Amonbê | Poisonous Nail Polish
Beauty, Global Gardens, Charity, Amonbe,
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Poisonous Nail Polish

Poisonous Nail Polish

We are consuming more and more nail polish and spend a lot of time on our manicures! Well why shouldn’t we? Nail polish is an accessory that is both glamorous and surprisingly cheap. Over the years, ranges have diversified and all looks are possible: from the classic red varnish to the golden glitter. And yet, our infatuation is blind: few know the composition of the nail polish… And you, do you know what they contain? And how well do you choose them if you value your health?

Conventional nail varnishes have long been criticised for their polemical formulation in more ways than one. Formaldehyde, phthalates, the list of suspect ingredients is long indeed.

The great enemy is formaldehyde, a gas used in liquid form as a preservative or a curing agent in cosmetic products. It is a strong allergen and, moreover, an agent suspected of being carcinogenic, which helps to explain why its dosage in cosmetic formulas is strictly limited today by European regulations. Formaldehyde is prohibited in aerosols and its concentration should not exceed 0.2% in cosmetics. For oral hygiene products, the limit is 0.1%. The bad news is that its concentration in nail hardening products is allowed up to 5%. And that’s a lot! Especially when considering that a hardener is applied to damaged or softened nails, which are more porous. However, you have no excuse if you do decide to use it, as, according to the regulations, ‘all formaldehyde-containing products or formaldehyde-releasing substances (…) shall bear the words ‘contains formaldehyde’ on the labelling provided that the concentration of formaldehyde in the finished product exceeds 0,05% “.

So although formaldehyde is a known carcinogenic compound, and is allowed in tiny doses to circumscribe the risk, the long-term effects of formaldehyde-containing varnish on nails have never been studied. Too expensive and too complicated! The lack of precise knowledge on the long-term effects of chemical compounds in cosmetics is, alas, rather recurrent, and all the more worrying. The accumulation of suspicious substances in our bodies should alert us. So why have we not we done anything to change this? Well because we continue to consume the same products for decades and because industrialists are the heirs of a 50-year-old cosmetic tradition where chemistry is the queen. Behind the marketing or advertising innovations, the processes have remained the same for decades.

So in sum, conventional varnishes should be avoided as they contain overwhelmingly potentially toxic agents, coupled with polluting plasticisers. Thanks to the media, we are beginning to be exposed to the deplorable health situation of the many women who work in nail salons, who suffer from a number of conditions linked to the exposure of these toxic products such as chronic asthma, dermatitis and even cancer. The ecological impact of nail polish is just as deplorable. Conventional formulas (all major brands included) invariably contain solvents, plasticisers, film-forming agents and synthetic resins derived from heavy chemicals. These solvents and plasticisers are same chemicals used for car lacquers and professional paints – not exactly the most ecological products of our everyday life!

So what does this all mean? Should we just stop using nail polish? Not necessarily! There are now more and more ‘natural’ varnish brands that offer toluene-free, dibutylphthalate-free, formaldehyde-free and rosin-free products. They are called ‘4-free’ varnishes (‘without the 4’ pollutants). In addition to this, making a healthy and natural manicure at home is not that difficult and can be carried out using natural products:

Step 1: Soften the cuticles with an emollient

The first step to a manicure is to soften the cuticles. The cuticle is the thick skin that covers the base of the nail and is prone to dry and crack, which is not pretty. First off, immerse your nails in a small bowl of lukewarm water filled with a few shavings of soap. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to the water to get the benefits of aromatherapy as you soak your nails. After 10 minutes, remove your hands from the emollient bath and dry them. Now all that is left is to push the cuticles back using an orange stick. Be careful not to cut the cuticles when doing so.

Step 2: Nourish the nail and cuticles

It is useless to spend fortunes to nourish your nails and cuticles. Instead, three oils work wonders for this: olive, argan or castor oil (Ricinuscommunis). The latter is also known to strengthen the nail and stimulate its growth. You can massage a drop on each nail every night, and from time to time bathe your nails in a small bowl of oil mixed with the juice of a quarter of lemon for a more intensive repair care.

Step 3: File the nail

Ideally, nails are filed from the outside to the tip and in one direction rather than back and forth (which can damage the nail). The cardboard file is ideal because as it is abrasive on one side and softer on the other, and removes nail filaments that appear below the edge of the nail after the filing. A good glass file is even more efficient, but much more expensive. For a clean white edge, you can use a toothpick soaked in lemon juice.

Step 4: Varnish 

Avoid conventional nail varnishes and start applying ‘4-free’ varnishes that do not contain substances dangerous to health. For a solvent, try to use an organic product (most organic shops offer at least one).

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