When you smell a bottle of nail polish, the first thing that comes to mind is probably not how natural and chemical-free it is. But did you know that those chemicals can actually get into your body and have an effect on how your body functions? When you commit to a natural lifestyle, even things like nail polish, that you may only use on occasion, can disrupt your health and keep you from achieving your goals.

I know, I know, it sounds a little dramatic for something you’ve been using your whole life and only goes on a very small portion of your body. Your body does an awesome job at getting rid of certain toxins, but if you’re really trying to help your body function better and feel better overall, why give it more work to do?

That being said, what really is in those bright little bottles?

What’s In Your Nail Polish?

There are a number of toxins commonly found in nail polish. Here what to look for:

Triphenyl Phosphate

Triphenyl Phosphate is a nasty toxin responsible for disrupting your endocrine system, or in other words, messing with your hormones. Women, especially, know how much disrupting your hormones can mess with your life, from how you feel to how you look, your hair, skin, nails, energy level, metabolism, and weight are all affected by your hormones. Remember, your nails are porous, they do absorb what you put on them. Studies have shown that triphenyl phosphate can be detected in your system just 10 hours after applying nail polish.

And the scary thing is that some companies don’t even disclose this toxin on their product labels. So even if you think you’re safe because you don’t see it on your nail polish, you may still be at risk.

Toluene

Toluene is a toxin to watch out for especially if you’re pregnant, nursing or allowing your children to use your nail polish. It can irritate your skin and disrupt childhood development.

Some researchers even found toluene in breastmilk! This is something I just recently learned and can’t believe it! Consider that the next time you go to get your nails done, mama!

Camphor

Camphor used to be produced by soaking the bark and wood of the camphor tree found in Asia. However, today, it is produced artificially from turpentine oil. It is used a lot in skin care products to reduce pain and calm itching. However, it is warned not to apply to broken skin because it can enter the body and reach concentrations that can be deadly!

Nobody has broken skin around their nails, right? Um, yeah, guess again!

Dibutyl Phthalate

Another hormone disruptor, dibutyl phthalate, is derived from cloves. It is used primarily in nail polishes as a plasticizer. Many companies began eliminating this toxin because it is known to cause problems with the endocrine system, but not all companies are on board yet.

Formaldehyde

Ahh, formaldehyde. We’ve found yet another product using this toxic carcinogen to preserve it’s contents. Many of you already know the cancer-causing effects of formaldehyde, or the fact that you really don’t want this substance anywhere near your body, let alone in it.

Sulfates and Parabens

Sulfates and parabens are found in tons of skincare products, but that doesn’t make them safe. Sulfates are used to make your polish better adhere to your nails, while parabens are preservatives, increasing the shelf life of your nail polish. Both are carcinogens but only some companies have started recognizing it.

So What Can You Do About It?

No, I’m not saying that you can’t ever have your nails pretty and polished ever again. Just be smart about it. Thankfully, there are companies out there that are being more responsible with how they make their products. Many of the ones listed here are vegan and some are even water-based. Check out these companies yourself and let me know what you think of their products!

Most of these brands sell their nail polish for around $6-$12 dollars a bottle, which can be a little steep for nail polish, but a lot of Sally Hansen and other brand name nail polishes are very similar in pricing and you’re getting the added benefit of not having toxic chemicals in your polish. Try them all and let me know what brands you like!

For other Natural Beauty Tips, check out my All Natural Beauty page!

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