April 26, 2020

How Healthy is my Nail Polish?

Do you like manicure? I do and since 5 years I am doing it at home by myself.

Last week we have talked about Easter egg dye that contains in composition colorants obtained by synthesis from petroleum products.

WHAT DOES MY NAIL POLISH CONTAIN?

I asked myself on how healthy or toxic is my nail polish some time ago. I looked into the composition of a famous brand of 3 letters which I would assume is quite widely used. I like their nail polish as well. However, when I scanned by the yuka app, it scored 14/100, meaning having bad consequences for the health.

TOSYLAMIDE/FORMALDEHYDE resin with high risk:

group 1 carcinogenic preservative
category 2 mutagenic potentially causing hereditary genetics defects or increase their frequency
potential endocrine disruptor
we do have hope since the European Commission proposed almost 3 years! ago to ban it in all cosmetics!

BENZOPHENONE-1

endocrine disruptor ”that can easily pass skin barrier and then behave like female hormones”.
allergenic

ACCEPT OR ACT?

There are studies showing that our body can absorb the chemicals contained in nail polish. However, there are debates on quantity absorbed and effects on our health. As usual I am asking myself what happens when I use the nail polish on regular basis and my body accumulates them?

By the moment, regulatory agencies are taking their pace, what about us? Should we accept and keeping feeding our bodies with doubtful cocktails? Should we encourage the manufacturers by buying their products?

When I am aware about the potential consequences of the above ingredients, it is quite challenging to open again the bottle and apply it on the nails.

ARE THERE ANY NON TOXIC NAIL POLISH AVAILABLE?

I looked on how to replace and find another manufacturer, that scores 83/100. Over 80% of the ingredients are of natural origin: cotton, maize, potato, wheat and manioc. I tried it and you can see on the picture the effect. The color stays for several days. It is less that with the 1st product I spoke about, which can be linked to less chemicals.

Definitely healthier choice. Still I ask myself what about of the rest of the ingredients? It has in its composition titanium dioxide that is ”proven carcinogen by inhalation” or isopropyl alcohol that ”with repeated exposure can cause dryness and skin irritation”.

OTHER HEALTHIER OPTIONS?

I think what is positive today is the we have access to information and can take informed conscience own decisions. I am asking myself if there are any healthier choices. Homemade nail polish? Or maybe natural nails?

What about you? Do you like polishing nails? Do you care of what it contains?