Beauty Bible Beauty Clinic

Welcome to our new weekly column on the YOU magazine website, www.you.co.uk  Below you will find the current question and our advice, with a list of where to source the products mentioned.  To look at past columns, click here. And for lots more solutions to your beauty dilemmas, visit Q&A, just click here.

May 31st, 2009:  Natural Nail Polishes

Q I am trying to find a natural nail polish without all the ‘nasties’ but that also covers well.  Can you help?

A Well, we’ve just been updating The Green Beauty Bible for the paperback version (out this September) and revisiting the nail polish arena.  To be honest, it’s complex.  Basically, there are quite a number of big brands that are free of the infamous ‘toxic trio’ of chemicals – toluene, formaldehyde and DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) – and there are a few other brands which are really natural.

There’s more information on the ‘toxic trio’ in The Green Beauty Bible but in a nutshell, toluene is a neurotoxin, formaldehyde (banned in several countries for cosmetic use) is a respiratory irritant and considered a likely human carcinogen, and DBP is suspected of causing birth defects and cancer.  Now you might think that using a titchy bit on your fingernails can’t possibly be a risk.  But the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has said that high exposure to these chemicals can occur simply through using nail polish in your home: so always apply polish in a well-ventilated room.  (Of course, the potential risk for manicurists may be higher.)

We consulted the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics database (www.safecosmetics.org), which rates nail polishes and other nail products on a Toxic Rating of 0-10.  The CSC categorises 0-2 as low hazard, 3-6 moderate, and 7-10 high hazard. 

Stacy Malkan from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics says ‘the database lists all brands of beauty products on a scale of the least to the most toxic. Most brands these days are free from the ‘toxic trio’ however; people should check their older products at-home, look-at the labels for the toxic trio of Dibutylphthalate (DBP) Formaldehyde, and Toluene. Also older versions of nail polishes are still around on the market, and may contain these chemicals.’

The CSC also lists some natural nail polishes made from water-based materials, which avoid solvents and plasticisers hitherto used in conventional products.  These brands, which are rated 0-2, include Acquarella Nail Polish (1), Honeybee Gardens WaterColors Nail Enamel and Suncoat Natural Nail Polishes. Revlon Nail Whitener Pencil also comes in this category (rated 1).

Of these, we‘ve used Suncoat, a Canadian brand available in the UK from www.naturisimo.com, which contains organic ingredients, is not tested on animals and has a range of eight good colours, £11.70 for 8ml.

Among the Low Toxic Rating (but not water-based), is L’Oreal Quick Dry.  At 3, you will find Revlon Quick Dry/Top Coats, Peacekeeper Nail Paint, butter London, Zoya and Sante (two other brands we use ourselves).

Another potential problem is acetone-based nail polish remover, which may be linked to several neurological conditions. We like Sante Nail Varnish Remover, based on organic ethanol (alcohol) and citrus oils.  You have to rub a bit but it really does work.

We . . .

Oy! The new Organic Young range from natural skincare company Green People (greenpeople.co.uk).  The dual purpose cleanser and moisturiser, £7.99, is based on active natural ingredients including willow bark, green tea and mandarin. There are pre-biotics to kill the ‘evil’ bacteria that cause zits.  As you would expect, there are no potentially skin-irritating parabens, or phthalates or artificial fragrances. So… just say Oy!

WHERE TO FIND PRODUCTS:

Suncoat Natural Nail Polishes £11.70 for 8 ml are available online at www.naturisimo.com

We . . .

Oy! The new Organic Young range from Green People, from Trial Sizes at £3.30 for 10 ml to Oy! Peel Off Face Mask at £13.99 for three 25g products.

OY! Cleanse & Moisture £7.99 for 50 ml is available online at www.greenpeople.com

Beauty Bible Beauty Clinic - Archive

May 24th, 2009 - Body Polishing
May 17th, 2009 - Rosacea
May 10th, 2009 - Manky Feet
May 3rd, 2009 - Makeup Makeover
April 26th, 2009 - Facial Hair Removal
April 19th, 2009 - Teen Skin
April 12th, 2009 - Swimmers Hair
April 5th, 2009 - Make-up For Damaged Skin
March 29th, 2009 - Are Sunbeds Safe?
March 22nd, 2009 - Weak, Flaking Nails
March 15th, 2009 - Puffy Eyes
March 8th, 2009 - Camouflaging Red Cheeks
March 1st, 2009 - Hair Colouring in Pregnancy
February 22nd, 2009 - Thinning Eyebrows
February 15th, 2009 - Acne