2008 Archives: Acquarella: Green, Water-Based Nail Polish
Can you drink your nail polish without having to call poison control? We didn’t think so. And honestly, we were a little skeptical of Acquarella’s claims to have created a water-based, non-toxic, environmentally friendly, non-flammable water polish that’s so safe you could actually ingest it without any permanent damage. But after watching these folks work their magic at the EcoStiletto launch party, we were truly sold.
Be forewarned: Once you start using Acquarella you’re not going to want to use anything else. And at that point, your entire cabinet of nail polish products will be obsolete, because this stuff can’t be used in conjunction with any other conventional nail product. But why not switch? The polish is water-based, virtually odorless, non-toxic and free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates and other noxious chemicals; the remover follows the same guidelines and also eschews petrochemical solvents.
And here’s the kicker: Not only is it safer, but because the products are totally streamlined—simply condition the nails and apply the color, with no base or top coat in sight—it’s faaast. We watched a team of nail techs transform the nails of a guest every 15 minutes, virtually stress-free. And with a water base, the application doesn’t leave you with dry or cracking nails and cuticles, even if you change color every day—using non-toxic polish remover of course—and you’ll want to, since there are 20 to peruse, from the blackest “void” to a lovely light mauve aptly named “quinceanera.”
So take that old kit of crackly colors to the toxic waste disposal, since you can’t throw those babies in the trash (check www.earth911.org for locations in your area). And the next time you finish a bottle of Acquarella polish, wash and recycle it. It’s that clean.
