In its inception, nail polish was car paint, just in a smaller bottle — and luckily, we’ve come a long way! Green beauty is as trendy as ever as people are paying just as close attention to what is in their health and beauty products as what’s in their food. After all, the skin breathes! Our skin absorbs what is put on it topically, so there is good reason to use healthier, toxin-free products.
If you’re short on time and want the convenience of an online drugstore, peruse The Online Drugstore today, where you can buy the nail polish online and find the herbal supplement you just ran out of! If you’re curious about less-toxic nail polish, follow along in today’s post as we unravel the differences between three- and five-free nail polish.
What’s the difference between the green nail polishes?
The world of nail polish is cleaning up its act a bit as consumers are becoming more familiar with the chemicals and toxins that are in nail polish, and are moving towards healthier options that remove three and five of the most toxic agents out — nail biters rejoice!
Three-free nail polish - This nail polish category removes the following three ingredients from their polish:
- Toluene - This ingredient typically gives nail polish a smooth, clump-free application, and is also found in coatings, inks, and adhesives. Toluene can cause minor skin irritations if exposed, and if ingested, causes systemic toxicity.
- Formaldehyde - This is a preservative that is in common household products, such as cleaners, plastics, a
nd adhesives. Formaldehyde is actually a gas, and when it’s transformed to a solid state, such as a resin seen in nail polish, it’s chemically changed and there are only minute traces left. Formaldehyde is extremely toxic if inhaled in its gaseous state and can cause skin irritation.
- Dibutyl phthalate (DB) - This ingredient helps to prevent chipping by acting as almost a plastic to keep the nail polish soft and pliable, avoiding brittleness. It can also been found in rain boots, shower curtains, medical devices, and food packaging. Because it is absorbed through the skin, it has been shown to cause genetic mutations, hormone issues, and reproductions concerns.
Five-free nail polish - The five-free nail polish removes the first three chemicals, along with the following two:
- Camphor - Camphor acts similarly to DB as a plasticizer. Synthetic camphor is exceptionally toxic and, in large doses, is poisonous. Camphor can cause dizziness, irritability, and skin irritations when exposed.
As a consumer, it never hurts to investigate what is or
isn’t in your beauty products. People who choose a three- or five-free nail polish are looking for the cleanest nail polish sans harmful chemicals that can cause issues on the CNS or as a skin irritation. It can be easy taking natural beauty to the extreme, almost to the point of swearing off beauty products. There is a middle point, so be realistic to what works for you, and know that you can pick what’s most important to you. If you want all natural beauty products, you can do that, while also getting your nails painted every now and then — it’s okay!
Stay tuned for part two, as we look at the seven-free nail polish and common questions consumers have surrounding green nail polish.
