One of the trickiest clean beauty swaps I found to make was nail polish. I love a manicure and want my nails to be groomed and shiny at all times – nothing worse than chipped polish. The good news is: there are non-toxic nail polishes that don’t disappoint and last just as long as regular nail products. But where to start? Why should I make the switch? What does 3-free, 5-free, 8-free and 10-free mean? And which clean nail polish checks all the boxes, meaning has the least toxic ingredients and the longest wear time?
I have been using non-toxic nail polish for over a year now for my weekly manis and had a lot of trial and error, so I’m happy to share with you what I’ve learned about clean nail products. My personal favorite is Sundays Studio because if it’s sensational wearability AND it’s 10-free which means it’s one of the cleanest choices out there.
First of all, let’s look into why the switch to non-toxic nail polish is worth it. Our nails are porous, absorbing the products we apply which means the harmful chemicals & toxins contained in regular polish enter our blood stream easily. The long-term effects of using these products regularly hasn’t been established clearly, yet these chemicals are linked to skin irritation, hormone disruption and cancer. Reason enough to ditch as many of them as possible for good if you ask me.
When it comes to clean nail polish you have the choice of going 3-free, 5-free, 8-free and 10-free. These (non-regulated) terms describe the toxic ingredients that are NOT contained in the nail polish.
3-free
Essentially all conventionally available nail polishes are 3-free which means they don’t contain formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate.
Formaldehyde: A known carcinogen and (still) often used as a preservative in cosmetics.
Toluene: Toluene helps to distribute the color pigments evenly and can impact the nervous system.
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP): This chemical is used to prevent nail polish from becoming brittle but has been proven to impair the endocrine system and cause birth defects.
5-free
Five-free polishes are free from formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, and camphor and formaldehyde resin.
Camphor: A smoothing agent, can cause skin reactions as well as nausea, dizziness, and headaches upon inhalation.
Formaldehyde resin: This chemical is often used for shine and durability in polishes, but can cause skin irritation.
Brands: Chanel
8-free
Eight-free formulas are created without the additional chemicals ethyl tosylamide and triphenyl phosphate.
Ethyl tosylamide: Helps the polish to adhere to the nail, linked to allergic reactions & hormone disruption.
Triphenyl phosphate: Smoothens the formula & has been shown to have an impact on red blood cell count.
Brands: Butter London, Tenoverten, Smith & Cult
10-free
Ten-free is free from all of the above PLUS parabens as well as acetone and it’s vegan.
Parabens: A common cosmetic preservative and hormone disruptor.
Acetone: A solvent, linked to skin irritation.
Brands: Sundays Studio, Kure Bazaar, Nailberry
