Your questions on non-toxic natural nail polish, answered

If you’ve toyed with the idea of cleaning out your beauty closet from harsh chemicals and toxic products, you would have heard of 5-free nail polish. You have probably also heard of 7-free or 10-free formulas. There are now more non-toxic beauty products on the market than ever before. And while it’s great to have options, how do we know which natural polish is the best choice?

Recognising what chemicals we should avoid is one thing, deciphering clean nail polish choices is another.

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As it turns out, the formulas aren’t so different after all. “There are no discernible differences between 5-, 7- and 10-free nail polishes when looking at the formulations and considering the exclusion of ingredients that may be potentially harmful,” says Sylvie Hutchings, CEO and founder of SCOUT Cosmetics.

The main chemicals avoided in non-toxic nail polish are formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, formaldehyde resin and camphor. All 5-, 7- and 10-free nail polishes are free of these potentially harmful chemicals, but 7-free polish also excludes ethyl tosylamide and xylene. However according to Sylvie, most 5-free nail polishes exclude these as well. There’s also 3-free nail polish, which is free of DBP, toluene and formaldehyde.

Whatever formula you choose, non-toxic nail products have evolved and will give you a finish that’s just as polished as your regular varnish. Don’t believe me? Check out some of the great natural nail products below.