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Nail products contain harmful chemicals which makes me ask, is nail polish dangerous? That’s right. They do, and I have to admit that I, like many other women around the world, didn’t want to hear it. In the past few years nail art has really taken off, and along with it there has been a huge boom in the development of nail care products.
Women of all ages and with varying budgets have been buying in to this simple and easy way to upgrade their looks.
Be it the natural beauties who opt for nail care only, or the divas who are acrylic tipped and rhinestoned to perfection – we all love our beauty rituals and our nail area is no different.
However all nail products in some form or another, be it those used for nail art, or just to harden the nail bed – contain chemicals, and some of them are extremely harmful to our health. So why is nail polish dangerous exactly?
Keep reading to find out more about the dangers of nail products and what you can do to protect yourself. If you want to get in touch about anything featured on TheSortingHouse you’ll find the contact links near the end of the post.
Toxins in Nail Polish
We learnt from the History of Nail Art featured on the Follow Friday Hijack a couple of weeks ago, that nail polish was invented off the back of the invention of car body paint. It should therefore be no surprise that this lovely lacquer we’ve all grown so attached to is full of chemicals. Sadly, those chemicals are harmful and we can’t completely trust brands to be honest with their ingredients list either. That’s if there is one at all!
There was a study I read about recently published by the Daily Mail, which talks about how a handful of nail polish brands offered in California nail salons which claimed to be toxin free, actually contained alarming quantities of these dangerous chemicals. This is bad news for those of us who are actually choosing to be conscious about what we put in and on to our bodies.
The toxins in nail polish aren’t just dangerous for your health, wellbeing and beauty but also that of the environment too! The chemicals which can seep from the nail polish in to your body, does the very same when thrown away into the earth and our groundwater. Nail polish is considered hazardous household waste, and should be disposed of responsibly.
Toluene
To avoid look for – 3-free, 4-free, 5-free or 8-free labelled nail polish.
Toluene (methylbenzene, toluol, phenylmethane) is highly flammable and used to make dynamite, but in nail polish it can be the cause of headaches, dizziness, fatigue and not to mention an irritant to the eyes, throat, lungs and nose as well as a cause of contact dermatitis.
The fumes alone can cause irritation, however many nail polishes contain this chemical as well as being one of the main ingredients in gasoline. Toluene, as well as the other toxins are particularly dangerous for pregnant and nursing women. Toluene is listed as ‘very toxic’ and a ‘skin irritant’ on its chemical profile.
According to Medscape toluene could cause skin necrosis, chemical burns, inhibit bone formation and even cause hepatitis. Medscape details how toluene can affect the central nervous system. It crosses the blood-brain barrier and interacts with important neurotransmitters like GABA and dopamine.
Effects on the nervous system can include vertigo, seizures, coma, cerebral and cerebellar degeneration, seizures, decreased cognition, blindness, and many others. Toluene affects other body systems as well, including your heart and lungs with symptoms ranging from asphyxiation to chronic lung injury.
Yikes.
Formaldehyde
To avoid look for – 3-free, 4-Free, 5-free or 8-free labelled nail polish.
Also known as the substance used to preserve dead people, formaldehyde is actively used in many nail products but may also be listed in the ingredients as formalin. Formaldehyde features in the formulas of nail miracle Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat and several nail hardening nail care products.
Some studies on this chemical have identified it could have cancer causing properties. Not to mention the dangers in small quantities, that’s chemical burns, contact dermatitis, eye, skin, respiratory irritation and blistering. However the dangers in large quantities are much more severe, that’s irregular heartbeat, pulmonary swelling, and even death!
On the other hand however, some people argue that formaldehyde in nail polish, when used in small quantities can’t harm you. Nail blogger and scientist Loodie Loodie Loodie argues that all nail products which contain formaldehyde only contain between 1-3%, making it a safe level to continue using said products.
I don’t know if I’m convinced though?
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)
To avoid look for – 3-free, 4-free, 5-free or 8-free labelled nail polish.
DBP seems to have many guises and could also be listed as Di-n-butyl phthalate, Butyl phthalate, n-Butyl phthalate, 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid dibutyl ester, o-Benzenedicarboxylic acid dibutyl ester, DBP, Palatinol C, Elaol. In nail polish it binds the polish and helps it last longer.
However, luckily for us European ladies, this ingredient has been banned from use within cosmetics in the EU. Although stateside, most major nail brands have stopped using this chemical, it’s still sadly not banned in America and can find its way into cosmetics amongst other things. So always check the label!
DBP can cause reproductive toxicity, delays in development, hormone disruption, nervous system toxicity, neurotoxicity and irritation to the lungs. It is commonly used as an additive in adhesives, fragrances and plastics. However is now mostly banned from being used in Children’s toys and it goes without saying that pregnant and nursing women should avoid it at all costs.
Gulp.
Formaldehyde Resin
To avoid look for – 4-free (might contain the below), 5-free or 8-free labelled nail polish (won’t contain either).
Not entirely the same as formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin – also known as Tosylamide, no link to cancer has been found yet and it is generally used as a nail strengthener. However Birchbox says that ‘it is also a skin allergen and can remain active for up to three days after your polish has dried.’
Camphor
To avoid look for – 4-free (might contain the above), 5-free or 8-free labelled nail polish (won’t contain either).
Camphor can be naturally or synthetically produced and is found in aromatherapy oils. Also used as an embalming fluid, and even in religious ceremonies amongst other things, it is hazardous and can cause irritation to the eyes, respiratory system, appetite and bowel movements.
