Jessica Turner As a society, we’re more conscious of potentially harmful toxins in personal care products than ever – increasingly shunning ingredients that could be carcinogenic and/or hormone disruptive.
Many consumers are clued in on which parabens, synthetic fragrances, dyes and sulphates could fall into either category and nail polish manufacturers have taken note.
And a result, traditional lacquers as well as gels are often marketed as “3 free,” “5 free”, “7 free” and now “10 free” these days.
The numbers indicate how many toxins are excluded in the formula, encouraging us to believe theirs is a healthier choice.
But, green marketing is a grey area and terminology can be confusing.
“Not all green or chemically safe products are necessarily 100 percent natural and not all chemicals are toxic,” says Page Padgett, author of The Green Beauty Rules.
“For me, being green means a product is chemically safe and eco-friendly and if it’s natural or organic, that’s a bonus.”
If the molecular weight of a substance is small enough to pass through your skin, it will end up in your body, but some argue that the amount of toxic chemicals in modern nail polish formulas is too minimal to cause harm.
Natural makeup artist Emmily Banks (who works with eco-advocate big guns like actress Alicia Silverstone) offers an interesting perspective:
“Like anything that “adheres” or bonds to the skin, nail products will never be 100 percent natural,” she says.
“Some nail polishes are less toxic than others but to truly determine this, we actually need to have an understanding of what is in them, rather than what isn’t.
“Being free of 3, 5, or 7 nasties will not tell us how natural or non-toxic a product is,” she says. “They could contain another synthetic preservative that’s carcinogenic. For clarity, thoroughly check all ingredients.”
Carcinogens are substances that can lead to cancer, while hormone disrupters can raise oestrogen levels, interfering with normal body function.
Many of questionable substances are still allowed in personal care products in Australia. We investigate:
3 Free
Lots of nail polish brands are free of the most dangerous toxins. These are:
- Dibutyl Phthalate – used to make plastics more flexible. This toxic chemical is banned in the EU and is a proven cause of liver and reproductive toxicity as well as hormonal disruption.
- Formaldehyde – an industrial strength preservative which gives nail polish it’s chemical smell. It is recognised by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen.
- Toluene – a highly toxic chemical found in petroleum that gives nail polish a smooth finish (and also gives off that chemical paint smell). It is an irritant that can cause kidney, liver and respiratory damage.
5 Free
Nail colour that claims to be “5 Free” typically omit the above chemicals, as well as the following:
- Formaldehyde Resin – used as a hardener to give a shiny finish to the nail polish. An irritant that can cause headaches, tiredness and dermatitis.
- Camphor – a plasticiser that has been banned in Canada. It gives nail polish a glossy finish, which can result in yellow and brittle nails, not to mention liver and neuro toxicity too.
7 Free
Generally don’t contain any of the above as well as:
- Ethyl Tosylamide – another plasticiser used to make nail polish dry faster. With antibiotic qualities it has been banned in the EU for fear of increasing antibiotic resistance.
- Xylene – this is what keeps your polish from drying out and getting too sticky. Dawn Mellowship in her book, Toxic Beauty (2009) lists this as an allergen, irritant and a central nervous system depressant.
