Every now and then (or all the time), some of us love to get a manicure. It can make us feel more colourful, more glamorous, more confident. But there is nothing that inspires confidence about the ingredients in conventional nail polishes.
The Nasty Stuff
With chemicals like formaldehyde, camphor, parabens and synthetic fragrances, our manicure ends up being less than pretty. But what's wrong with these chemicals? A lot of things.
Formaldehyde can cause irritation, neurological effects, increased risk of allergy, and is a known carcinogen.
Toulene is a substance that's also in paint thinners, glues and correction fluid (nobody wants paint thinner on the hands they eat with).
DBP, or Dibutyl phthalate, is an endocrine disruptor, meaning it interferes with hormones in your body.
Camphor applied topically to the skin has been linked to liver damage; if applied to broken skin, it can enter the bloodstream and reach poisoning concentrations.
Xylene, a solvent in the rubber and leather industries, can cause irritation, cracking and dryness of the skin, allowing other chemicals to be easily absorbed into the body.
Parabens are preservatives, and they are carcinogenic.
Phthalates are plasticizers, and may cause endocrine disruption as well. And these are just some of the potentially-harmful chemicals in your nail polish. With conventional nail polish and manicures, not only do you invest money into something that is totally unsafe for your bod', but the chemicals aren't great for the planet either. But we love our polish, do what can we do instead? At Biome, we have some toxin-free nail polish brands that keep the nasties away from your nails.
Biome's Chemical-Free Polishes
While no nail polish is completely free of chemicals, we have two brands that bypass the ones that pose serious risks to your wellbeing, leaving you with a lovely, worry-free manicure. We have the Kester Black nail polish range, which is 10-Free. And we have Sienna nail polish range, which is 7-Free. Both toxin-free nail polish brands are completely vegan and cruelty free, and are breathable and water permeable. This means your nail stays healthy and the polish itself is less prone to cracking or chipping (saving you money on touch ups!). Both are awesome in their own way, so it's up to you which one you like the best!
What is 10-Free Nail Polish? - Kester Black
Simply put, 10-Free is polish that is free from 10 of the worst nasties found in conventional polish, a.k.a. it's free from all the chemicals above. In Kester Black's range, there's no formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor, formaldehyde resin, xylene, parabens, fragrances, phthalates, and animal derived or tested ingredients. Kester Black also does not include:
Ethyl tosylamide, which has been banned from personal care products in Europe under concerns of antibiotic resistance. Or
triphenyl phosphate, which raises concerns for reproductive and developmental toxcity, and metabolic disruption. As if barring these chemicals wasn't reason enough, Kester Black has a lot more qualities to love. All the products are made in Australia from an Aussie business, meaning your supporting companies in our backyard, and ensuring less of a carbon footprint occurs when transporting products. Kester Black only uses local manufacturers and suppliers, and applies sustainable production methods - this means using recyclable materials (like their glass polish bottle!) and doing small batch manufacturing to lessen waste. Even better, they use 100% renewable and certified carbon neutral energy. This certification is provided by the Australian government, where organisations control their emissions to result in no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (yay!). They're also a Certified B Corp, like Biome! To get this certification, the business considers all stakeholders, including customers, and scores highly in terms of governance, transparency, environmental and social impact, and provides a higher level of accountability. Kester Black not only guarantees a healthier manicure, but a healthier planet in the process. To browse our Kester Black, toxin-free nail polish range,
click here.
What is 7-free Nail Polish? - Sienna
7-Free Nail Polish is free from formaldehyde, tosylamide, DBP formaldehyde resin, synthetic camphor, xylene and toluene. Sienna's polish range doesn't contain ethyl tosylamide or triphenyl phosphate either! Apart from the absence of nasty chemicals, Sienna is a true-blue Aussie company. Handmade in Byron Bay, Sienna is a small, Australian owned business, that prides itself in producing non-toxic nail products. 95% of all ingredients are locally-sourced, meaning support for local suppliers and a lower carbon footprint. Sienna is also environmentally-conscious about resources, bottling their polish in a recyclable glass bottle, with a sustainably-sourced wooden cap that can be recycled or composted once the nylon bristles are removed. Handmade polish that's better for your bod' and the Earth. Yes, please! To browse our Sienna, toxin-free nail polish range,
click here.
Overall...
Kester Black and Sienna have different polish shades and qualities to love, but their best quality is ditching harmful chemicals and creating a product that is better for us and the planet we live in. To browse our extensive Natural Makeup collection, including our toxin-free nail polish ranges,
click here. To read about our Organic, edible nail polish for kids,
click here.