In large doses however it can be fatal, and is highly poisonous. Symptoms of camphor poisoning consist of irritability, disorientation, lethargy, muscle spasms, vomiting, convulsions, abdominal cramps and seizures.
Parabens
To avoid look for – 8-free labelled nail polish.
Could be listed as ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben or other ingredients ending in –paraben. These are found in so many cosmetics, it’s actually ridiculous. However parabens have been linked to hormone disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity.
Parabens are generally present to stop the growth of bacteria within products, however because they attack cells, bacterial or not parabens have also been found in biopsies of breast tumours.
Phthalates
To avoid look for – 8-free labelled nail polish.
There’s not just DBP, other phthalates are just as dangerous and are pretty hard to identify because they hide behind coded names like:
DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) DEP (diethyl phthalate) DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl phthalate) Bis (2-ethylhexyl phthalate) BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate)
Animal Ingredients
To avoid look for – 8-free labelled nail polish.
Important for vegans, but also those who don’t want to wear Fido or Bessie on their nails. PETA has quite a comprehensive list of animal ingredients on their website. So if you’re not comfortable with using any ingredients that came from animals in your products at all check this list before buying.
How to Buy Non Toxic Nail Polish
Look for nail polishes which are labelled 3-free or above. However recent studies have shown that some American brands have been making false claims regarding their toxic free ingredients.
The best way to avoid toxins in nail polish is to check the ingredients! I know this isn’t always feasible as some bottles don’t even have them?! Barry M I’m looking at you! Or as seen above, might not be truthful about them.
As an aside – I thought that all companies trading in the UK had to publish their ingredients on products – or is it just food related and not applicable to beauty?
Options for checking the ingredients - check their websites or other stockists online, they should list them and it might be easier and more convenient to read over than the tiny little peel off labels they sometimes use. If you can’t find out what’s in the product, you have to ask yourself what are they hiding? Do you really want to put a concoction of unknown chemicals on your delicate nail bed?
Doing a little bit of research ahead could really pay off, identify the brands whose practices you’re generally happy with. However don’t forget that companies change their formulas all the time – and although online lists might be useful for identifying good brands and bad brands – they may also be outdated.
Nothing compares to actually checking the ingredients on the physical bottle you’re using. Plus it might be that a brand only produce one or two products without toxins, and the rest contain them – so to be safe – check those ingredients!
If You Can’t Avoid Toxic Nail Polish
I understand that some people don’t care about toxins because they’re not producing any negative effects on their bodies just yet, or maybe they feel it’s too much effort. I also get that chemical free products have a higher price point, and some just simply can’t afford it. Others may not have the choice, either working in salons or attending them. Whereas those who don’t paint their nails that often, may think that they have so little exposure it can’t be so bad.
Whatever the reasons might be, it’s important to be cautious where possible if toxic nail polish is unavoidable. Only paint, or have your nails painted in a well ventilated environment and try to avoid breathing in the fumes directly. Paint your nails neatly, avoid contact with the skin around the nail as much as possible. Insist at least on a good quality base coat which doesn’t have chemicals, although I imagine the chemicals may be able to seep through, a good quality base coat could create some protection for the nail plate.
If you get your nails ‘did’ in a salon, look for salons who only use *-free products or who take preventative measures to protect their customers and staff against the dangers of nail products. Inspirationail has compiled a list of natural nail salons here.
Is Nail Polish Dangerous then?
Is nail polish dangerous? Yes, it can be! Shockingly so can a lot of beauty products and it is up to us to find them, and stop using them. We can’t rely on companies not to use these products, the majority of them only caring about profit. Let’s hope they have the decency to label their toxins though, so that we can start making conscious beauty decisions.
Remember as corny as it sounds and how little you want to hear it, beauty does start from within and although you may not see any negative impact on your looks yet – putting toxins in, be it through food, or on to your body through the products you use, will no doubt affect your beauty in the long term. A lot of what you see on the outside, is controlled by what is going on inside, so logically if your body isn’t happy inside, you won’t look so good on the outside. Duh!
Of course many women have already made the transition to a natural beauty regime. They systematically check ingredients labels and are conscious of everything that goes on and in to their bodies and I’ve no doubt that they feel much better as a whole for it.
However, only recently beginning to wake up to the greater dangers involved in the beauty industry. I’m taking baby steps to a regime which eliminates harmful chemicals and I can’t see me buying any toxin laden products in the future. I will however use up what I already own but will be taking as many precautions as possible when using them.
You maybe still don’t care, don’t want to hear it or can’t be bothered with the effort involved in making the transition. That’s cool too, only you can decide what is right and wrong for your body but if you do, do anything, please listen to the signs.
If I could recommend anything to anyone doubting the dangers of toxic nail polish, is just to do some research in to it yourself.
Most importantly, listen to your body. You don’t necessarily need to develop a rash, or worse! Those pesky hang nails? Peeling nail tips? It could be signs of toxin foul play, and adding more chemical laden products to combat it, could make the problems worse!
Over to You!
What do you think about toxins in beauty products? Will you start buying *-free nail polish? Maybe you are one who couldn’t care less?
Let me know in the comments below, or you can find me on ➳ Twitter ➳ Facebook ➳ Pinterest ➳Instagram ➳ Google + ➳ #consciousbeauty
What’s Next?
I’m going to be exploring other toxins and chemicals which are found in beauty products, stay tuned for more in the Conscious Beauty series.
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