Okay. So you’ve seen that “10-free” is a key phrase associated with our brand, and you’ve been told that it’s a healthier, safer, non-toxic alternative to the nail polish brands you might have been purchasing in drug stores or using in your local nail salon. But what does 10-free mean, and why should it matter when you’re making choices about what to put on and in your body?
10-free means that our polishes do not contain dibutyl phthalate, TPHP, toluene, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, parabens, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Our founder Amy Lin spent years perfecting a formula that did not contain any of these harmful ingredients not only to provide customers with a safe nail polish option, but to ensure that her nail technicians’ health would be prioritized. Think about it: if these ingredients are found in your polish of choice, you or the specialist painting your nails breathe in their toxic fumes every time you open the bottle – and then those ingredients dry with the polish on your nails and into your skin.
Here’s a breakdown of each toxic ingredient, and why it was so important to us to make sure that it stays out of your nail polish:
- Dibutyl phthalate is a respiratory irritant, which poses the most hazard to nail technicians who may become exposed to large amounts.
- TPHP (Triphenyl phosphate) is a plasticizer, as well as a fire retardant, and studies have linked it to changes in normal hormone function.
- Toluene is a solvent used in polish to help it dry quickly; the health concerns associated with excessive exposure to this ingredient may include nervous system impairment and immune, kidney, liver, and reproductive effects.
- Xylene, when exposed to high concentrations in the air, can cause central nervous system depression and headaches.
- Ethyl tosylamide is banned from use in cosmetics by the European Commission but is still used in the United States. This ingredient is suspected of causing developmental and reproductive toxicity.
- Camphor is a fragrant resin still included in many nail products, but it can cause headaches, nausea and dizziness in high amounts.
- Formaldehyde resin can release formaldehyde; the short-term effects of formaldehyde exposure include respiratory and skin irritation. Long-term exposure is suspected to cause cancer.
- Parabens are a common preservative but are a suspected endocrine disruptor.
- Tert-butyl hydroperoxide may be toxic to blood, lungs, liver, the respiratory system and the central nervous system.
Our polishes are also free of any animal products, which are sometimes used in cosmetics to create certain color pigments.
Beyond providing our community with high-quality products and vivid polish colors, we care about making sure you can trust that your nail polish is as safe for you inside as it is beautiful outside. You don’t have to sacrifice health for beauty.
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