have rich colors that provide good coverage. The brand is free of Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, and triphenyl phosphate.
Honeybee Gardens is another water-based polish that is formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, and toluene free. This polish also an EWG rating of 4. It’s a great alternative to harsh solvent-based polish and is virtually odorless. Honeybee Gardens is also vegan and gluten-free! I like that there are 24 shades to choose from, considering it’s vegan-friendly. Having plenty of options to pick from in the vegan world is never a bad thing.
Aquarella
Acquarella nail polishes are free of many chemicals and has an EWG rating of 1. The nail polishes by Aquarella are water-based, wheat free and vegan and they also offer a non-toxic nail polish remover.
Zoya is one of the more well-known brands when it comes to eco-friendly polish. This is another vegan-friendly option that contains no toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor, or formaldehyde. With over 50 color options to choose from, it’s not short on variety at all. I also like that Zoya brand doesn’t chip off fast. Generally, it takes about a week before any chips are noticed. Like Honeybee Gardens, Zoya has an EWG rating of 4.
ella + milla
Ella+Milla offers a wide range of colors and finishes, says to be scratch resistant, vegan and fast drying. It also avoids 7 of the worst chemicals in nail polish.
Deborah Lippmann is free of Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, and xylene. A pretty good list of free nontoxic ingredients that come in also pretty nail colors.
