Nailing It: Dodging Toxic Chemicals in Your Nail Polish Like a Pro

Let’s talk about something that might not be as glamorous as choosing the perfect shade of pink or glittery gold: toxic chemicals lurking in nail polish.

Now, before you start panicking and tossing out your entire nail polish collection, take a breather. As your favorite Toxicologist, I’m here to spill the tea on what’s really going on and how you can keep your nails looking fabulous without exposing yourself to unnecessary toxins.

First things first, let’s chat about some of the usual suspects you might find on the ingredient list of your favorite nail polish bottles:

Formaldehyde

Toluene

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)

Camphor

These nasties have been known to hang out in traditional nail polish formulas, and they’re not exactly the kind of company you want to keep.

Formaldehyde? Yeah, it’s that stinky stuff they use to preserve dead things (yuck!). Toluene? It’s like the volatile fume that just won’t quit, and it’s been linked to all sorts of not-so-fun health issues. DBP? Let’s just say it’s got a bad reputation for messing with your hormones. And camphor? Well, let’s just say it’s not as chill as it sounds.

But fear not, fellow polish enthusiasts! There are plenty of nail polish brands out there that have sworn off these toxic troublemakers, opting for safer, more eco-friendly formulas instead.

Look out for labels that boast being “3-free,” “5-free,” “7-free,” or even “10-free” – these may seem like they’re free from a whole slew of nasties, making them a much healthier option, but it’s not always true.

According to a 2018 study, manufacturers are claiming to be “#-free” when in actuality, they’re substituting ingredients of concern with other ingredients with similar concerns, but aren’t widely known by consumers. This is called “regrettable substitution” which is devious to say the least (PMID: 30302996).

The way to avoid this is by reading the ingredients list to what you’re buying in the first place, which is exactly what you will learn inside the Safe Ingredient Academy.

Dr. Yvonne Approved Nail Products

Remember, there is no such thing as a “no risk” or “no tox” product, especially when it comes to nail polish. These are my top picks based on the ingredients, which in my opinion, are the least concerning.